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LIBRARY  OF  PRINCETON 
1 


MAY  I  9  2005 


THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


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THE 


WHOLE    WOEKS 


OF  THE 


REV.   EBENEZER  ERSKINE, 


MINISTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL  AT  STIRLING. 


CONSISTING  OP 


SERI!IOIV8    A]\D   DISCOTRSES, 


ON  IMPORTANT  AND  INTERESTING  SUBJECTS. 


TO  WHICH  IS  ADDED, 

AN  ENLARGED   MEMOIR   OF   THE   AUTHOR, 

BY  THE 

REV.    D.   ERASER, 

MINISTER  OF  THE  UNITED  ASSOCIATE  SYNOD,  KENNOWAT,  FIFB. 


IN  THREE  VOLUMES. 
VOL.  L 


LIBRARY  OF  PRINCETON 


THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


PHILADELPHIA: 
PUBLISHED  AND  FOR  SALE  BY  WM.  S.  Sc  A.  YOUNG, 

No.  173,  Race  Street. 


FOR  SALE,  ALSO,  BY  A.  TOWAR,  ST.  JAMES  STREET. 


1836. 


GRIGGS  &  CO.,  PRINTERS. 


]!I  £  M  O  I  R 


OP  THE 


REV.    EBENEZER    ERSKINE. 


The  desire  of  becoming  acquainted  with  the  character  and  his- 
tory of  a  writer,  to  whose  pen  we  are  indebted  for  entertainment 
or  instruction,  is  almost  universally  felt;  and,  in  some  instances, 
the  gratification  of  this  natural  wish  is  conducive  to  very  valua- 
ble purposes.  When  we  sit  down  to  peruse  publications  rich  in 
evangelical  sentiment  and  fervid  with  earnest  exhortation,  the  sa- 
lutary impressions  which  such  writin<j;s  tend  to  produce,  are  likely, 
by  the  divine  blessing,  to  be  considerably  aided  by  means  of  am- 
ple and  authentic  intelligence,  previously  obtained,  of  a  corre- 
sponding spirit  and  behaviour,  on  the  part  of  their  authors.  Who 
does  not  know  that  the  charms  of  truth  are  never  more  alluring, 
and  that  her  power  is  never  more  invincible,  than  when  she  comes 
recommended  by  a  man,  whose  whole  conduct,  amidst  numerous 
vicissitudes  and  trials,  has  aft'orded  convincing  evidence,  that  he 
belonged  to  the  class  of  her  earnest  admirers,  and  most  disinte- 
rested votaries?  The  peculiar  circumstances,  too,  in  which  a 
writer  has  been  placed,  the  singular  services  that  in  providence 
he  may  have  been  called  to  perform,  and  (he  bold  appearance  he 
may  have  found  himself  couMielled  to  make  in  opposition  to  exist- 
ing errors  and  defections,  will  so  often  serve  to  illustrate  and  pal- 
liate, if  not  completely  to  justify,  various  passages  in  his  writings, 
which  otherwise  might  appear  obscure  and  unaccountable.  For 
these  and  similar  reasons,  many  have  sincerely  regretted,  that  in 
all  former  editions  of  the  works  of  the  Rev.  EbcncAer  Erskine, 
the  prefixed  accounts  of  his  life  have  been  so  superficial.  The 
present  Memoir,  though  moderate  in  its  extent,  and  by  no  means 
exhausting  all  the  materials  that  are  now  at  command,  is  intended, 
in  a  great  measure,  to  supply  this  defect. 

The  parentage  of  Mr.  Erskine  was  highly  respectable.  Ilis 
father,  the  Rev.  IIenuy  Euskink  of  Chirnside,  was  one  of  the 
younger  of  thirty-three  children  of  Ralph  Erskine  of  Shielfield, 


IV  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE. 

an  ancient  family  in  the  county  of  Merse,  descentled  from  the  • 
noble  house  of  Mar.  Interesting  accounts  of  this  worthy  minis- 
ter of  Christ  have  been  long  in  the  hands  of  the  public*  He 
was  born  at  Drjburgh  in  the  year  1624,  educated  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Edinburgh,  and  ordained  at  Cornhill  in  Northumber- 
land, probably  in  the  year  1649.  After  exercising  his  ministry 
there  with  hopeful  appearances  of  success,  for  more  than  twelve 
years,  he  was  ejected  in  1662,  in  common  with  a  numerous  host 
of  faithful  brethren,  for  non-conformity  to  Prelacy.  Some  ar- 
rears of  stipend  that  were  owing  him  at  the  time  of  his  ejection, 
were  unjustly  and  cruelly  withlield.  After  a  fruitless  voyage  to 
London  to  recover  the  debt,  he  took  up  his  abode  at  the  place  of 
his  nativity,  where  he  resided  quietly  for  a  series  of  years,  preach- 
ing the  gospel  occasionally  as  opportunities  occurred.  During 
this  period  too,  he  seems  to  have  prosecuted  sacred  studies  with 
peculiar  ardour.  Two  of  his  Manuscripts  are  still  extant;  the 
one  of  which  is  dated  1664,  and  consists  chiefly  of  a  number  of 
extracts  from  various  authors  on  theology  and  church  history. 
The  other  is  a  thick  volume  12mo.  containing  a  concise  system 
of  divinity,  in  the  Latin  tongue,  which  is  entitled,  Theologise 
Ostium,  and  seems  to  be  his  own  composition.  It  includes  short 
replies  to  six  hundred  and  forty-seven  Questions  on  various  points, 
and  was  finished  in  the  year  1665.  But  whatever  comparative 
tranquillity  he  enjoyed  for  a  season,  he  began  about  the  year  1682, 
to  undergo  severe  persecution.  He  was  banished  from  his  native 
country,  fined  in  the  sum  of  5000  merks,  and  repeatedly  impri- 
soned in  different  places.  After  the  passing  of  the  Jict  of  In- 
demnity, however,  he  was  restored  to  liberty,  and  preached  for 
some  time  at  Monilaws,  in  the  parish  of  Branxton,  Northumber- 
land, and  afterwaids  at  Whitsom,  a  village  on  the  north  of  the 
Tweed.  During  iiis  residence  at  Whitsom,  it  pleased  God  to 
make  him  the  instrument  of  converting  the  celebiated  Mr.  Tho- 
mas Boston  of  Etterick,  then  a  boy  about  ten  years  of  age.  Mr. 
Boston  himself,  in  his  "  Soliloquy  on  the  Art  of  Man-fislnng," 
ascribes  his  first  savins:  impressions  of  the  truth  to  sermons  which 
he  heard  delivered  at  Newton  of  Whitsom,  by  "  a  preacher,  who 
spared  neither  his  body,  his  credit,  nor  reputation,  to  gain  the 
souls  of  men." 

Shortly  after  the  happy  Revolution  of  1688,  this  venerable  man 
accepted  a  call  to  the  parish  ot^Chirnsi<!e,  where  he  continued  to 
discharge  his  office  with  exemplary  fidelity  and  much  success  till 
he  entered  the  joy  of  his  Lord  on  the  10th  of  August,  1696,  in  ' 
the  seventy-second  year  of  his  age.  Amidst  all  the  hardships  he 
suffered  for  the  sake  of  the  gospel,  this  excellent  minister  found 
great  cause  to  adore  the  goodness  of  God,  not  only  in  cheering 
him  with  the  consolations  of  his  Spirit,  but  also  in  wonderfully 
providing  for  the  temporal  subsistence  of  himself  and  family. 
He  met  with  much  kindness  both  from  relations  and  from  stran- 

*  See  Wodrow's  History  of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  Calamy's  Lives  of  the 
Ejected  Ministers,  &c. 


MEMOIR  OP  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE.  V 

gers,  and  had  occasion  to  observe  many  striking  instances,  in 
whicli  the  most  seasonable  relief  was  unexpectedly  administered. 
The  manner  of  his  departure  was  singularly  edifying.  Being 
seized  with  a  fever,  and  aware  that  liis  end  was  approaching,  he 
called  for  iiis  ciiiidren,  and  addressed  them  with  an  air  of  heaven- 
ly authority.  Of  nine  that  were  then  living,  six  were  present. 
As  a  dying  man,  and  a  dying  father,  he  bore  his  testimony  to  the 
superior  excellence  of  the  ways  of  God;  told  them  that  the  ad- 
vantages of  serious  religion  infinitely  outweigh  all  the  difficulties 
that  can  possibly  attend  it;  assured  them  that  as  he  had  never  re- 
pented, so  more  especially  then,  he  did  not  repent  of  any  hard- 
ships he  had  endured  in  his  Master's  service;  and  expressed  his 
full  persuasion  that  he  was  going  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and 
that  if  they  were  followers  of  his  faith  and  patience,  he  and  they 
should  ere  long  have  a  joyful  meeting  there.  After  this,  in  the 
most  solemn  and  impressive  manner,  he  charged  and  engaged 
them,  one  by  one,  to  be  faitliful  servants  to  the  God  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  his  own  God  in  Clirist,  and  to  keep  his 
way,  as  ever  they  would  look  him  in  the  face  in  the  great  day  of 
judgment.  And,  in  fine,  having  blessed  them,  and  committed 
his  beloved  wife  and  them  to  tlie  care  of  Providence,  he  com- 
mended liis  spirit  into  the  hands  of  his  redeeming  God  and  Fa- 
ther. He  was  interred  in  the  churth-yard  of  Chirnside;  and  a 
Latin  epitaph,  with  a  translation  subjoined,  composed  by 'the  Rev, 
John  Dvsert  of  Coldingliam,  representing  chiefly  the  incorruptible 
integrity  and  unshaken  resolution  which  adorned  his  character, 
was  engraven  on  his  tombstone.  Tlie  stone  was  renewed  by  his 
sons,  Ebenezer  and  Ralph,  when  tliey  made  a  visit  to  that  part 
of  tlie  country,  upwards  of  thirty  orfortyyears  after  their  father's 
death.  A  few  years  ago,  too,  an  estimable  inhabitant  of  Chirn- 
side, observing  tiuit  this  stone  was  greatly  defaced,  much  to  his 
credit,  put  himself  to  the  trouble  of  repairing  it.  It  will  gratify 
the  pious  reader  also  to  learn,  that,  in  consequence  of  the  lauda- 
ble exertions  of  the  same  individual,  and  a  (cw  otliers,  both  of 
the  clerjiy  and  laity,  an  elegant  monument,  about  twenty  feet 
high,  closely  adjoining  the  original  stone,  and  bearing  an  appro- 
priate inscription,  has  been  erected  by  subscription  this  same  year 
1825,  to  the  memory  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Erskine,  as  a  venerable 
sufferer  in  the  cause  of  tiuth. 

Mr.  Kbenezer's  motlier,  Maugauet  Halcro,  a  native  of  Ork- 
ney, was  not  unworthy  of  such  a  husband.  According  to  com- 
munications lately  received  by  one  of  her  descendants  from  Ro- 
bert Nicolson,  Es(|.,  Kirkwall,  it  appears  that  she  was  a  great- 
grand-daughter  of  Hariy  H:dcro,  of  that  ilk,  and  Lady  Bar- 
bara Stewart,  that  Harry  Halcro  was  a  lineal  descendant  of 
Halcro,   Prince  of  Denmark;  and   that  liady  Barbara  was  the 

oungest  daughter  of  Robert,  Earl  of  Oiknev,  son  of  James  V. 

ut  Margaret  Halcro  possessed  a  far  higher  distinction  than  the 
blood  of  nobles  or  kings  can  impart — sincere  and  decided  piety. 
The  Certificate  she  received  at  the  time  of  her  leavinti;  Orkney, 
an  exact  copy  of  which  has  been  found  in  one  of  Mr.  Ralph  Er- 

1* 


S 


Vi  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE. 

skine's  manuscripts,  is  much  to  her  credit.*  Amidst  the  many 
privations  and  distresses  to  which  she  and  lier  large  family,  along 
with  her  conscientious  husband,  were  subjected,  during  the  un- 
happy reigns  of  Charles  II.  and  his  brother  James  II.,  she  adorned 
her  profession  by  Christian  magnanimity  and  patience.  The 
evening  of  her  life  was  spent  chiefly  at  Portmoak,  where  she  ex- 
perienced from  Ebenezer  and  his  amiable  partner  every  kind  at- 
tention that  could  flow  from  the  purest  gratitude  and  the  most 
attectionate  reverence.  Having  survived  her  husband  nearly 
thirty  years,  she  died  there  with  a  hope  "full  of  immortality," 
January  14th,  1725,  in  the  seventy-eighth  year  of  her  age.  Her 
remains  were  deposited  in  the  chapel  ground  of  Scotlandwell,  a 
village  in  the  parish  of  Portmoak,  where  a  suitable  Latin  inscrip- 
tion, somewhat  defaced,  is  still  to  be  seen  on  a  stone,  which  her 
sons  Ebenezer  and  Ralph  erected  in  memory  of  a  valuable  and 
much  loved  mother. 

Mr.  Erskine  of  Chirnside,  was  twice  married;  and,  by  each  of 
his  partners  he  had  several  children.  To  the  first  family  belonged 
Philip,  who,  having  conformed  to  the  Church  of  England,  became 
Rector  of  Knaresdale  in  the  county  of  Northumberland;  Also,  a 
daughter,  who  was  born  in  the  year  1653,  gave  her  hand  to  a  Mr. 
Balderston  of  Edinburgh,  and  died  at  an  advanced  age,  October 
19th,  1738.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Boston  makes  frequent  mention  in 
hisMemoirs,  of  thisMrs.  Balderston,  as  an  eminent  Christian  and 
esteemed  friend,  whose  prayers  on  his  belialf  he  particularly  re- 
quested. The  eldest  of  the  second  family,  (viz.  Margaret  Hal- 
cro's,)  of  wliom  we  have,  any  account,  was  Henry,  a  student  of 
Medicine,  who  died  at  Chirnside,  tlie  9th  July,  1696,  in  the  twen- 
tieth year  of  his  age,  and  exactly  a  month  before  his  father. 

EBENEZER  ERSKINE,  the  proper  subject  of  this  Memoir, 
was  born  on  the  22nd  of  June,  1680,  nearly  five  years  before  his 
brother  Ralph.  The  place  of  his  birth  was  probably  Dryburgh; 
where  the  part  of  the  house  which  was  occupied  by  his  father  and 

*  It  is  expressed  in  the  following  terms: — 

«  At  the  Kirk  of  Evie,  May  27,  1666. 
'•  To  all  and  sundry  into  whose  hands  these  presents  shall  come,  be  it 
known  that  the  bearer  liereof,  Margaret  llalcro,  lawful  daughter  to  the  de- 
ceased Hugh  Halcro,  in  the  isle  of  Weir,  and  Margaret  Stewart  his  spouse, 
hath  lived  in  the  parisli  of  Evie  from  her  infancy,  in  good  fame  and  report; 
is  a  discreet,  godly  young  woman,  and,  to  our  ctrrtain  knowledge,  free  of  all 
scandal,  reproach,  or  blame.  As,  also,  that  she  is  descended,  of  her  father, 
of  the  house  of  Halcro,  which  is  a  very  ancient  and  honourable  family  in  the 
Orkneys — the  noble  and  potent  Earl  of  Early  and  Lairds  of  Dun  in  Angus; 
and  by  her  mother,  of  tlie  Laird  of  Burscobe  in  Galloway.  In  witness  where- 
of, we,  the  Minister  and  Clerk,  have  subscribed  the.se  presents  at  Evie,  day, 
month,  year  of  God,  and  place  foresaid,  and  give  way  to  all  other  noblemen, 
gentlemen,  and  ministers,  to  do  the  same. 

MR.  MORISON,  Minister  of  Evie, 
GEORGE  BALLENTINK, 
fSicsubscribitur.J  JAMES  TRAIL, 

WILLIAM  BALLENDEN, 

1666. 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE.  Vll 

family  is  said  to  be  still  industriously  preserved  by  the  present 
Lord  Buchan,  as  a  relic  and  memorial  of  them.  The  name  Ebe- 
NEZER  is  understood  to  have  been  given  to  him  by  his  parents,  in 
testimony  of  their  fervent  gratitude  to  that  God,  whose  goodness 
and  mercy  had  followed  them  amidst  all  their  hardsiiips  and  dif- 
ficulties, and  constrained  them  to  set  up  a  pillar  of  remembrance, 
saying,  "  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us." 

The  particulars  of  Ebenez,er's  early  life  are  now  almost  wholly 
unknown.  During  his  first  sixteen  years,  he  enjoyed  the  united 
advantages  of  a  father's  guardianship  and  a  mother's  care;  and  by 
the  Divine  blessing  on  parental  instruction  and  example,  he  seems 
to  have  devoted  his  youth  to  the  fear  and  service  of  God.  Having 
learned  the  elements  of  literature  at  Chirnside,  under  the  imme- 
diate superintendence  of  his  father,  he  prosecuted  his  studies  at 
the  University  of  Edinburgh,  where  he  received  a  regular  educa- 
tion for  the  sacred  office.  For  some  time,  he  was  chaplain  and 
tutor  in  the  house  of  the  Earl  of  Rothes,  at  Leslie.  Providence 
having  thus  cast  his  lot  within  the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Kirkaldy,  he  applied  to  that  Presbytery  for  license;  and,  accord- 
ingly, after  he  had  passed  through  the  usual  course  of  exercises 
for  trial,  they  licensed  him  to  preach  the  gospel,  probably  in  the 
year  1702. 

One  considerable  memorial  of  Ebenezer's  youthful  piety  and 
•liligcnce  is  furnished  by  a  large  Note-book,  written  in  ihe  years 
1699,  1700,  1701,  1702, — at  this  moment  in  our  hands.  It  con- 
tains "  .Son»e  memorable  passages  in  Church  history,"  and  copi- 
ous extracts  from  various  theological  works  he  had  been  perusing; 
as  Charnock's  Discourses,  Ferguson  on  the  Sutterings  of  Christ, 
Wilkin's  Gift  of  Prayer,  Polhill's  Speculum  Theologise,  and  other 
writers.  A  great  part  of  the  book  too,  is  occupied  by  notes  of 
Sermons,  which,  during  those  years,  he  had  heard  delivered  from 
the  pulpit  by  esteemed  clergymen  of  that  age,  as  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Alexander  Cowper,  James  Webster,  George  Hamilton,  John  Mon- 
crieft',  John  Shaw,  George  Gillespie,  and  others. 

The  excellent  character  and  useful  discourses  of  this  young 
Preacher  soon  recommended  him  to  public  notice.  On  the  26th 
of  May,  1703,  he  received  a  unanimous  call  to  the  parish  of 
Portmoak,  to  succeeil  the  Rev.  John  Wilson,  who  had  been  trans- 
lated to  Kirkaldy:  and  having  given  ample  satisfaction  with  re- 
gard to  his  qualifications  for  the  Christian  ministry,  he  was  or- 
dained at  Portmoak,  in  the  month  of  September,  that  year,  by 
the  same  Presbytery  to  which  he  had  formerly  been  indebted  for 
license. 

Portmoak  is  a  sequestered  village,  pleasantly  situated  at  the 
bottom  of  the  west  end  of  the  Lomond -hills,  and  on  the  banks  of 
Loch  Leven, — commanding  a  prospect  of  the  whole  lake,  in- 
cluding (he  Castle  wliere  the  uidortunate  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots, 
was  confined.  In  this  retired  spot,  Mr.  Erskine  entered  on  his 
parochial  duties  with  activity  and  /.eal,  and  at  the  same  time  en- 
joyed, at  the  commencement  of  his  ministry,  choice  opportunities 


Vm  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE* 

for  devotion  and  mental  improvement,  which  laid  the  foundation 
of  his  future  eminence  and  usefulness. 

Anxious  to  acquire  accurate  and  extensive  views  of  the  truth, 
he  spent  a  great  proportion  of  his  time  in  study,  where  he  perused 
with  delight  the  oracles  of  God,  and  some  of  the  best  writers  on 
theology,  as  Turretine,  Witsius,  Owen,  and  others.  He  wasnot 
insensible,  at  the  same  time,  to  the  advantages  that  may  be  de- 
rived from  frequent  and  familiar  conversation  on  religious  topics, 
with  persons  of  intelligence  and  piety.  For  some  time  after  his 
ordination,  his  views  of  divine  truth,  it  is  said,  in  common  with 
those  of  a  considerable  number  of  pious  ministers  of  the  Church 
of  Scotland  at  that  period,  were  not  quite  clear  and  correct,  but 
consisted  of  a  confused  mixture  of  legal  and  evangelical  doctrine. 
It  pleased  God,  however,  to  give  him  more  enlightened  and  sa- 
tisfactory conceptions,  and  to  bless,  for  that  purpose,  the  inter- 
views he  had  with  his  brother  Ralph  and  others.  Nay,  according 
to  his  own  ingenuous  acknowledgments  to  his  children  and  friends, 
he  was  more  deeply  indebted  to  no  one,  as  an  instrument  of  ena- 
bling him  to  understand  "  the  way  of  God  more  perfectly,"  than 
to  his  partner,  Alison  Tuupie,  daughter  of  Mr.  Alexander  Tur- 
pie,  writer  in  Leven,  Fifeshire,  a  young  lady  of  engaging  dispo- 
sitions and  undissembled  piety,  whom  he  married  on  the  2d  of 
February,  1704.  A  confidential  conversation,  which  he  acci- 
dentally overheard  between  her  and  Ralph,  on  the  subject  of  their 
religious  experience,  is  thought  to  liave  signally  contributed  tp- 
wards  the  happy  change  that  took  place  in  Ebenezer's  sentiments 
and  impressions  with  relation  to  the  gospel.  Whilst  they  were 
opening  their  minds  to  each  other  withdut  reserve,  in  a  bower  in 
his  garden  immediately  beneath  the  window  of  his  study,  which 
then  happened  to  be  open,  he  listened  with  great  eagerness  to 
their  interesting  communications.  Their  views  and  feelings  ap- 
peared so  different  from  his  own,  that  he  instantly  felt  himself 
obliged  to  conclude  that  they  possessed  valuable  attainments,  to 
which  he  was  a  stranger,  and  the  impression  seems  to  have  re- 
mained, till,  with  regard  to  vital  and  evangelical  Christianity,  he 
became  not  merely  almost,  but  altogether,  such  as  they  were.* 

Mr.  Erskine  was  not  only  a  conscientious  student,  but  a  faith- 
ful preacher  of  the  gospel.  Besides  the  usual  services  of  the  Sab- 
bath, conformably  to  the  practice  of  some  of  his  brethren  in  those 
days,  he  established  a  weekly  lecture  on  the  Thursday.  In  all 
his  discourses,  particularly  after  undergoing  that  essential  im- 
provement in  his  views  and  experience,  to  which  we  have  just 
adverted,  his  constant  object  was  to  exhibit  and  recommend  the 
Redeemer  in  his  person,  offices,  salvation,  and  grace,  and  to  per- 
suade his  hearers  to  place  their  entire  dependence  upon  Him,  as 
at  once  their  "righteousness  and  strength."  The  advances  he 
was  enabled  to  make  in  knowledge  and  in  grace  produced  a  hap- 
py effect,  even  upon  his  manner  of  delivering  his  discourses. 

•  See  the  Memoir  of  Mr.  Ebenezer  Erskine,  contained  in  Gospei  Truth, 
by  the  Rev.  John  Brown,  of  Whitburn. 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE.  IX 

For  a  few  years  after  the  commencement  of  his  ministry,  he  felt 
considerable  difficulty  in  public  speaking,  and  was  accustomed  to 
fix  his  eyes  on  a  certain  spot  of  the  wall  opposite  to  the  pulpit, from 
which  he  could  not  venture  to  move  them  without  the  imminent 
hazard  of  losing  the  command  of  his  ideas.  But,  afterwards,  he 
became  a  most  undaunted  speaker,  was  fully  master  of  his  mind 
and  his  voice,  looked  around  on  his  audience  with  a  dignified,  yet 
pleasant  and  engaging  aspect,  and  commanded  a  deep  and  uni- 
versal attention. 

The  large  Note-book  mentioned  above,  besides  the  materials 
formerly  specified,  contains  a  Diary  which  Mr.  Erskine  began  in 
November,  1707,  and  continued  for  the  space  of  about  twenty 
years.  Owing,  in  a  great  (le<;ree,  to  the  circumstance  that  it  is 
written  in  short-hand,  according  to  a  rude  and  antiquated  system 
of  stenography,  this  treasure  has  long  been  neglected  as  a  sealed. 
book.  But  the  characters  having  been  lately  deciphered,  it  is 
found  to  consist  chiefly  of  a  register  of  the  Author's  own  varied 
feelings  and  exercises  as  a  Christian,  including  occasional  notices 
of  the  measure  of  liberty  and  success  with  which  he  was  helped 
to  perform  his  oflicial  duties.  Tiie  unhappy  dulness  of  frame  he 
sometimes  felt,  gave  occasion  for  humbling  confessions  of  his  own 
unworthiness  and  weakness;  but  the  freedom  and  boldness  he 
often  experienced  in  the  pulpit,  witii  the  salutary  effects  that  the 
precious  doctrines  of  the  gospel  seemed  to  produce  on  himself  and 
his  hearers,  supplied  matter  of  devout  acknowledgments  to  that 
God  whom  he  served.  To  gratify  the  pious  reader,  it  may  be 
proper  to  give  the  following  specimen  of  these  grateful  reflections. 
It  was  written  on  the  evening  of  a  Sa"bbath  which  had  been  com- 
fortably spent,  a  few  months  after  the  death  of  Alison  Turpie, 
that  excellent  woman,  vviiose  character  has  just  been  noticed. 

"Anno  1721,  Jan.  1st,  being  Sabbath  evening. — This  day  I 
have  been  about  my  Master's  work.  I  lectured  on  Canticles  vi. 
from  verse  4th;  '  Thou  art  beautiful,  0  my  love,  as  Tirza,  come- 
ly as  Jerusalem,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners.'  I  de- 
signed to  have  insisted  on  some  of  the  verses  following,  but  this 
one  verse  took  up  the  whole  of  the  time.  And  what  the  Lord 
helped  to  say  was  sweet  and  savoury;  particularly,  in  answering 
these  five  questions  from  the  latter  part  of  the  verse.  1st.  Why 
the  Church  of  God  is  compared  to  an  armv?  2dly.  Who  is  the 
Captain-general  of  the  army.''  3dly.  Who  are  the  soldieis  (»f 
the  army,  and  wherein  lies  their  excellency  .f*  4thly.  What  is 
the  banner,  and  why  banners  in  the  plural .'^  5thly.  Wiiat  is  it 
that  makes  tlie  Church  of  God  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners? 

After  lecture,  I  preached  upon  Isaiah  xxvi.  19,  particularly 

on  the  middle  |)art  of  the  verse;  '  Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell 
in  dust.'  The  doctrine  I  insisted  on  was,  that  the  resurrection 
of  the  saints  will  be  a  time  of  great  joy  and  singing:  Where  I 
took  occasion  to  handle  these  three  Questions.  1st.  Who  will  be 
the  singers  at  that  day?  2dly.  What  will  be  their  songs?  3dly. 
After  what  manner  will  they  sing?  The  Lord  made  what  was 
delivered  on  these  heads  sweet.     He  helped  to  speak,  and  1  hope 


X  '  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE. 

he  refreshed  my  own  soul,  and  the  souls  of  many  of  my  hearers. 
In  my  first  prayer  at  the  beginning  of  the  work  of  the  day,  con- 
sidering that  it  was  the  first  day  of  the  year,  I  took  occasion  to 
ask  a  new  year's  gift  from  the  Lord;  and  I  hope  and  desire  to  be- 
lieve he  has  given  it,  not  only  by  the  assistance  he  gave  in  public 
in  delivering  his  messages:  But  this  evening,  when  alone,  I  was  be- 
ginning to  turn  a  little  melancholy  at  the  thoughts  of  the  want  of  a 
dear  wife;  but,  oh !  the  liord  turned  my  heart  and  thoughts  towards 
himself,  and  begat  in  me  a  desire  and  longing  for  himself  and  the 
enjoyment  of  him  in  heaven;  so  that  I  was  made  to  conclude  and 
say,  I  cannot  think  but  my  treasure  is  in  heaven,  since  my  heart 
is  there;  for  Christ  himself,  the  faithful  witness,  says  that  where 
the  treasure  is,  there  will  the  heart  be  also;  and  he  is  my  witness, 
that  my  principal  desire  is  in  heaven.  0,  whom  have  I  in  hea- 
ven but  Him,  and  there  is  none  in  all  the  earth  that  I  desire  be- 
sides him.  O,  the  Lord  be  thanked  for  this  new  year's  day,  and 
new  year's  visit." 

While  Mr.  Erskine  served  God  with  his  spirit  in  the  pulpit,  he 
was  ecjually  attentive  to  the  other  duties  of  the  ministry,  as  pub- 
lic catechising,  ministerial  visitation  of  families,  and  visiting  the 
sick.  In  catechising,  he  often  examined  his  hearers  on  the  sub- 
jects of  his  public  discourses;  that  the  truth,  thus  repeatedly 
brought  forward,  might  make  the  more  lasting  impressions  on 
their  memories  and  hearts.  In  the  visitation  of  families,  he  dis- 
covered much  gravity  and  dignity,  mingled  with  ardent  love  to 
the  souls  of  his  people.  His  general  demeanour,  though  prudent 
and  becoming,  was  by  no  means  forbidding  and  austere.  On  the 
contrary,  when  walking  for  necessary  recreation  through  the 
bounds  of  his  parish,  he  often  made  short  friendly  calls  at  the 
houses  of  his  parishioners;  expressed  his  happiness  at  finding 
them  well;  partook,  without  ceremony,  as  circumstances  direct- 
ed, of  a  homely  repast;  and  recommended  religion  by  his  lively 
and  entertaining,  as  well  as  instructive  conversation.  But  when 
he  made  a  ministerial  visit,  he  thought  it  right  to  lay  aside,  in 
some  degree,  his  usual  vivacity,  and  to  guard  against  those  inno- 
cent pleasantries  which  at  other  times  he  was  apt  to  indulge. 
Assuming  all  that  solemnity  of  appearance  and  deportment  which 
distinguished  him  on  the  most  sacred  occasions,  he  generally  in- 
troduced himself  with  the  words  which  our  Lord  required  his  dis- 
ciples to  use  when  they  entered  any  habitation:  "Peace  be  to 
this  house."  He  commonly  proposed  a  few  practical  questions 
to  each  adult,  then  examined  and  encouraged  the  children,  and 
after  a  pertinent  word  of  exhortation,  he  concluded  with  a  very 
particular  and  affectionate  prayer. 

Visiting  the  sick  was  another  exercise  in  which  he  discovered 
the  same  gravity,  wisdom,  and  affection.  He  stood  prepared 
alike  to  sound  a  necessary  alarm  in  the  ears  of  the  thoughtless 
sinner  overtaken  by  affliction,  and  to  speak  words  in  season  for 
the  consolation  of  the  dejected  Christian.  The  following  anec- 
dote has  been  considered  worthy  of  remembrance.  When  visiting 
Ann  MeiglOf  a  poor  but  godly  woman,  she  thus  addressed  him: 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE.  XI 

"  0  sir,  I  am  just  lying  here,  a  poor  useless  creature."  "  Think 
you  so?"  was  his  reply.  "  I  think,"  added  she,  "  what  is  true, 
sir,  that  if  I  were  away  to  heaven,  I  would  be  of  some  use  to 
glorify  God  without  sin."  "  Indeed,  Ann,"  the  good  man  kindly 
answered,  "  I  think  you  are  glorifying  God  here,  by  your  resigna- 
tion and  submission  to  his  will;  and  that  in  the  face  of  many  dif- 
ficulties, and  under  many  distresses.  In  heaven,  the  saints  have 
not  your  burdens  to  groan  under:  your  praise,  burdened  as  you 
are,  is  more  wonderful  to  me,  and,  I  hope,  acceptable  to  God." 

Aware  of  the  vast  importance  of  early  impressions,  Ebenezer 
was  at  great  pains  in  promoting  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  young. 
Not  satisfied  with  addressing  them  particularly  in  the  houses  of 
their  parents  in  the  usual  course  of  visitation,  he  superintended 
their  moral  and  religious  instruction  in  the  parisli  school.  It  was 
his  general  practice  to  visit  the  school  on  Saturday:  and  after  ex- 
amining the  scholars  he  exhorted  and  prayed  with  them.  In- 
stead of  going  himself  to  the  school,  he  sometimes  invited  the 
children  to  come  to  him  in  the  manse;  and  with  this  invitation 
they  gladly  complied,  knowing  that  the  minister  never  conversed 
with  them  on  serious  subjects  with  more  endearing  familiarity, 
or  exhorted  them  to  choose  the  paths  of  wisdom  in  more  ani- 
mating terms  than  when  he  met  them  in  his  own  house.  His 
benevolent  attentions  to  the  best  interests  of  the  rising  generation 
were  happily  seconded  by  the  labours  of  excellent  teachers;  while 
his  endeavours  to  preserve  order  and  decorum  in  the  parish  were 
powerfully  aided  by  the  pious  vigilance  and  prudent  activity  of 
a  considerable  number  of  ruling  elders. 

Another  means  which  Mr.  Erskine  employed  for  promoting  re- 
ligion in  his  parish  was  the  establishment  of  praying  societies.  In 
the  year  1714  he  composed  a  set  of  rules  for  their  direction, 
whicli  all  the  members  were  expected  to  subscribe;  and  he  con- 
tinued to  assist  and  cheer  them  by  his  presence  from  month  to 
month,  as  often  as  his  other  avocations  would  permit. 

This  fiiithful  minister  of  Christ  did  not  labour  in  vain.  He 
was  mightily  encouraged  by  perceiving  the  value  that  was  put 
upon  his  services,  and  the  success  with  which  they  were  crowned. 
Not  only  was  the  place  of  worship  crowded  on  the  Lord's  day, 
but  the  Thursday  lecture  was  well  attended.  Even  at  diets  of 
examination,  a  large  audience  was  generally  present.  The  sub- 
stance of  his  discourses  was  committed  to  writing  by  a  number 
of  his  hearers,  some  of  whom  were  accustomed  to  refresh  the 
memories  of  their  relatives  and  neighbours  by  reading  to  them, 
on  the  Sabbath  evening,  the  notes  which  they  had  taken  during 
the  day.  The  people  distinguished  themselves  at  once  by  a  thirst 
for  knowledge,  by  a  spirit  of  devotion,  and  by  the  propriety  of 
their  general  conduct.  During  the  time  of  public  prayer  and 
praise,  the  hearts  of  the  worshippers  seemed  deeply  engaged.  It 
was  Mr.  Erskine's  practice,  often  to  close  the  public  services  of 
the  Sabbath,  by  singing  the  concluding  verses  of  the  seventy-se- 
cond Psalm.  And  "O,"  added  a  pious  eye  and  ear-witness, 
when  relating  this  circumstance,  "  with  what  rapture  was  it  sungl 


XII  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKIIVE. 

Never  can  I  hear  such  delightful  melody  till  I  get  to  heaven." 
Mr.  Erskine's  labours,  in  short,  were  so  happily  successful,  that 
the  parish  of  Portmoak  became  "  like  a  field  which  the  Lord  hath 
blessed."  The  exemplary  lives,  and  triumphant  deaths,  of  not  a 
few  of  its  inhabitants  gave  evidence  that  the  good  seed  he  was 
enabled  to  sow  was  watered  by  the  dews  of  heaven.  Nor  was 
the  rich  increase  confined  to  the  period  of  his  ministry  amongst 
them.  It  may  be  affirmed,  without  flattery,  that  to  this  day,  the 
people  of  that  paiish,  generally  speaking,  are  superior  to  many, 
with  regard  to  their  attainments  in  Christian  knowledge,  and 
their  marked  veneration  for  godliness  and  honesty;  and  that,  in 
all  probability,  tlie  salutary  fruits  of  Mr.  Erskine's  ministry  will 
continue  for  several  generations  to  come. 

The  benefit  of  this  good  man's  labours  was  not  limited  to  those 
that  were  privileged  with  his.immediate  pastoral  inspection.  The 
celebrity  of  his  character,  as  a  faithful  preacher  and  a  valiant  de- 
fender of  the  truth,  allured  many  serious  Christians  from  other 
parishes,  and  even  from  places  at  the  distance  of  sixty  or  seventy 
miles,  to  attend  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  at  Port- 
moak. So  great  was  the  concourse  of  hearers,  that  it  was  often 
necessary  to  form  two  separate  assemblies  in  the  open  air,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  one  which  met  in  the  church;  and  so  remarkable 
was  the  success  attending  the  word,  that  many,  on  their  death- 
beds, spoke  of  the  hills  of  Portmoak  as  Bethels,  where  God  Al- 
mighty had  favoured  them  with  saving  manifestations  of  his  glory 
and  love.  On  sacramental  occasions,  too,  in  other  parishes,  in 
various  districts  of  the  country,  Mr.  Erskine's  services  were  un- 
commonly acceptable;  and  accompanied  with  an  abundant  bless- 
ing. The  clergymen  with  whom  he  corresponded  on  such  occa- 
sions were  men  distinguished  alike  for  soundness  of  principle  and 
holiness  of  practice.  Such  were  his  esteemed  neighbours,  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  Wardrope  of  Ballingray,  Gibb  of  Cleish,  M'Gill  of 
Kinross,  Bathgate  of  Orwell,  Shaw  of  Leslie,  Currie  of  Kinglas- 
sie,  Gillespie  of  Strathmijilo,  Hogg  of  Carnock,  and  Ralph  Er- 
skine,  his  brother,  of  Dunfermline.  Among  his  correspondents 
at  a  greater  distance,  were  Messrs.  William  Moncrieft"  of  Largo, 
Pitcairn  of  Dysart,  Kidd  of  Queensferry,  James  Webster  of  Edin- 
burg,  and  John  Williamson  of  Inveresk. 

It  must  now  also  be  stated,  that  after  Mr.  Erskine  had  laboured 
at  Portmoak  with  great  pleasure  and  success  for  many  years,  it 
seemed  good  to  an  all-wise  Providence  to  transfer  him  to  a  wider 
and  more  conspicuous  sphere.  Several  attempts  to  remove  him 
had  proved  abortive.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  M'Gill,  he  received, 
in  the  year  1728,  a  unanimous  and  urgent  call  to  Kinross.  Soon 
after,  he  was  called,  with  equal  unanimity  and  earnestness,  to 
the  populous  parish  of  Kirkaldy.  But,  in  both  instances,  the  ac- 
tive and  affectionate  efforts  of  the  people  of  Portmoak  to  retain 
him,  and  his  own  strong  attachment  to  them,  prevented  the  de- 
sired translation.  But  a  third  minister  being  wanted  at  Stirling, 
the  Rev.  Alexander  Hamilton  and  the  whole  population  of  that 
town  and  parish  turned  their  eyes  to  Mr.  Erskine,  and  gave  him 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE.  xHi 

a  pressing  and  unanimous  call;  of  which,  after  maturely  weighing 
all  circumstances,  he  judged  it  his  duty  to  accept.  His  transla- 
tion, in  consequence,  took  place,  at  the  beginning  of  autumn, 
1731.  His  farewell  sermon,  at  Portmoak,  was  preached  from 
Acts  XX.  22:  "And  now,  behold,  I  go  bound  in  the  spirit  unto 
Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the  things  that  shall  befall  me  there." 
''This  was  a  sorrowful  day,"  says  a  respectable  native  of  that 
parish,  "  both  to  him  and  his  people.  The  retrospect  of  twenty- 
eigiit  years  of  great  felicity  which  were  for  ever  gone,  and  the 
uncertainty  cd"  what  might  follow,  bathed  their  faces  with  tears, 
and  awoke  the  voice  of  mourning  and  wo  throughout  the  congre- 
gation, fur  the  loss  of  a  pastor,  the  constant  object  of  whose  mi- 
nistry was  to  recommend  to  their  souls  the  exalted  Redeemer  in 
his  person,  ollices,  and  grace, — who  iiad  laboured  to  rouse  the  in- 
considerate to  repentance  and  serious  concern;  and  who  had  not 
failed,  when  reliu;ious  impressions  took  place,  to  preserve  and 
promote  them  with  unwearied  diligence.  They  had  always  found 
in  him  the  aftection  of  a  father,  and  brother,  and  friend.  Even 
when  he  administered  the  merited  reproof,  or  sounded  the  neces- 
sary alarm,  they  knew  it  flowed  from  an  aftectionate  heart,  which, 
while  lamenting  tlieir  sins,  loved  their  precious  souls.  So  much 
was  the  minister  himself  affected,  that  it  was  with  much  difficulty 
he  could  proceed  til!  he  reached  the  end  of  the  doctrinal  part  of 
his  discourse,  when  he  was  obliged  to  pause;  and,  overcome  with 
grief,  concluded  abruptly,  saying,  "My  friends,  1  find  that  nei- 
ther you  nor  I  can  bear  the  application  of  this  subject."* 

Notwithstanding  the  dissolution  of  the  pastoral  relation  betwixt 
this  valuable  minister  and  tlie  worthy  people  of  Portmoak,  they 
still  cherislied  for  each  other  a  warm  aftection.  One  or  two  in- 
dnviduals  removed  with  him  to  Stirling;  all  of  them  continued  to 
regard  him  with  sincere  veneration.  Nor  did  lie  fail  to  recipro- 
cate their  kindni'ss.  When  any  of  them  had  occasion  to  take  a 
journey  to  Stirling,  he  received  them  with  great  cordiality,  and 
gave  theui  pious  and  animating  counsels;  and  as  often  as  he  could 
make  it  convenient,  he  repeated  his  longed-for  visits  to  Port- 
moak, and  refreshed  his  old  friends  and  parishioners,  by  his  evan- 
gelical discourses  and  kind  attentions. 

In  the  new  and  important  sphere  of  ministerial  exertion  wluch 
he  now  occupied,  lie  did  not  disappoint  the  high  expectations 
formed  by  the  inhabitants  of  Stirling.     In  performing  the  public 

•  This  passai^e  is  extracted  from  an  account  of  Ebenezcr  Krskine  in  manu- 
script, written  by  Mr.  J H ,  Portmoak.     Tlie  writer  of  tliis  Memoir 

cheerfully  embraces  the  present  opportunity  of  renewing  his  grateful  ac- 
knowledgments to  that  gentleman,  for  the  assistance  he  has  received  frorji 
liis  valuable  manuscript.  A  few  years  ago,  he  took  the  liberty  to  bring  for- 
ward nearly  all  its  materials  in  the  ample  details  respecting  Mr.  Erekine 
which  appeared  in  different  numbci-s  of  the  Christian  Uepository,  Vols.  3d, 
4th,  and  5th.  In  drawing  up  the  present  concise  Memoir,  he  has  not  scru- 
pled to  avail  himself  of  his  own  former  labours  for  that  Miscellany;  while 
some  interesting  particulars  subsequently  derived  from  various  sources  are 
now  added. 

VOL.  I.  2 


Xiv  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE. 

and  private  duties  of  his  office,  he  maintained  the  same  zeal  and 
assiduity  which  he  had  discovered  at  Portmoak.  His  ministra- 
tions were  eminently  popular  and  useful.  Soon  after  his  admis- 
sion, he  preached  a  course  of  sermons  on  Christ  as  the  Founda- 
tion laid  in  Zion,  (Isa.  xxviii.  16;)  which,  by  the  blessing  of 
Heaven,  proved  the  means  of  conversion  and  edification  to  many. 
The  Memoirs  of  a  Teacher  of  youth,  noted  for  intelligence  and 
piety,  supply  one  of  the  numerous  instances  of  the  happy  effects 
arising  from  his  labours.  "  1  went  for  ordinary,"  says  Mr.  Ar- 
chibald, "  to  Stirling,  where  the  gospel  was  preached  in  great 
purity  and  simplicity  by  Mr.  Ebene/.er  Erskine;  which  tended 
much  to  acquaint  me  with,  and  establish  me  in,  'the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints.'  "* 

It  was  shortly  after  Mr.  Erskine's  translation  to  Stirling  that 
the  Secession  commenced;  and  the  conspicuous  part  he  acted 
with  regard  to  that  important  event  seems  now  to  demand  our 
attention.  It  will  be  proper,  however,  to  begin  by  adverting  to 
that  noble  fortitude  in  the  cause  of  ti  uth  which  he  evinced  in 
some  public  appearances,  occasioned  by  certain  ecclesiastical 
proceedings,  that  paved  tlie  way  for  ultimate  withdrawment  from 
the  judicatories  of  the  established  Church. 

"We  allude,  in  particular,  to  his  bold  and  decided  exertions  in 
favour  of  the  doctrines  of  grace,  during  the  memorable  contro- 
versy relative  to  the  book  i-ntitled  The  Marrow  of  Modern  Di- 
vinity. For  a  considerable  time  prior  to  the  act  of  the  General 
Assembly  condemning  tliat  book,  he  had  cordially  embraced  and 
faithfully  preached  the  pure  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.  With 
unfeigned  concern  he  found  several  brethren  of  the  Synod  of 
Fife  teaching  what  is  styled  Neonomian  doctrine;  and  in  oppo- 
sition to  that  dangerous,  though  specious  and  palatable  scheme, 
he  uniformly  held  that  Christ  and  his  blessings  are  freely  and 
unconditionally  exhibited  to  sinners  in  the  gospel;  that  the  ever- 
lasting righteousness  of  the  Son  of  God  is  the  only  ground  of  jus- 
tification; and  that  ministers  should  "^  beware  of  every  thing  that 
has  the  least  tendency  to  foster  a  sinner  in  his  hope  of  salvation 
by  the  works  of  the  law."  Entertaining  these  evangelical  senti- 
ments, he  deeply  regretted  the  condemnatory  Act  referred  to, 
and  was  fully  prepared  to  co  operate  with  Messrs.  James  Hogg 
of  Carnock,  Thomas  Boston  of  Etteiick,and  other  zealous  Iriends 
of  the  gospel,  in  measures  calculated  to  procure  its  repeal,  or,  at 
least  to  vindicate  those  precious  truths,  which,  in  their  apprehen- 
sion, it  had  grievously  injured.  The  Representation  and  Petition 
on  this  subject,  presented  to  the  Assembly  May  11th,  1721,  though 
originally  composed  by  Mr.  Boston,  was  revised  and  perfected  by 
Mr.  Erskine.  He  was  employed  also  to  prepare  the  first  draft 
of  the  "Answers  to  the  Twelve  Queries,"  afterwards  enlarged 
and  improved  by  the  Rev.  Gabriel  Wilson  of  Maxton — a  masterly 
production,  which  has  undergone  many  impressions,  and  which 

•   See  a  small  book,  lately  republished,  entitled,  "  The  Experience  of 
Alexander  Archibald." 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKIXE.  XV 

discusses  the  points  at  issue  with  a  perspicuity  and  energy,  that 
have  commaucled  the  admiration  of  the  celebrated  Mr.  Hervey, 
and  others,  who  had  no  immediate  concern  in  the  contest,  Ebe- 
nezer,  too,  defended  the  conduct  of  the  representing  bretliren  in 
an  able  and  respectful  letter,  addressed  to  a  neighbouring  cler- 
gyman.* 

The  AssemblVi  aware  of  the  general  offence  which  their  vio- 
lent condemnation  of  the  Marrow  had  given,  and  influenced,  per- 
haps, by  the  clear  and  forcible  answers  returned  to  the  twelve 
queries,  which,  in  ludicrous  allusion  to  the  number  of  the  twelve 
Representers  they  had  thought  proper  to  propose,  were  pleased, 
May  21st,  1722,  to  pass  a  large  explanatory  Act  relating  to  the 
Marrow,  expressed  in  more  moderate  terms  than  the  former. 
Even  this  new  act,  however,  contained  several  positions  contrary 
to  sound  doctrine;  it  confirmed  instead  of  rescinding  the  act 
complained  of;  and  the  twelve  brethren,  instead  of  receiving  the 
thanks  of  the  Asseu\bly  for  their  seasonable  remonstrance,  were 
solemnly  rebuked  and  admonished.  Besides,  they  were  reviled 
in  various  publications,  as  men  of  wild  and  Antinomian  princi- 
ples,— innovators  in  religion,  who  published  tenets  opposite  to  the 
Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechisms, — enemies  to  Christian  mo- 
rality,— troublers  of  Israel,  puffed  up  with  vanity  and  arrogance, 
and  anxious  to  exalt  themselves  at  the  expense  of  their  brethren. 
Similar  reproaches  were  often  cast  on  them  by  the  dominant 
clergy  of  that  age  from  the  pulpit,  particularly  in  sermons  preached 
at  the  opening  of  Synods.  Their  submission,  in  fine,  to  the  acts 
of  Assembly  respecting  the  Marrow,  was  urged  with  rigour; 
and  in  several  instances,  ill-founded  complaints  against  their 
public  discourses  were  presented  before  the  church  courts. 

Owing  to  the  vehemence  of  Principal  Hadilow  of  St.  Andrews, 
who  took  the  lead  in  impugning;  the  Marrow,  the  five  represent- 
ing brethren  of  the  Synod  of  Fife,  viz.  Messrs.  Ebenezer  Er- 
skine,  Hogg,  Bathgate,  with  Ralph  Erskine  and  James  Wardlaw 
of  Dunfermline,  were  treated  with  the  most  marked  severity.  At 
several  meetings  of  Synod  they  were  denounced  as  transgres- 
sors, and  questioned  in  the  most  rigorous  and  inquisitorial  man- 
ner. Stienuous  efforts  were  employed  to  induce  them  to  sub- 
scribe anew  tlie  Confession  of  Faith,  not  merely  as  received  by 
the  Church  of  Scotland,  1647,  but  as  explained  by  the  condiijnna- 
tory  act  of  1722 — a  proposal  which  they  unanimously  and  justly 
rejected.!  At  a  meeting  of  the  Synod  of  Fife  in  .September, 
1721,  some  of  Ebenezer's discourses  were  judicially  complained 
of.  In  May,  1725,  he  was  even  publicly  arraigned  before  the 
Commission  of  the  General  Assembly,  by  the  Rev.  Andrew  An- 
derson, one  of  the  ministers  of  St.  Andrews,  whom  he  had  once 
numbered  amongst  his  intimate  friends.  The  complaints  referred 
to  no  less  than  seven  of  his  sermons,  viz.  those  from  2  Chron.  xx. 

•  Tills  letter  has  been  published  in  tlie  Clu-i.stian  Magazine,  Vol.  xiii.  pp. 
376—381. 

-j-  Sec  Appendix  to  "  Faith  no  Fancy,"  by  the  Kev,  Ralph  Erskine,  p.  31, 
33,  Ed.  1745, 


XVI  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBE^EZER  ERSKINE. 

20;  Psalm  Ixxxix.  16;  cxxxviii.  6;  liuke  ii.  28;  John  vi.  66;  Tit. 
iii.  8;  Rev.  iii.  4.  Mr.  Erskine  was  accused  in  his  absence,  and 
ten  }'ears  had' elapsed  between  the  delivery  of  some  of  these  ob- 
noxious discourses,  and  the  time  when  the  accusations  were 
preferred. 

Under  all  these  teasing  circumstances,  he  was  helped  to  dis- 
cover an  invincible  zeal  for  what  he  prized  as  divine  and  impor- 
tant truth,  blended  with  Christian  meekness  and  candour.  He 
was  accustomed  to  speak  of  the  Act  1720  as  an  oversight.  Not- 
withstanding the  protest  which  he  and  his  bretliren  had  taken,  he 
forbore  publicly  recommending  the  book  condemned  by  the  As- 
sembly; and  even  when  he  spoke  favourably  of  it  in  private,  he 
qualified  his  eulogy,  by  telling  the  people  that  it  contained  some 
unguarded  expressicms.  Towards  those  clergymen,  too,  from 
whom  he  had  experienced  the  most  injurious  and  illiberal  treat- 
ment, he  manifested  a  gentle  and  forgiving  spirit.  Nevertheless, 
as  appears  from  many  passages  of  his  writings,  or  rather  from 
their  whole  spirit  and  scope,  his  attachment  to  the  leading  doc- 
trines of  the  Marrow  remained  unshaken.  On  some  occasions, 
too,  expressions  fell  from  his  lips,  that  for  a  time  at  least  over- 
awed and  confounded  his  opposers.  Thus  at  a  meeting  of  Synod 
at  Cupar  in  Fife,  when  some  members  had  openly  denied  the  Fa- 
ther's gift  of  Christ  to  sinners  of  mankind,  he  rose  and  said; 
"Moderator,  our  Lord  Jesus  says  of  himself,  '  My  Father  giveth 
you  the  true  bread  from  heaven.'  This  he  uttered  to  a  promis- 
cuous multitude;  and  let  me  see  the  man  who  dares  to  affirm 
that  he  said  wrong."  This  short  speech,  aided  by  the  dignity 
and  energy  with  which  it  was  delivered,  made  an  uncommon  im- 
pression on  the  Synod,  and  on  all  that  were  present. 

With  regard  to  the  charges  preferred  against  his  discourses 
by  Mr.  Anderson,  whilst  he  disavowed  such  expressions  as  were 
falsely  or  erroneously  imputed  to  him,  he  never  shrunk  from  at- 
testing and  maintaining  those  sciiptural  sentiments  which  he  had 
really  uttered.  For  his  own  vindication,  too,  he  published  the 
sermons  objected  to;  and  in  prefaces  prefixed  to  the  first  editions, 
he  refuted  the  censures  of  his  accusers.  The  wisdom  of  Provi- 
dence strikingly  appears  in  thus  rendering  those  very  imputa- 
tions, which  wore  so  dark  and  ruinous  an  aspect  towards  Mr. 
Erskine,  the  occasion  of  increasing  his  celebrity,  and  extending 
his  usefulness.  To  this  providential  arrangement,  he  himselt 
devoutly  adverts  in  the  following  terms:  "  It  is  very  probable, 
that  this,"  viz.  the  Sermon  on  Rev.  iii.  4,  "and  some  other  ser- 
mons now  designed  for  the  press,  had  slept  in  perpetual  silence 
among  my  short-hand  manuscripts,  if  holy  and  wise  Providence, 
which  overrules  us  in  our  designs  and  inclinations,  had  not  in  a 
manner  forced  me  to  yield  to  their  publication,  for  my  own  ne- 
cessary defence;  when  tlie  earnest  entreaty  of  some,  dear  to  the 
Lord,  could  not  prevail  with  me  to  fall  in  with  any  such  propo- 
sal."* 

•  Whoever  wishes  to  be  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  controversy  re- 
lating to  the  Marrow,  would  do  well  to  peruse  Mi-.  Brown's  Gospel  Truth 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKIXE.  XVll 

The  same  undaunted  courage  in  defendin;^  the  truth  by  which 
the  subject  of  this  Memoir  signali/.ed  himsell  during  the  agitation 
of  the  controversy  regarding  the  Marrow,  was  manifested  on  oc- 
casion of  the  process  instituted  against  the  Rev.  John  Simpson, 
Professor  of  Divinity  in  tlie  University  of  Glasgow,  for  denying 
the  necessary  existence  and  supreme  divinity  of  the  Son  of  God. 
It  was  in  tlie  year  1729,  that  the  General  Assembly,  after  a  dis- 
cussion of  eight  days,  came  to  a  final  decision,  in  that  interesting 
cause.  Although  a  sentence  of  deposition  was  generally  expect- 
ed, and  had  been  urged  by  the  gieater  number  of  presbyteries, 
the  Professor  was  not  deposed,  but  merely  suspended  from  the 
discharge  of  his  office.  Mr.  Erskine  was  not  a  member  of  As- 
sembly that  year,  but  expressed  his  cordial  approbation  of  the 
dissent  fiom  that  unduly  lenient  decision,  which  Mr.  Boston 
with  singular  intrepidity  declared.  He  only  regretted  that  his 
learned  and  godly  friend  did  not  insist  on  his  dissent  and  protest 
being  entered  on  the  records  of  the  court,  for  the  honour  of  Christ 
and  the  instruction  of  posterity.  Several  years  before  the  mat- 
ter was  brought  to  this  teiniination,  he  composed  an  excellent  pa- 
per, entitled,  "  A  Testimony  to  the  true  Deity  of  the  Son  of  God, 
by  the  Session  of  Portnioak,  to  be  laid  before  the  Presbytery,  for 
transmission  to  the  General  Assembly."  In  his  public  discourses, 
in  fine,  he  deemed  it  his  duty  to  give  solemn  and  repeated  warn- 
ings to  his  hearers,  to  beware  lest  any  man  rob  them  of  this  mo- 
mentous doctrine  of  revealed  religion.  One  of  these  warnings 
occurs,  for  exauiple,  in  the  Sermon  from  Exod.  xx.  2. 

Mr.  Erskine  was  distinguished  by  generous  and  active  zeal  as 
well  for  the  rights  and  libeities  of  the  Christian  people,  as  for 
the  puiity  and  simplicity  of  evangelical  doctrine.  Every  one  ac- 
quainted with  tlie  ecclesiastical  history  of  Scotland  is  avvaie,  that 
the  Secession,  in  which  he  took  the  lead,  vvas  occasioned  no  less 
by  measures  hostile  to  religious  liberty,  than  by  the  opposition 
made,  or  inditterence  shown,  to  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the  gos- 
pel. But  fully  to  state  the  grounds  of  the  Secession,  or  minutely 
to  detail  the  various  circumstances  which  issued  in  his  complete 
sepaiation  from  the  national  establishment,  and  in  the  regular 
organi/.ation  of  the  Secession  Church,  vvoultl  not  suit  the  limits 
of  this  Memoir;  nor  is  such  a  statement  or  detail  necessary.  The 
revival  of  patronage  by  Queen  Anne's  ministry  in  1712;  the  ri- 
gour with  whioli  tliat  act  was,  in  difterent  instances,  enforced; 
the  contempt  thrown  by  the  Assembly  in  1732,  on  one  Petition 
subscribed  by  forty-two  ministeis.  and  on  another  subscribed  by 
many  hundreds  of  elders  and  people,  who  uniteil  in  humbly  re- 
presenting the  growing  defections  of  the  Church,  and  earnestly 
soliciting  redress;  the  act  of  the  same  Assembly  decreeing  that, 
where  an  accepied  piesentation  did  not  take  place,  the  decisive 
power  of  electing  ministeis  for  the  supply  of  vacant  conu:regations 
IS  competent  onhj  to  a  conjunct  meeting  of  heritors  and  elders, 

accurately  stated  and  defended,  &c.     Tlie  Marrow  of  Modern  T3ivinity  it- 
self, with  Boston's  judicious  Notes,  ought  also  to  be  carefully  read. 

2* 


XVm  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE. 

no  other  qualification  of  those  heritors  being  required  but  that 
they  be  Protestants;  the  remonstrances  of  Mr.  E.  Erskine  in  his 
celebrated  sermon  from  Psalm  cxviii.  22;  preached  at  Perth,  Oc- 
tober 10th,  1732,  at  the  opening  of  the  Synod  of  Perth  and  Stir- 
ling; the  accusations  preferred  against  him  for  those  bold  remon- 
strances by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mercer,  of  Aberfalgie,  and  others,  with 
the  act  of  Synod  finding  him  censurable;  his  protest  and  appeal, 
and  consequent  appearance  before  the  Assembly  in  1733,  by 
whom  he  was  rebuked;  iiis  protest  against  the  decision  of  the 
General  Assembly,  io  wliich  the  Rev.  William  Wilson,  of  Perth, 
Alexander  Moncrieff",  of  Abernethy,  and  James  Fisher,  then  of 
Kinclaven,  gave  in  a  written  adherence;  the  suspension  of  the 
four  brethren  by  the  Commission  of  Assembly  in  August  follow- 
ing, notwithstanding  numerous  petitions  in  their  favour;  the  still 
severer  measures  adopted  by  the  Commission  at  their  meeting  in 
November  the  same  year,  when,  by  the  casting  vote  of  Mr.  John 
Goldie,  the  Moderator,  it  was  carried,  that  they  should  proceed 
immediately  to  inflict  a  higher  censure,  and  it  was  consequently 
decreed  by  a  great  majority,  to  "loose  the  relation  of  the  said 
four  ministers  to  their  respective  charges,  and  declare  them  no 
longer  ministers  of  this  church;"  the  meeting  of  these  four  ex- 
communicated bretluen,  December  25th,  1733,  at  the  bridge  of 
Gairney  near  Kinross,  where  they  resolved  to  constitute  tliem- 
selves  into  a  Presbytery,  and  "  Mr.  Ebenezer  Erskine  was,  with 
their  unanimous  consent,  desired  to  be  their  mouth  to  the  liOrd 
in  this  solemn  action,  and  was  enabled,  with  much  enlargement 
of  soul,  to  consecrate  and  dedicate  thein  to  tlie  Lord,  and  to  the 
service  of  his  church;"*  the  conciliatory  methods  to  whicli  the 
Assembly  1734  luul  recourse;  the  resolution  of  tlie  brethren  not 
to  accede  to  the  national  church  at  that  time,  being  convinced 
that  the  ends  of  their  separation  were  not  yet  gained;  the  libel, 
consisting  of  ten  articles,  with  which  they  were  served  by  the 
Assembly  1738;  the  determination  of  the  Seceding  ministers  al- 
together to  decline  the  jurisdiction  of  the  ecclesiastical  courts; 
their  formal  deposition  by  the  Assembly,  May  15th,  1740; — these 
and  other  occurrences  leiative  to  the  origin  and  progress  of  the 
Associate  body,  are  narratetl  in  difierent  publications,  to  which 
the  curious  reader  may  have  easy  access,  f 

It  may  be  right,  however,  to  contemplate  Mr.  Erskine's  cha- 
racter, as  it  is  affected  by  his  attitude  and  behaviour  as  the  stand- 
ard-bearer of  the  Secession.  How  fair  his  leputation  as  a  Clnis- 
tian,  a  minister,  and  a  member  of  society,  stood  in  the  eyes  of 
those  who  had  the  best  opportunities  of  knowing  him,  when  he 
commenced  his  career  in  that  capacity,  will  clearly  appear  from 
the  following  quotations  taken  from  the  petitions  on  his  behalf, 

*  The  Rev.  WilUam  Wilson's  Continuation  of  the  Defence  of  Reformation 
Principles,  pp.  152,  153. 

I  See  tlie  Re-exhibition  of  the  Testimon}';  Brown's  History  of  the  Seces- 
sion; Jaffray  of  Kilmarnock's  excellent  "  Essay  on  the  Reasons  of  Secession 
from  the  National  Churcii  of  Scotland;"  and  the  Encyclojjaedia  Britannica, 
Art.  Seceder. 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE.  XlX 

transmitted  from  Stirling,  where  he  then  exercised  his  ministry. 
The  Presbytery  of  Stirling  assure  the  Commission,  "that  Mr. 
Erskine's  character  is  so  established  in  that  part  of  the  church, 
that  the  authority  of  the  Assembly  condemning  cannot  lessen  it, 
and  that  in  the  present  case,  such  condemnation  will  tend  to 
heighten  it."  "  We  beg  leave  to  observe,"  say  the  Kirk  session 
of  Stirling,  "  that  having  had  a  trial  of  Mr.  Erskine's  ministerial 
gifts  and  labours  these  two  years  bygone,  we  cannot  but  own,  ac- 
cording to  our  discerning  and  experience,  his  Lord  and  Master 
hath  endowed  him  with  a  very  edifying  gift  of  teaching  and 
preaching  the  gospel,  and  many  other  good  qualifications,  every 
way  fitting  him  for  the  office  of  the  ministry,  and  particularly  in 
this  city  and  congregation;  which,  together  with  tiie  great  pains 
he  has  taken  in  the  other  parts  of  his  ministerial  labours,  and  we 
hope  not  without  success,  and  all  attended  with  a  very  tender 
walk,  wise  and  prudent  behaviour,  have  made  him  most  accepta- 
ble to  us,  and  persons  of  all  distinctions  in  this  place."  In  fine, 
tiie  Magistrates  and  town-Council  of  that  place  inform  the  Com- 
mission,  "  That  after  two  full  years'  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Er- 
skine,  they  find  him  to  be  a  man  of  a  peaceable  disposition,  of  a 
religious  walk  and  conversation,  to  be  every  way  fitted  and  (|uali- 
fied  for  discharging  the  work  of  the  ministry  among  them,  and 
that  he  has  discharged  the  same  to  their  great  satisfaction."  They 
conclude  with  deprecating  the  suspension  of  Mr.  Erskine,  as  a 
measure  calculated  only  to  "  alienate  our  people's  hearts  from 
the  Assembly." 

This  venerable  man  has  been  severely  censured  for  declaiming 
in  public  discourses  against  those  proceedings  of  the  church  courts 
which  met  his  disapprobation.  Candour  am!  impartiality,  how- 
ever, re^iuire  us  to  observe,  that  in  resorting  to  that  method  of 
resisting  error  and  vindicating  truth,  he  and  his  associates  were 
by  no  means  singular.  The  Rev.  Messrs.  Currie  of  Kinglassie, 
Willison  of  Dunilee,  Bisset  of  Aberdeen,  and  several  others  who 
never  joined  the  Secession,  were  accustomed  to  take  the  same 
libirties.  It  is  but  fair  also  to  hear  and  consider  tiie  reasons  as- 
signed by  himself,  for  this  pait  of  his  conduct,  as  the  Preface  to 
his  Sermon  at  Perth,  which  gave  occasion  to  his  prosecution,  and 
which  he  deemed  it  re(|uisite  to  publish  soon  after  it  was  preach- 
ed. "  If  any  think,"  says  he,  "upon  the  reading  of  the  follow- 
ing discourse,  that  there  is  too  great  freedom  used  with  respect 
to  the  present  steps  of  defection,  let  it  be  remembered,  that  there 
is  now  no  other  way  left  to  bear  testimony  against  such  things, 
but  by  warning  the  world  against  them  from  press  or  |)ulpit;  re- 
presentations and  petitions  fronj  ministers  or  church  members  at 
the  bar  being  utterly  disregarded,  and  no  access  to  enter  any 
protest  or  dissent  against  those  proceedings  in  the  public  records, 
for  the  exoneration  of  conscience,  or  the  infi>rmation  of  our  pos- 
terity that  such  things  did  not  pass  in  our  day  without  a  struggle 
and  testimony  against  thenu" 

With  unfeigned  regret  we  observe,  that  a  highly  respectable 
clergyman,  and  one  who  for  many  years  has  been  considered  as 


XX  MEMOIR  OF  THK  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE. 

at  the  head  of  the  more  evangelical  class  in  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land, discovers  in  a  late  publication*  a  pretty  strong  propensity 
to  disparage  the  memory  of  men  wlio  nobly  contended  for  the 
liberties  of  the  Christian  people.  It  is  impossible,  vi'ithin  the 
bounds  of  this  Memoir,  to  advert  to  tlie  various  harsh  expressions 
and  inaccurate  statements  of  the  Reverend  Baronet  t  We  must 
remark,  however,  that  he  speaks  of  the  ottVnce  taken  by  "  the 
popular  demagogues  among  the  clergy"  at  the  act  of  Assembly 
1732,  relative  to  the  settlement  of  churches;  and  if  we  n)istake 
not,  appears  to  insinuate,  that  the  Secession  is  to  be  attributed 
merely  to  the  keen  feelings  of  Ebenezer  Erskine  and  his  associ- 
ates, irritated  by  the  precipitant  measures  of  the  ecclesiastical 
courts.  The  treatment  they  met  with  from  the  leaders  of  the 
moderate  party,  was  indeed,  in  many  instances,  confessedly  rigo- 
rous, unjust,  and  oppressive.  Had  they  not  felt  it  keenly,  they 
must  have  been  utterly  void  of  the  common  sensibility  of  men; 
and  had  no  portion  of  human  irritation  ever  mingled  itself  with 
their  pious  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  best  interests  of  the 
church,  they  must  have  reached  a  height  of  angelical  perfection, 
seldom  if  ever  attained  in  this  mortal  state.  But  if,  as  the  same 
writer  is  pleased  to  admit,  "  the  ministers  of  the  Secession  were 
men  of  worth  and  piinciple,"|  neither  resentment  of  injuries  and 
indignities,  however  great,  nor  that  mean  ambition  and  contempt- 
ible vanity  which  characterize  "the  popular  demagogue,"  was 
the  motive,  certainly  not  the  leading  motive,  or  chief  spring,  of 
their  conduct,  in  stating  and  maintaining  a  secession  from  the 
judicatories  of  the  Church  of  Scotland.  "  Worth  and  principle,^' 
would  have  subdued  the  workings  of  resentment,  and  repressed 
the  suggestions  of  ambition  and  vanity.  But  convinced  as  they 
were,  after  repeated  and  calm  investigation,  mutual  conference, 
and  earnest  prayer  for  direction  to  the  Father  of  lights,  that  to 
withdraw  from  the  established  judicatories  was  their  incumbent 
duty,  "  worth  and  principle,"  induced  them  to  "go  forth  unto 
Jesus  without  the  camp,  bearing  his  reproach."  Actuated  by 
pure  and  honourable  views,  they  chose  rather  to  sacrifice  strong 
prepossessions  in  fiivour  of  a  moUier-church,  to  forego  the  endear- 
ments of  early  friendship,  to  abandon  comfortable  benefices  se- 
cured by  the  state,  and  to  expose  their  reputation  to  torrents  of 
obloquy,  than  to  neglect  what  appeared  to  them  an  important  and 
necessary  service  to  the  cause  of  God  and  truth. 

When  the  Commission  of  Assembly  passed  sentence  against 
the  four  Brethren  in  November,  1733,  they  solemnly  protested, 
"  that  their  office  and  relation  to  their  people  should  be  held  as 
valid  as  if  no  such  sentence  had  been  passed."  In  conformity 
with  this  protest,  Mr.  Erskine  continued  to  officiate,  it  appears, 

•  See  Sir  Henry  MoncriefF's  "Account  of  the  Life  and  Writing's  of  Dr. 
Erskine,"  particularly  the  Appendix,  p.  444,  &c. 

\  See  a  short  refutation  of  iiis  cliarg-e  against  the  seceding  brethren,  of 
inconsistency  with  regard  to  the  rights  of  tiie  people,  in  a  note  on  the  Me- 
moir of  the  Rev.  Kalph  Erskine,  Ch.  Monitor,  Vol.  iv.  p.  7i5,  Sec. 

t  Account  of  Dr.  Erskine,  p.  97. 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE.  XXI 

in  his  own  parish  church  at  Stirlins;  till  May,  1740.  But  on  the 
first  Sabbatli  after  the  sentence  of  deposition  was  pronounced  by 
the  Assembly  at  that  date,  he  peaceably  retired  with  the  congre- 
gation to  a  convenient  spot  in  the  open  air,  where  he  conducted,  ^ 
as  usual,  the  public  services  of  the  day.  Satisfied  with  regard 
to  the  rectitude  of  his  conduct,  his  people  almost  universally 
concurred  with  him  in  se[)aration  front  the  establisiied  judica- 
tories. With  all  due  speed,  too,  they  built  for  him  a  very 
spacious  meeting-house,  which  was  numerously  attended,  not 
only  by  the  inhabitants  of  Stirling,  but  by  serious  Christians  from 
the  surrounding  towns  anil  villagus,  to  the  distance  of  more  than 
ten  miles;  and  in  which  he  continued  to  preach  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ,  with  delight  and  with  success,  whilst  life  and 
health  were  spared. 

He  considered  it  a  most  gratifying  circumstance,  that  his  ve- 
nerable colleague,  the  Rev.  Alexander  Han\ilton,  during  the  short 
time  he  lived  after  the  rise  of  the  Secession,  never  ceased  to  show 
to  him  and  the  Associate  Presbytery  the  warmest  regard,  and 
was  accustomed  to  pray  publicly  for  them.  The  general  prosper- 
ity of  the  cause  in  which  he  had  tnken  so  deep  an  interest  and 
acted  so  prominent  a  part,  aft'orded  to  Mr.  Erskine  abundant  mat- 
ter of  gratitude  and  joy.  Beside  the  tliree  brethren  who  asso- 
ciated with  him  at  the  first,  he  vvas  soon  joined  by  other  four  mi- 
nisters of  the  established  church,  including  his  beloved  brother 
Ralph.  A  number  of  promising  candidates  for  the  ministry,  who 
had  finished  or  nearly  finished  their  academical  course,  were  li- 
censed to  preach  the  gospel.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson  of  Perth, 
that  singularly  pious  and  intelligent  man,  was  prevailed  with  to 
•undertake  the  tuition  of  students  in  divinity.  Multitudes  in  va- 
rious parts  of  the  country,  availed  themselves  of  the  relief  which 
the  Secession  aft'orded  from  the  yoke  of  patronage,  and  listened 
to  the  pure  doctrines  of  the  cross  with  every  appt^arance  of  seri- 
ous attention,  and  spiritual  benefit.  In  most  of  the  principal 
tow^ns  in  the  Lowlands  of  Scotland,  as  well  as  in  several  less  po- 
pulous places,  congregations  were  formed,  and  supplied  with 
evangelical  and  faiihful  pastors.  Amongst  others,  a  large  com- 
munity was  collected  in  Glasgow,  which  gave  a  most  harmonious 
call  to  the  esteemed  friend  and  son-inlaw  of  Mr.  Erskine,  the 
Rev.  James  Fisher;  who  was  consequently  translated  from  Kin- 
claven  to  that  city,  and  admitted  October  81I1,  1741. 

The  Associate  Presbytery,  prompted  by  tlie  hope  of  uniting 
the  fi lends  of  truth,  having  determined  to  revive  the  practice  of 
public  covenanting,  this  solemn  service  appears  to  liave  com- 
menced at  Stirling,  December  28th,  1743.  From  the  sermon 
preached  by  Mi-.  Erskine  on  that  occasion,  it  is  obvious  that  the 
measure  received  his  cordial  approbation.  Human  jiature  is 
prone  to  extremes.  The  sincerest  admirers  of  the  Fatheis  of  the 
Secession  will  admit,  that  in  some  instances  their  zeal  was  car- 
ried to  excess.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  Mr.  Eiskine 
lived  to  regret  the  strictness  with  which  covenanting  was  incul- 


XXU  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE. 

cated  by  his  Presbytery,*  Nor  are  we  to  imagine  that  he  and  his 
brethren,  though  heartily  attached  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Refor- 
mation, and  to  presbyterial  government  and  discipline,  at  any 
time  approved  of  every  part  of  the  public  conduct  of  the  original 
covenanters.  Their  private  letters  and  public  deeds  give  evi- 
dence, that,  in  their  apprehension,  "  the  civil  constitution  was  too 
much  blended  with  the  affairs  of  Christ's  kingdom;  and  that 
forcing  people  was  not  the  way  to  make  proselytes  to  Cluist,  the 
weapons  of  whose  kingdom  are  not  carnal,  but  spiritual." 

When  the  Associate  Presbytery  had  become  a  Synod  consist- 
ing of  three  Presbytenes,  and  when  the  work  of  God  seemed  to 
prosper  in  their  hand,  a  difference  of  sentiment  most  unhappily 
arose  among  them  with  regard  to  the  true  meaning  of  the  religious 
clause  in  the  Burgess  oath,  then  required  in  several  cities  and 
towns  of  Scotland;  and  "so  sharp  was  the  contention"  which 
ensued,  that  in  April,  1747,  an  entire  separation  took  place  be- 
tween the  contending  parties.  It  is  right  to  state,  that  Mr.  Er- 
skine,  as  well  as  Ins  brother  Ralph,  was  one  of  them  who  consi- 
dered the  swearing  of  the  Burgess  oalh  as  not  at  all  inconsistent 
with  the  profession  of  a  Seceder,  and  who,  therefore,  wished  it 
to  be  made  a  matter  of  forbearance;  and  that,  amidst  the  grief 
and  vexation  he  felt  on  this  mournful  occasion,  he  exercised,  in 
general,  his  usual  meekness,  combined  with  decision.  As  an  in- 
dividual, he  published  nothing  on  the  subject,  except  a  short 
tract  consisting  of  sixteen  pages,  written  with  admiiable  temper. 
There  is  no  pleasure,  however,  in  alluding  to  the  circumstances 
of  that  lamentable  breach.  The  same  Providence  by  which  it  was 
permitted,  no  doubt  overruled  it  for  wise  and  salutary  purposes^ 
and  after  the  separation  had  lasted  for  more  than  seventy  years, 
God  was  pleased  to  pour  out  the  .Spirit  of  peace  and  love  on  the 
ministers  and  members  of  the  two  great  branches  of  the  Seces- 
sion, and  to  accomplish  the  happy  reunion,  consummated  in  Sep- 
tember 8th,  1820.  The  United  Associate  Synod  includes,  at 
the  present  moment,  nearly  three  hundred  ministers,  and  has  un- 
der its  inspection  a  highly  respectable  proportion,  if  not  of  the 
most  opulent,  yet  of  the  most  intelligent,  industrious,  and  virtu- 
ous part  of  the  inhabitants  of  Scotland.  Notwithstanding  the 
divisions  which  have  taken  place  among  Seceders,  and  notwith- 
standing their  other  faults  and  imperfections,  as  societies  and 
individuals,  no  well  informed  and  candid  person  of  any  persua- 
sion will  refuse  to  admit,  that  the  Secession  has  been  rendered, 
in  an  eminent  degree,  subservient  to  the  interests  of  religious 
liberty,  evangelical  truth,  and  vital  godliness.  In  addition  to 
the  good  which  it  is  directly  the  means  of  achieving,  it  lias  been, 
without  doubt,  indirectly  beneficial,  to  a  considerable  extent,  in 

*  It  is  to  be  regretted,  that  our  Biographer  has  asserted  so  important  a  change  in  the 
Author's  sentiments,  vviihoiit  giving  the  reader  some  evidence  of  it.  Such  ficklt-ness  ill 
accords  with  the  discrimination  and  judgment  of  Mr.  Erskine.  He  undoulitedly  lamented 
his  imperfections  in  tlie  perfiirmancc  of  covenanting,  as  well  as  other  duties ;  Imt,  the 
reader,  on  a  careful  examination  of  his  writings,  will  have  "  reason  to  believe,"  that  his 
attaciiinent  to  tlie  scriptural,  but  despised  doctrine  of  public  covenanting,  continued  un- 
abated.—Ed. 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE.  XXlll 

checking  tlie  progress  of  defection,  and  in  provoking  to  jealousy 
clergymen  and  otliers,  that  have  cliosen  to  remain  within  the  pale 
of  tlie  national  establishment.  May  the  exalted  Redeemer  visit 
all  the  churches  with  the  reviving  influences  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 
and  accelerate  that  blessed  period,  when  every  cause  of  division 
shall  cease,  when  the  truth  and  peace  siiall  be  ardently  and  uni- 
versally loved,  and  all  Christians  delight  to  dwell  together  in 
unity,  "that  with  one  mind  and  one  mouth  they  may  glorify 
God,  even  the  Father  of  our  Ijord  Jesus  Christ." 

Mr.  Moncrieft"  of  Abernetiiy,  who  succeeded  Mr.  Wilson  of 
Perth,  in  tlie  theological  chair,  having  taken  part  with  those  who 
utterly  condemned  the  religious  clause  in  the  Buigess  oath,  Mr. 
Erskine  was  appointed  Professor  of  divinity  by  the  Synod  to 
which  he  adhered.  Tlie  late  Rev.  William  M'Evven  of  Dundee, 
and  John  Brown  of  Haddington,  commenced  their  theological 
studies  under  his  tuition.  But,  how  well  qualified  soever  he  was, 
in  other  respects,  for  this  important  charge,  his  increasing  infir- 
mities obliged  him  to  resign  it  within  little  more  than  a  twelve- 
month after  he  had  undertaken  the  office. 

In  a  private  as  well  as  a  public  capacity,  Mr.  Erskine  experi- 
enced great  variety  of  lot.  Having  lost  his  first  and  highly  va- 
lued partner  on  the  31st  of  Au;>ust,  1720,  he  was  united,  after 
the  lapse  of  more  than  tluee  years,  with  Miss  Mary  Webster,  the 
daughter,  as  himself  records  W  in  his  Diary,  "  of  that  worthy 
champion  for  the  truth  and  cause  of  Christ,  Mr.  James  Web- 
ster.'' She  lived  with  him  till  March  15th,  1751,  when  he  be- 
came a  widower  a  second  time.  His  first  wife  was  the  mother  of 
ten  children,  of  whom  three  sons  and  a  daughter  died  in  child- 
hoori;  and  tlie  other  six,  two  sons  and  fi)ur  daughteis,  reached 
maturity.  His  son  Ebenezer  died  abroad  in  the  flower  of  his 
age;  but  David  survived  till  about  the  year  1800.  Jean,  his  eldest 
daughter,  married  the  Rev.  James  Fisher,  latterly  of  Glasgow; 
and  Alison,  tbe  youngest,  was  united  to  the  Rev.  James  Scott  of 
Gateshaw.  Both  of  them  were  blessed  with  chililren;  and  in 
these  two  branches,  at  least  their  Father  has  still  a  numerous 
posterity.  Mrs.  Scott  died  most  comfortably  at  Edinburgh,  Ja- 
nuary 13th,  1814,  at  the  great  age  of  ninety-four  years  and  a 
half.  Her  sifter  Aime  gave  her  hand  to  Mr.  James  JartVay, 
Stirling;  and  Margaret  married  Mr.  James  Wardlaw,  Dunferm- 
line; but  both  (lied  in  the  piime  of  life,  leaving  no  children.  Mr. 
Erskine's  second  spouse  had  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  who  have 
long  ago  finished  their  earthly  career.  While  this  good  man's 
heart  was  much  affected  by  his  domestic  changes  and  trials,  he 
derived  consolation  from  the  Rock  of  ages,  and  from  the  ani- 
mating prospects  presented  by  the  gospel.  When  he  received 
the  intelligeiue  of  his  brother's  departure,  he  exclaimed  with 
great  emotion;  "  And  is  Ral[)h  gone?  He  has  twice  got  the  start 
of  me,  he  was  first  in  Christ,  and  now  he  is  first  in  glory."  The 
death  of  his  dear  children,  inflicted  a  dee|)  wound  on  his  affec- 
tionate spirit;  particularly,  the  loss  of  his  three  boys,  who  were 
cutoff'  in  one  year,  viz,.  1713;  Henry  in  the  eighth  year  of  his 


XXIV  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE. 

age,  Alexander  in  the  fifth,  and  Ralph  in  the  second.  His  Diary 
contains  some  notices  of  his  sorrows,  hopes,  and  consolations  on 
these  trying  occasions.  Parents  who  have  been  visited  with  si- 
milar bereavements,  will  not  read  without  interest  the  following 
extract. 

Portmoak,  Wednesday,  July  1st,  1713. — "  I  have  been  sadly, 
sadly  afflicted  with  the  loss  of  another  pleasant  child;  my  dear 
Henry  Erskine,  my  first-born,  having  died  by  the  will  of  God, 

June  8,  being  about  eight  years  of  age. He  was  a  blooming 

pleasant  child,  and  according  to  his  age  had  an  excellent  capacity, 
and  was  profiting  exceedingly  in  his  learning,  and  knew  many  of 
the  fundamentals  of  religion  above  many  of  his  age.  While  he 
lay  on  his  sick-bed,  I  frequently  conversed  with  him  about  the 
attairs  of  his  soul;  and  he  gave  me  great  satisfaction  by  expressing 
a  desire  of  Christ,  and  a  desire  to  be  with  him  rather  than  with 
father  and  mother,  and  fiiends  and  relations  here  in  this  world. 
And  that  same  day  that  he  died,  he  frequently  desired  me  to  pray 
with  him,  and  would  frequently  cry  out,  when  he  saw  me;  '0! 

Father,  Father,   pray,   pray,  pray  for  me !' The   liord   was 

pleased  to  give  me  sweet  liberty  in  prayer  on  his  behalf.  All  these 
things  I  take  as  grounds  of  hope  that  my  sweet  Henry  is  now 
praising,  and  triumphing  with  Christ  in  glory.'' — "  Upon  the  20th 
day  of  June,"  he  adds,  "  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  take  away  from 
me  another  pleasant  child,  of  about  five  years  of  age,  his  name 
Alexander.  My  affections  were  exceedingly  knit  to  him,  and  I  was 
comforting  myself  in  having  him,  after  his  brother  Henry's  death. 
But  it  seems  the  Lord  will  not  allow  me  to  settle  my  affection  on 

any  thing  here  below. The  Lord  make  me  content  with  his 

dispensations,  and  give  me  the  sanctified  use  of  these  repeated 
breaches  that  he  has  made  upon  my  poor  family.  I  hope  to  be 
gathered  unto  Christ  with  my  little  ones,  ere  long.  1  have  had  a 
sore  parting;  but  they  and  I,  I  hope,  shall  have  a  joyful  meet- 
ing. They  will  welcome  me  to  tiiose  mansions  of  glory  above; 
and  they  and  I,  with  all  the  ransomed  on  mount  Zion,  will  join 
in  an  eternal  hymn  and  hallelujah  of  praise  unto  him  that  sitteth 
on  the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever.  O  to  be  ready, 
and  meet  for  that  inheritance,"  &c. 

For  many  years,  Mr.  Erskine  was  blessed  with  excellent  health, 
and  enabled  to  discharge  his  ministerial  duty  at  home  and  abroad 
with  much  activity.  But  when  he  approached  the  age  of  seventy, 
he  had  repeated  attacks  of  trouble,  and  his  bodily  vigour  gradually 
failed.  His  distemper  quite  unfitted  him  for  the  fatigues  of  tra- 
velling; and  having  become  incapable  of  preaching  regularly  in 
his  own  pulpit,  his  place  was  occasionally  supplied  by  his  bre- 
thren, and  by  probationers.  His  people  cheerfully  consented  to 
make  an  adequate  provision  for  an  assistant;  and  he  had  great 
comfort  in  his  nephew,  Mr.  James  Erskine,  one  of  Ralph's  sons, 
who  being  regularly  called,  was  ordained  his  colleague  and  suc- 
cessor, on  the  22d  January,  1752.  Notwithstanding  this  allevia- 
tion of  his  pastoral  labours,  his  infirmities  continued  and  in- 
creased, and  at  last  the  day  of  his  death  drew  near.  It  was  his 
happiness,  however,  to  experience  the  most  tender  sympathy  from 


MEMOIR  or  THK  REV.  EBENElZER  ERSKlNE.  XXV 

his  (laughters,  his  colleague,  and  other  relatives,  and  from  a  wide 
circle  of  friends.  What  was  incomparably  better,  he  enjoyed  the 
reviving  presence  of  God.  Under  acute  pain  and  protracted  de- 
bilitv,  lie  exem|)lifie(l  the  power  of  that  living  faith,  wliich  he  liad 
often  inculcated  on  others,  and  exhibited  a  noble  pattern  of  de- 
vout resignation.  Alter  his  afiliction  had  almost  completely  cou- 
tined  hin>  to  bed,  his  people  expressed  an  earnest  de>ire  once 
more  to  see  and  hoar  him;  and  in  compliance  with  their  solicita- 
tions, he  went  from  his  bed  to  his  pulpit  and  delivered  a  short 
discourse  from  the^e  cheering  words,  Job  xix.  25:  "I  know  that 
my  Redeemer  liveth."  His  last  sermon  was  literally  jjreached 
from  his  l)ed  to  a  companv  assembled  in  his  room;  where  he  bap- 
ti'/.ed  a  child,  alter  discouising  on  a  text  with  wiiich  he  had  par- 
ticularly wislied  to  finish  his  ministry,  viz.  Psal.  xlviii.  14:  "  This 
God  is  our  God  for  ever  and  ever;  he  will  be  our  guide  even  unto 
deatli."  A  letter  which  he  wrote  to  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Scott, 
breathes  a  tranquil,  grateful,  and  submissive  spirit.  "  The  Lord," 
says  he  to  her,  "  makes  me  to  sing  of  mercy  on  tliis  account,  that 
mv  bed  is  made  to  ease  me,  and  my  couch  to  comfort  me;  nor  am 
1.  like  poor  Job.  scared  widi  dnams,  or  terrified  with  visicms. 
Many  times  my  meditations  of  Him  are  sweet  in  the  silent  watches 
of  the  night.  Many,  many  times,  the  Lnrd  says,  '  1  am  the  Loid 
thy  God:'  and  then  follows,  'O  my  soul,  thou  hast  said  unto  the 
Lord,  Tliou  art  my  God.'  "  In  conversing  with  those  around  him 
he  often  used  language  to  this  ett'ect:  "1  have  always  found  my 
times  of  severe  affliction  my  best  times.  Many  blasts  I  have  en- 
dured through  life,  but  I  hid  this  comfort  under  them — a  good 
God,  a  good  conscience,  and  a  good  cause."  To  several  friends 
that  m;i(le  him  a  visit  one  afternoon,  he  expressed  his  assurance  of 
future  bliss  in  the  followinij  memorable  words:  "O  sirs,  my 
bodv  is  now  become  a  very  disagreeable  habitation  for  my  soui; 
but  when  my  soul  goes  out  of  n\y  body,  it  will  as  naturally  fly 
into  the  bosom  of  Jesus,  as  a  stone  will  fall  to  the  centre."  AVhen 
one  of  his  relatives  be^an  to  comfcut  him  thus,  "  I  hope  you  get 
now  and  then  a  blink  to  bear  up  your  spirit  under  your  afliiction,'" 
he  promi)tly  returned  this  spirited  reply:  "  I  know  more  oi'  words 
than  of  bliiika.  '  Though  lie  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him." 
'I'lie  covenant  is  my  charter;  and  if  it  had  not  been  for  that  blessed 
word,  my  hope  and  strength  had  perished  fiom  the  Lord." 

'I'hat  night  on  which  he  linished  his  mortal  caieer,  Mrs.  Fisher, 
having  come  from  Glasgow  to  see  her  dying  father,  was  sitting  in 
the  room  where  he  lay,  atui  engaged  in  reading.  Awakening  from 
a  slumber,  he  said,  "  What  book  is  that,  my  clear,  you  are  read- 
ing?" "  'i'is  your  sermon,  father,"  she  replied,  "  on  that  text,  '  I 
atn  the  Lord  thy  God.'  "  "  O  woman,''  said  he,  "  that  is  the  best 
sermon  ever  1  preached."  The  discouise  had  proved  very  re- 
freshin"-  to  his  own  soul,  as  well  as  to  many  of  the  hearers.  A  few 
minutes  after  that  expression  had  fallen  from  his  lips,  he  recpiest- 
ed  his  daughter  to  bring  the  t  ible  and  candle  near  the  bod;  and 
havin;:;  shut  his  eyos,  and  hiid  his  hand  under  his  cheek,  he  quietly 
breathed  out  his  soul  into  the  hands  of  his  Redeemer,  on  the  2d 

VOL.  I.  3 


XXVI  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE. 

of  June,  1754.  Had  he  lived  twenty  days  longer,  lie  would  have 
finished  the  seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age;  and  had  he  been 
spared  three  months  more,  he  would  have  completed  the  fifty- 
first  of  his  ministry,  having  served  Christ  twenty-eight  years  at 
Portmoak,  and  nearly  twenty-three  at  Stirling. 

In  conformity  with  his  own  request,  he  was  interred  in  the 
middle  of  his  meeting-house,  in  a  spot  opposite  to  the  pulpit, 
where  a  large  stone  covcis  his  grave.  A  Latin  inscription  simply 
states  the  time  of  his  decease,  the  duration  of  his  ministry,  his 
pastoral  fidelity,  and  his  having  expressed  a  wish  thiit  his  mortal 
remains  should  be  deposited  in  the  church,  that  being  dead,  he 
mijiht  still  confiim  the  doctrine  which,  when  living,  he  liatl  stead- 
fastly maintained.     It  is  as  follows: 

2.  Junii  17.54,  setat.  74,  Dormiit  in  Jesu, 

Roverendus  Dominus  Ebenezcr  Erskine, 

officio  pastoral  i,  priiTK)  a  pud  Portmoacf.-nses  28, 

dein  apud  Stirlmenses  23,  fidelissime  functus 

In  a?de  hoc  scpeliri  vohiit, 

ut  niortuus  te^tinioninm  firmnret, 

quod  dum  vivus,  mordicus  lenuit. 

The  accounts  already  given  of  the  life,  ministry  and  death,  of 
this  faithlul  servant  of  C'hrisf ,  appear  to  supersede  the  necessity  of 
an  elaborate  delineation  of  his  Character.  His  piety  was  at 
once  sincere  and  fervent.  A  personal  Covenant,  in  which  he 
soletiitdy  takes  hold  of  the  promises,  and  tledicates  iiimself  to  the 
Lord,  was  found  among  his  papers.*  His  relig'on  was  not  con- 
fined to  the  sanctuary,  but  appeared  in  tlie  regul:iiity  and  delight 
with  which  he  perlormed  the  exercises  of  the  family  and  the  clo- 
set. He  conversed  (iefjuently  and  intimately  with  God,  and 
with  his  own  heart.  While  he  instructed  and  exhorted  his  chil- 
dren with  great  affection  and  alacrity,  he  jiladly  er.ibiared  oppor- 
tunities ol  promoting  the  best  interests  of  h.is  domestic  servants, 
and  of  labourers  tluit  were  occasionally  employed  in  his  service. 
His  pious  benevolence  also  took  a  wider  range,  and  extended  its 
unwearied  eftbrts  to  the  people  of  his  charge,  to  all  the  churches, 
to  all  mankind.  He  was  singularly  helpful,  as  well  in  private 
conference  as  in  public  ministrations,  to  those  whose  minds  were 
anxious  and  perplexed  with  regard  to  their  immortal  welfare. 
Nor  did  he  overlook  the  temporal  necessities  of  others.  Whilst  he 
often  recommended  cases  of  indiy,ence  and  distress  to  the  generous 
attention  of  his  hearers,  his  own  example  of  liberal  beneficence 
gave  \teight  to  his  appeals.  His  gravity  was  tempered  with  the 
most  engaging  aftability  and  cheerfulness;  his  zeal  with  candour, 
and  true  moderation.  The  correctness  of  his  morals,  as  a  Chris- 
tian, was  above  su'-picion;  and  his  loyalty,  as  a  citizen,  was  in- 
contestably  establishetl.  His  enemies,  indeed,  stigmatized  him 
as  a  troubler  both  of  church  and  state;  and  struggled  hard  to 
prove  him  guilty  of  sedition,  if  not  of  treason.     To  these  calum- 

•  See  a  copy  of  this  Covenant  in  Gospel  Truth,  p.  45. 


MEMOIR  OP  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKINE.  XXVll 

nious  chiirireshe  refers  in  advertisements,  or  notes,  accompanying 
at  least  llie  early  editions  of  some  of  his  sermons,  as  those  on 
Amos  ix.  11;  Psal.  ii.  6.  In  tliese  vindications  of  his  character, 
lie  justly  appeals  to  the  general  tenoor  of  his  conduct,  and  to  tiie 
decided  proofs  he  had  shown  of  his  loyalty,  in  the  hour  of  public 
alarm.  In  the  y^'ar  ITlo.he  '•  piayed  for  the  honourable  family 
of  George  I.  under  the  very  nose  of  the  PietiMuK'r;"  and  many  of 
his  parishioners  at  Portinoak,  owing  to  his  iiilluence,  engay;ed  to 
serve  as  volunteers,  and  kept  garrison  for  a  time  in  a  castle.  In 
1745,  too,  S(une  time  afier  the  commencement  of  tiie  Sec^-ssion, 
when  another  daring  and  unnatural  rebellion  assaulted  the  15ritisK 
throne,  he  discovered  the  same  ardent  attachment  to  the  Protest- 
ant interest  and  the  House  of  Hanover;  and,  by  his  counsels  and 
example,  was  singularly  active  and  successful,  in  stimulating  the 
inhabitants  of  Stirling  to  defend  their  king  and  country,  iheir 
privileges  and  liberties.'-  How  could  the  n»i)-»t  envenomed  shafts 
of  calumny  injure  a  man  distinguished  by  such  sterling  fidelity 
and  worth?  It  is  deserving  of  notice,  that  duiing  that  crilical 
period,  not  even  one  Seceder  was  known  to  swerve  from  his  alle- 
giance to  George  II. 

All  the  other  excellencies  of  this  great  mm  were  crowned  by 
that  amiable  grace,  unfeigned  humility.  Modest,  unassuming, 
self-diffident,  he  felt  sometimes  asliamed  to  succeed  his  brethrei\ 
in  the  pulpit.  lie  made  no  high  pretensions,  or  ambitious  claims. 
Referring  to  the  encomiums  pronounced  upon  him  by  the  people 
of  Kinross,  in  their  reasons  for  translation,  he  used  the  following 
words  in  his  speech  to  the  Presbytery;  "  I  am  conscious  their  cha- 
racter is  so  remote  lrou>  the  truth,  that  I  blush  it  should  have  been 
read  before  you."  His  first  pui)lications,  as  we  have  seen,  were 
in  a  manner  extorted;  and,  in  the  prefices  to  some  of  them,  he 
makes  ingenuous  acknowledgments  of  their  defects,  both  as  to 

•  The  follownig  letter,  which  Mr.  Erskine  had  the  honour  to  receive  from 
the  Marquis  of  I.othian,  will  g-ive  t!ie  reader  some  idea  of  the  estimation 
in  which,  during'  tlie  rebellion,  his  loyalty  and  influence  were  held.  We 
quote  it  verbutiin  from  the  orig'inal  now  before  us. 

••London,  .January  25th,  1745-6. 

"Rev.  Sir,  Hcinjj  informed  that  many  of  Ins  Majesty's  well-alRxted  sub- 
jects, (witb  wliom  you  have  g'reat  interest,)  zealous  for  the  defence  of  our 
present  liap])y  {covernnit  nt,  and  invaluable  interest,  now  attacked  by  France, 
Spain,  the  Pope,  and  a  I'opisb  pretender,  h;ive  ottered  to  take  arms  and 
serve  the  King',  upon  condition  of  beini^  allowed  to  choose  their  own  officers  ; 
I  therefore  talci;  tlie  liberty  to  oiler  my  Son,  F.ord  Robert  Kerr,  who  is  ambi- 
tious to  serve  as  their  Colonel,  if  they  do  him  and  my  family  the  honour  to 
prefer  him.  It  woukl  not  be  decent  for  me  to  g-ive  his  character,  but  am  per- 
suaded he  would  beiiaveand  act  so  as  to  gam  their  g-ood  ojiiniun.  L  beg"  to 
obtain  your  tbrg-iveness  for  this  trouble,  and  to  be  esteemed,  Sir, 
Your  most  obedient, 

and  most  humble  Servant, 

LOTHIAX. 

"The  Duke  is  soon  to  be  witli  you,  and  it  will  be  very  proper  that  you  ad- 
dress him,  for  which  end  my  Son,  if  you  desire,  shall  attenil  you." 

To  this  letter  Mr.  Erskine  rctiu'nod  an  approj)riatc  and  respectful  answer. 


XXVin  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKIPfE. 

matter  anil  style,  and  even  with  respect  to  the  indications  they 
might  exhibit,  of  the  corrupt  bias  remaining  in  his  heart. 

Yet,  how  moderate  soever  the  estimate  he  formed  of  his  own 
productions,  he  was  entitled  to  no  ordinary  share  of  esteem  as  a 
Preacher  and  an  Author.  Endowed  with  powerful  talents  and 
superior  gifts,  he  conscientiously  devoted  them  to  the  service  of 
the  sanctuary.  His  sermons  abounded  with  evangelical  truth, 
closely  brought  home  to  the  conscience  and  the  heart.  His  dic- 
tion was  sioiple  and  nervous.  His  arrangements  were  generally 
natural;  and  though,  agreeably  to  the  prevailing  practice  of  his 
day,  his  divisions  of  the  subject  were  numerous,  they  were  en- 
riched with  striking  and  instructive  illustrations.  He  had  thead- 
vantages  of  a  manly  and  prepossessing  countenance,  an  easy  elo- 
cution, and  an  alluring  address.  His  whole  demeanour  in  the 
pulpit  was  characterized  by  a  singular  dignify,  which  made  a 
strong  impression  or.  his  hearers.  The  Rev.  Adam  Gibb,  it  is 
said,  having  asked  a  certain  young  preacher,  some  time  after  Mr. 
Erskine's  death,  whether  he  had  ever  heard  him,  and  being  an- 
swered in  the  negative,  replied;  "  Well  then,  sir,  you  never 
heard  the  gospel  in  its  majesty." 

As  an  Author,  his  Sermons  were  almost  the  only  productions 
that  were  exclusively  his  own.  He  prepared,  indeed,  as  has  been 
stated  above,  the  first  sketch  of  the  answers  to  the  Twelve  Que- 
ries. "  The  Act  anent  the  Doctrine  of  Grace,"  too,  was  the  joint 
work  of  Mr,  Erskine,  and  that  able  and  excellent  man,  the  Rev. 
Alexander  Moncrieft".  He  concurred,  also,  with  his  brother  Ralph 
and  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  Fisher,  in  composing  the  SynocVs  Cate- 
chism. Owing  partly  to  the  obloquy  of  his  clerical  accusers,  and 
partly  to  the  importunities  of  pious  hearers,  he  gave  to  the  world, 
at  dift'ereiit  times,  a  considerable  number  of  discourses  in  small 
pamphlets.  A  few  of  these,  with  several  sermons  by  Mr.  Ralph, 
were  early  collected  and  published  in  London,  in  one  volume, 
recommended  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Bradbury.  About  seven  years 
after  his  death,  Mr.  Fisher  published  at  Edinburgh,  in  four  neat 
volumes,  a  complete  collection  of  all  the  sermons  he  had  printed 
during  his  life.  An  additional  volume,  containing  sermons  never 
before  printed,  was  edited  by  his  son,  Mr.  David  Erskine.  The 
contents  of  these  five  volumes  have  subsequently  undergone  nu- 
merous and  large  impressions,  in  a  variety  of  forms. 

It  is  not  our  intention  to  institute  a  critical  inquiry  into  the 
merits  of  these  printed  sermons,  That  they  have  no  pretensions 
to  that  elegance  of  language  and  refinement  of  taste,  which  con- 
stitute the  chief  recommendation  of  many  fashionable  volumes, 
is  frankly  admitted.  Nor  are  we  unwilling  to  allow,  that  a  fas- 
tidious reader  of  the  present  age  may  be  apt  to  feel  some  degree 
of  disgust  at  the  frequent  and  spirited  allusions  to  various  topics 
thatwe^ie  keenly  discussed  at  the  time  when  they  were  preached, 
unless  he  possess  some  previous  acquaintance  with  those  contro- 
versies, and  be  prepared  to  make  reasonable  and  candid  allow- 
ances for  the  liberties  taken  by  the  preacher.  But,  that  these  dis- 
courses are,  on  the  whole,  conducive,  in  a  high  degree,  to  the  pur- 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENEZER  ERSKI\E.  XXIX 

poses  of  spiritual  edification,  will  not  be  readily  questioned  by  the 
genuine  friends  of  tiie  gospel,  and  might  be  prosunii'd,  with  some 
appearance  of  reason,  from  the  extensive  circulation  wliich  they 
have  long  had,  and  continue  to  have,  amongst  serious  Christians  in 
Britain,  and  other  parts  of  ihe  world.  Thougli  a  certain  clergyman 
of  the  C'iuirch  of  England,  lately  deceased,  whose  ac(]uaintance  with 
them  was  probably  very  superficial,  has  ventured  to  describe  the 
discourses  of  the  Erskines  hs  "dry"and  uninteresting;  and  though 
a  Reverend  Doctor  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  has  been  pleased,  in 
a  recent  publication,  to  represent  some  of  Ebetiezer's  as  deficient 
'*  in  arjiument  and  substance, "and  meriting  only  to  be  consigned 
to  oblivion;  the  unfavourable  judgments  of  these  writers  are 
more  than  overbalanced  by  the  cordial  and  ample  testimonies  to 
their  substantial  excellence  and  undoubted  utility,  which  have 
been  spontaneously  given  by  theologians  of  high  reputation  for 
learning,  piety,  and  woith. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  BuAonuuY,  a  celebrated  English  dissenter, 
and  author  of  Sermons  on  "the  Mystery  of  Goilliiiess,"  gives 
them  the  following  character  in  his  recommendatory  preface: 
"  In  these  Sermons,  the  reader  will  find  a  faithful  adherence  to 
the  design  of  the  gospel,  a  clear  defence  of  those  doctiines  that 
are  tlie  pillar  and  ground  of  truth,  a  large  compass  of  thoujiht, 
and  a  happy  fiovv  of  words,  both  judicious  and  familiar." — The 
esteem  which  tiic  Rev.  Jamk.s  Ukrvey  expressed  lor  EbiMiezei 
Er>kine's  discourses,  is  well  known.  In  the  sixteenth  Dialogue 
of  his  Theron  and  Asp;isio.  that  pious  and  lively  writer  says,  in 
a  note: — "  Were  I  to  read  in  order  to  refine  my  taste,  or  improve 
my  style,  I  would  prefer  Bishop  Atterbury's  Sernutns,  Di'.  Bites' 
works,  or  Mr.  Seed's  discourses.  But  were  I  to  reail,  with  a 
single  view  to  the  edificition  of  my  heart  in  true  faith,  solid  com- 
fort, and  evangelical  holiness,  I  would  have  recourse  to  Mr. 
EusKiNF,,and  take  h.s  vctlumes  for  my  guide,  my  companion,  and 
my  fimiliai'  friend." — Another  clei'gyman  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, eminent  for  tl>e  strength  of  his  intellect,  and  the  extent  of 
his  learning,  as  well  as  for  the  ardour  of  his  piety;  namely,  the 
Rev.  AuGUb'rus  Topr-Aov,  seems  to  have  entertained  an  equally 
favourable  opinion  of  Ebenezer's  sermons  with  Mr.  Ilervey; 
and,  far  from  e«.te(Mning  them  "dry,"  he  feelingly  acknow- 
ledges tlie  s|)iritual  relVeshmenl  they  liad  been  the  means  of  im- 
parting (o  his  siiul.  Having  mentioned  them  in  a  |)ass.ige  of  his 
Diaiy,  he  says:  "Tliese  sweet  discourses  were  wonderfully 
blessed  to  my  soul.  Great  was  my  rejoicing  and  triumph  in 
Christ.  The  Iviid  w.is  with  me  of  a  tiudi,  and  his  gracious  vi- 
sitation revived  my  spirit."  In  amdlier  |)assage,  Mr.  Tophnly 
has  the  following  expressions:  "The  Lord  was  gracious  to  my 
soul  this  afternoon.  The  Spirit  was  my  condorter;  and  Mr. 
Krskine's  two  sermons  on  the  Rainbow  of  the  Covenant  were  the 
channel  througli  which  that  comfort  was  conveyed." — Besides, 
the  late  Rev.  Aiu'iiin\i.»  IIali.  of  London,  in  his  treatise  on  Faith, 
expresses  his  regard  for  this  writer  in  the  following  terms:  "  It 
is  with  particular  pleasure-  the  author  embraces  the  opportunity 

3* 


XXX  MEMOIR  OF  THE  REV.  EBENE2ER  fiRSKINE. 

of  acknowledging  his  vast  obligations  to  Mr.  Erskine's  sermons 
on  the  Assurance  of  Faith.  He  wishes  the  reader  carefully  to 
peruse  this  excellent  performance,  in  order  to  direct  and  enlarge 
his  views  of  this  subject." — In  fine,  the  sermons  of  both  brothers, 
Ebenezer  and  Ralph,  are  mentioned  in  very  respectful  terms,  by 
the  late  Dr.  Williams  in  his  Preacher,  in  a  list  of  books  on  Theo- 
logy, which  he  recommends  to  students  and  ministers^  and  by 
the  venerable  and  candid  Dr,  John  Erskine  of  Edinburgli,  in  a 
note  that  occurs  in  the  first  volume  of  his  Sermons, 

These  warm  and  decisive  eulogies,  pronounced  by  distinguished 
individuals  of  various  religious  persuasions,  are  unquestionably 
worthy  of  attention.  Is  there  not  ground  to  hope,  that  the  day 
is  yet  far  distant,  which  shall  consign  to  oblivion  a  series  of  dis- 
courses, that  have  been  so  highly  approved  by  competent  judges, 
and  so  abundantly  blessed  for  promoting  the  best  interests  of 
men?  That  every  reader  may  himself  reap  some  spiritual  bene- 
fit from  these  scriptural  sermons,  is  the  sincere  desire  of  the 
writer, — who,  though  not  unwilling  to  avow  his  veneration  for 
the  memory  of  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Erskine,  and  his  connexion 
with  the  church,  of  which,  as  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  Christ, 
that  excellent  man  was  the  founder,  has  attempted,  in  this  bio- 
graphical sketch,  after  diligently  inquiring  into  the  transactions 
to  which  it  relates,  to  give  a  just  and  unvarnished  statement  of 
facts. 

November  14(h,  1825. 


CONTENTS  OF   VOL.   I. 


J,    .  .        .  p^?° 

SEnMOHT  I. — Gows  little  remnant  keeping  their  garments  clean 
in  an  evil  day. 

Thou  hast  a  few  names  in  Sardis,  which  have  not  defiled  their  garments; 
and  they  shall  walk  with  me  in  white,  for  they  are  worthy. — Uev. 
iii.  4.  ........     37 

Sehmou  II. — The  backslider  characterized. 

From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples  went  back,  and  walked  no  more 
with  him. — John  vi.  66.  -  -  -  -  .  -     63 

Sermon  III. — The  ruind  of  the  ITolij  Ghost  blowing  upon  the 
dry  bones  in  the  valley  of  vision. 

Come  from  the  four  winds,  O  breath,  and  breathe  upon  these  slain,  that 
they  may  live. — Ezek.  xxxvii.  9.        -  -  -  -  -     81 

Sermon  IV". — The  King  held  in  the  galleries. 
The  King  is  held  in  the  galleries. — Cant.  vii.  5.  -  .  .  105 

Sermon  V.  —  The  groans  of  believers  under  their  burdens. 
We  that  are  in  this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  burdened. — 2  Cor.  v.  4.  125 

Sermon  VI. — The  believer  exalted  in  imputed  righteousness. 

In  thy  name  shall  they  rejoice  all  the  day:  and  in  thy  righteousness  shall 
they  be  exalted. — Psal.  Ixxxlx.  16.     -  -  .  -  .  146 

Sermon  VII. —  The  humble  soul  the  peculiar  favourite  cf 
heaven. 

Though  the  Lord  be  high,  yet  hath  he  respect  unto  the  lowly:  but  tlie 
proud  he  knoweth  afar  off. — Psal.  cxxxviii.  6.  -  .  -160 

Sermon  VIII. —  The  necessity  and  profitableness  of  good  work^ 
asserted. 

This  is  a  faithful  s.iying,  and  these  things  I  will  that  thou  affirm  constant- 
ly, that  they  whicii  have  believed  in  God  might  be  careful  to  main- 
tain good  works:  these  things  are  good  and  profitable  unto  men. — 
Tit.  iii.  8.      -  -  -  -  -  -  -  .179 

Sermon  IX. — Christ  in  the  believer's  arms. 
Then  took  he  him  up  in  his  arms,  and  blessed  God. — Luke  ii.  28.        -  206 


XXXii  CONtENTS  OF  VOL.  I. 


Sermon  X. — A  discourse  on  the  throne  of  grace. 

Justice  and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of  thy  throne — Psal.  Ixxxix. 
14. 239 

Sermon  XI. — The  assurance  of  faith,  opened  and  applied. 

Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith. — Heb.  x. 
22. 272 

Sermon  XII. —  God  in  Christ,  a  God  of  love. 
God  is  love. — I  John  iv.  16.      -  -  -  -  -  -  350 

§ERMON  XIII. — Unbelief  arraigned  and  condemned  at  the  bar 
of  God. 

He  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned  already. — John  iii.  18.       -  -  372 

Sermon  XIV. — The  day-spring  from  on  high. 

Through  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God;  whereby  tlie  day-spring  from 
on  high  hath  visited  us. — Luke  i.  78.  ....  401 

Sermon  XV. — The  rainbow  of  the  coveiiant  surrounding  the 
throne  oj  grace. 

And  there  was  a  rainbow  round  about  the  throne  in  sight  like  unto  an 
emerald. — Rev.  iv.  3.  -  -  -  -  -  -  443 

Sermon  XVI. —  The  tree  of  life  shaking  his  fruits  and  leaves 
a7nong  the  nations. 

In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either  side  of  the  river,  was  there 
the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded  her 
fruit  every  month,  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing  of 
the  nations. — Rev.  xxii.  2.      -  -  -  -  -  -  487 

Sermon  XVII. — The  law  of  faith  issuing  forth  from  mount 
Zion, 

For  the  law  shall  go  out  of  Zion. — Isa.  ii.  3.       -  -  -  -  524 

Sermon  XVIII. — The  stone  rejected  by  the  builders  exalted  as 
the  head-stone  of  the  corner. 

The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected,  the  same  is  made  the  head-stone 
of  the  corner. — Psal.  cxviii.  22.  -  -  -  -  -  592 


PREFACE. 


It  wouUl  be  great  presumption  to  attempt  any  recommendation 
of  the  following  discourses,  \vlien  tliey  liave  had,  hitherto,  their 
approbation  in  the  judgment  and  experience  of  so  many  serious 
and  well  disposed  Christians,  botli  at  home  and  abroad:  nor  will 
any  such  thing  be  expected  from  one  to  whom  the  worthy  author 
stood  so  nearly  related  as  1  do. 

His  praise  is  already  in  the  churches;  and,  though  he  be  dead, 
he  yet  speaketh.  His  modesty  did  not  permit  him  to  leave  any 
memoirs  of  iiis  life,  for  public  use.  He  was  twenty-eight  years 
minister  at  Portmoak  in  Fife,  and  twenty-three  at  Stirling. — He 
died  in  the  seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age. 

It  is  hoped  that  whoever  shall,  in  a  dependence  upon  the  divine 
blessing,  peruse  the  valuable  treasure  contained  in  this  volume, 
will  find  many  things,  (as  the  renowned  Mr.  Hervey  expresses 
it,)  "  to  the  edification  of"  their  "  hearts,  in  true  faith,  solid  com- 
fort, and  evangelical  holiness." — That  this  may  be  the  case  with 
multitudes,  is  the  sincere  desire  of 

JAMES  FISHER. 

Glasgow,  Feb.  10,  1761. 


PREFACE 
TO   THE   FIRST   SERMON. 


It  is  very  probable  that  this,  and  some  other  sermons,  now  designed 
for  the  public,  had  slept  in  perpetual  silence  among  my  other  short-hand 
manuscripts,  if  a  holy  and  wise  providence,  which  overrules  us  in  our 
designs  and  inclinations,  had  not,  in  a  manner,  forced  me  to  yield  to  their 
publication,  for  my  own  necessary  defence,  when  the  earnest  entreaty  of 
some  (dear  to  the  Lord)  could  not  prevail  with  me  to  fall  in  with  any 
such  proposal.  The  conduct  of  adorable  providence,  in  this  matter,  has 
brought  me  under  such  a  conviction  of  culpable  obstinacy,  in  resisting 
their  solicitations,  that  I  sincerely  resolve,  through  grace,  not  to  be  so 
ehy  in  time  coming;  especially,  if  I  find  that  these  sermons,  which  are 
almost  extorted  from  me,  shall  prove  useful  and  edifying. 

Tlie  affair,  which  gave  occasion  to  the  publication  of  these  discourses, 
is  briefly  this: — 

In  May,  1725,  Mr,  A.  A.,*  a  reverend  brother,  with  whom  I  have  taken 
sweet  counsel,  and  gone  unto  the  house  of  God  in  company,  and  whose 
name,  if  it  were  practicable,  out  of  tenderness  to  him,  I  have  all  the  in- 
clination in  the  world  to  conceal,  was  pleased,  in  my  absence,  and  with- 
out any  provocation  from  me,  that  I  know  of,  publicly  to  arraign  me  be- 
fore the  Commission  of  the  General  Assembly  of  tlie  Church  of  Scotland, 
of  having,  at  a  sacrament  in  Strathmiglo,  upon  the  Monday,  anno  1714, 
preached  against  the  brethren  who  had  taken  tiie  abjuration  oath,  not- 
withstanding the  act  of  x\ssembly  recommending  mutual  forbearance  on 
that  head.  The  sermon  he  pointed  at  is  that  which  immediately  follows, 
being  the  first  in  order,  on  Rev.  iii.  4.  It  was  preached  before  a  pretty 
numerous  auditory;  but  I  never  heard  of  its  being  quarrelled  by  any,  ex- 
cept that  brother  himself  What  ground  he  had  for  carping  at  it,  let  the 
world  judge.  It  is  true,  in  the  use  of  lamentation,  I  took  notice  of  some 
who  defiled  themselves  and  the  land  by  perjury,  particularly  in  taking 
the  abjuration  oath,  with  a  design  to  serve  the  Pretender's  interest.     But 

•  Mr.  Alexander  Anderson,  minister  at  St  Andrew's, 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FIRST  SERMOxV.  XXXV 

that  I  spoke  either  of  ministers  taking  or  forbearing,  is  false  in  fact;  and 
I  do  not  believe  he  will  get  any  of  that  numerous  company  who  will  ad* 
venture  to  say  so  upon  oath.  It  is  true,  when  I  urged  him  with  this, 
having  taken  occasion  to  talk  with  him  in  the  beginning  of  July  last,  he 
alleged,  tiiat,  though  I  did  not  speak  directly  of  ministers  who  had  taken 
the  oath,  yet  the  tendency  of  my  discourse  was  to  bring  a  reflection  upon 
them.  But,  for  my  part,  if  the  oath  be  a  good  thing,  and  if  he  took  it 
with  a  good  conscience,  I  cannot  find  any  tiling  in  all  that  sermon  that 
could  militate  against  him,  there  being  nothing  in  it,  so  far  as  I  know, 
but  the  pure  and  plain  truths  of  God.  But  if  the  word  of  the  Lord  be 
against  men,  it  is  a  plain  evidence  of  a  galled  and  uneasy  conscience 
within ;  for  a  good  conscience  vvill  never  be  wounded  at  plain  scripture 
truth.  But  it  is  the  natural  fruit  of  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  when  faith- 
fully managed,  to  prick  and  wound  the  guilty  conscience;  and,  where  it 
does  not  meeken  and  humble  the  spirits  of  men,  it  so  irritates  their  cor- 
rtjptions,  that  they  turn  about  to  rend  those  who  wield  it.  An  instance 
of  which  we  have,  Luke  xx.  19:  "  And  the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes 
the  same  hour  sought  to  lay  hands  on  him ;  and  they  feared  the  peopie; 
for  they  perceived  that  he  had  spoken  this  parable  against  them." 

I  know  it  will  be  alleged  tha-t  I  have  altered  and  smoothed  my  ser- 
mon, and  that  my  notes  may  not  be  the  same  with  what  T  delivered 
viva  voce.  As  to  which  I  shall  only  say,  that  it  is  my  practice  to  write 
all  I  have  a  mind  to  say  in  public.  It  is  true,  indeed,  I  do  not  protend  to 
.such  an  exact  memory,  as  that  I  can  confine  myself  in  the  delivery,  to 
every  thing  in  my  notes,  without  varying  a  word  or  phrase  :  but  yet  I  use 
to  be  pretty  exact  that  way,  when  I  know  such  critical  auditors  as  Mr. 
A.  are  before  me.  One  of  my  own  children,  who  I  am  sure  would  not 
adventure  to  alter  a  word,  dictated  the  following  sermon  to  an  amanuen- 
sis, from  my  original  notes;  and  that  s:ime  copy  goes  to  the  press  :  I  own 
I  helped  the  grammar  in  some  places,  when  I  revised  it.  So  that  there 
is  not  a  phrase  or  sentence  altered,  at  which  my  accuser  might  take  the 
least  umbrage.  And  I  do  very  well  remember  that  some  things  were  ex- 
pressed softer  in  the  delivery  than  they  are  in  the  notes  wiiicii  now  are 
come  abroad. 

Mr.  A.  told  me,  that,  if  I  published  my  sermons,  I  could  not  hinder  him 
from  printing  the  notes  he  took  from  my  mouth.  For  my  part,  if  he  took 
every  word  I  spoke  at  that  time,  I  should  be  very  easy  ;  for  (I  desire  to 
speak  it  not  out  of  vain  glory,  but  to  the  praise  of  him  who  makes  the 
tongue  of  the  stammerer  to  spi>ak  plainly,)  that  which  I  deliver  in  public, 
has,  for  ordinary,  the  advantage  of  my  notes,  both  for  closeness  of  connex- 
ion and  accuracy  of  expression.  But  I  very  much  doubt  if  Mr.  A.  be  such 
a  ready  writer  as  to  catch  every  word,  or  sentence  either,  when  I  speak. 

As  for  the  other  sermons  that  Mr.  A.  arraigns,  I  design  to  let  them 
come  abroad  in  due  time  ;  and  what  he  asserts  concerning  thcra  may  be 


XXXvi  PREFACE  TO  THE  FIRST  SERMON^ 

considered  in  a  preface  to  eacii  sermon  apart. — I  shall  here  subjoin  a  list 
of  them,  with  their  several  texts,  notifying  what  was  affirmed  concerning 
them. 

1st,  Upon  John  vi.  66:  "From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples  went 
back,  and  walked  no  more  with  liim."  Concerning  this  sermon,  it  was 
affirmed  that  I  preached  such  doctrine,  as  he,  preaching  after  me,  was 
obliged  to  contradict. 

2dly,  Upon  Psal.  cxxxviii.  6:  "  Though  the  Lord  be  high,  yet  hath  he 
respect  unto  the  lowly ;  but  the  proud  lie  knoweth  afar  off."  In  this,  1 
was  said  to  have  arraigned  the  church  of  Scotland,  in  the  matter  of  the 
oath. 

iidly,  Upon  Titns  iii.  8:  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  these  things  I 
will  that  thou  affirm  constantly,  that  liiey  which  have  believed  in  God 
might  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works:  these  things  are  good  and  pro- 
fitable unto  men."  As  to  this,  it  was  affirmed,  that,  by  ambiguous  ex- 
pressions, I  endeavoured  to  lead  tlie  people  to  think  that  assurance  was 
of  the  essence  of  faith ;  and  that  it  was  the  duty  of  every  man  to  believe 
that  Christ  died  for  him. 

Athly,  Upon  Luke  ii.  28:  "Then  took  he  him  up  in  his  arms,  and 
blessed  God."  As  to  which,  it  was  said  that  I  preaciied  unsound  doc- 
trine, or  doctrine  of  an  erroneous  tendency. 

5thly,  Upon  Psal.  Ixxxix.  16  :  *^ln  thy  righteousness  sliall  they  be  ex- 
alted." It  was  represented  that,  in  tiiis  sermon,  I  taught  that  believers 
are  exalted  above  the  law;  that  they  are  altogether  innocent;  and  that, 
God  hatli  not  any  grudge  in  his  heart  against  them. 

Because  it  is  charged  upon  us  as  an  error,  that  we  preacii  assurance  to 
be  of  the  essence  of  faitli,  therefore  I  design  also  to  publish  a  sermon  on 
tliat  subject,  from  Heb.  x.  22:  "  Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in 
full  assurance  of  faitii."  From  which  I  hope  it  shall  appear,  that  our 
principle  upon  that  head  is  agreeable  to  the  scriptures  of  truth,  and  the 
ancient  and  modern  standard  of  doctrine  in  this  ciiurch.  And  I  hope  that 
the  following  sermon,  and  the  third  of  those  above  mentioned,  shall  be 
an  effectual  confutation  of  that  calumny  cast  upon  us,  as  if  we  discarded 
holiness  and  good  works.  And  whereas,  it  may  be  alleged  that  this  ser- 
mon was  preached  long  ago,  and  that  I  have  altered  my  way  of  thinking 
since  that  time,  I  here  declare  that  what  is  taught  in  the  said  sermon,  I 
own  as  my  principle  still. 

It  shall  be  my  earnest  prayer,  that  He,  who,  by  his  overruling  iiand, 
has  brought  forth  these  sermons  to  public  view,  beyond  my  design,  may 
accompany  them  with  his  effectual  blessing,  to  the  edification  of  souls. 

E.  E. 
October  5, 1725. 


S  E  R  M  O  X  S. 


SERMON    I. 


GOD  S  LITTLE  REMNANT  KEEPING  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN   IN  AN 
EVIL  DAY.* 

Thou  liast  a  few  names  even  in  Savdis,  whicli  have  not  defiled  their  garments; 
and  they  shall  walk,  with  me  in  while;  for  they  are  worthy. — Rev.  hi.  4. 

The  first  six  verses  of  this  chapter  contain  an  epistle  sent 
by  Jesus  Christ  to  the  churcli  of  Sarclis.  Where  we  have, 
first,  the  preface,  and  then  the  body  of  the  epistle.  In  the  body 
of  the  epistle  we  may  notice  these  three  things :  1.  An  ac- 
cusation or  charge,  ia  the  close  of  the  first  verse.  2.  An 
exhortation  to  several  duties,  such  as  repentance,  watchful- 
ness, and  the  like,  ver.  2,  3.  3.  We  have  a  commendation 
given  to  this  church,  in  the  words  of  my  text.  Thou  hast  a 
feio  names  ev€7i  in  Sardis,  &-c.  Where,  more  particularly, 
we  have,  1st,  The  commendation  itself.  Thou  hast  a  few  names 
even  in  Sardis.  which  have  not  dejilcd  their  garments.  2dly, 
A  reward,  Theij  shall  icalk  with  me  in  zohite.  Sdly,  The  rea- 
son and  ground  of  this,  For  they  are  worthy.  First,  I  say,  we 
have  the  commendation  itself  Where  we  may  notice,  the 
commender,  the  commended,  and  the  ground  on  which  the 
commendation  runs.  1.  The  commender.  Who  he  is  may 
be  gathered  from  the  connexion.  It  is  "he  that  hath  the 
seven  Spirits  of  God,  and  the  seven  stars,"  ver.  1,  It  is  Christ 
himself.  And  his  conmiendation  may  be  depended  upon  ; 
for  he  trieth  the  heart  and  reins,  and  needs  not  that  any 
should  testify  of  man  unto  him,  because  he  knows  what  is  in 
man.  2.  The  party  commended.  Who  are  described,  (1.) 
From  their  designation  ;  they  are  called  names.  God  had 
"  given  them  a  new  name,  a  name  better  than  of  sons  and  of 
daughters,"  even  a  name  "among  the  living  in  Jerusalem  :" 
they  were  marked  among  the  rolls  of  his  chosen,  redeemed, 
and  sanctified  ones,  liy  their  zeal,  uprightness,  integrity,  and 
their  honest  appearance  for  God,  in  that  degenerate  day  and 
place,  they  had  distinguished  themselves  from  others,  and  so 

♦  Preached  on  a  sacramental  occasion  at  Strathmiglo,  Monday,  June  3, 1714. 
VOL.  I.  4 


38  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

purchased  a  name  to  themselves;  and  they  were  known  to 
men  as  well  as  unto  God :  "  The  Lord  knoweth  the  right- 
eous ;"  and  he  knows  them  by  name,  they  are  marked  out 
among  others.  (2.)  They  are  described  by  their  paucity ; 
they  are  a  few  names.  They  were  comparatively  few,  when 
laid  in  the  balance  with  the  multitude  and  bulk  of  carnal  se- 
cure professors  in  this  church;  there  was  but  a  small  part  of 
them  that  had  kept  themselves  free  of  the  corruptions  and 
defections  of  that  church,  and  that  had  "not  bowed  the  knee 
unto  Baal."  (3.)  They  are  described  from  the  place  of  their 
residence,  Sardis,  one  of  the  seven  churches  of  the  Lesser  Asia. 
The  expression  here  is  observable,  Afezv  names  even  i?i  Sardis. 
Christ's  character  of  this  church,  in  the  close  of  the  first  verse, 
was,  that  they  w^ere  generally  dead,  though  they  had  a  name 
to  live:  "  But,"  as  if  he  had  said,  "though  the  generality  of 
this  church  be  dead,^et  even  there  I  have  a  few  lively  and 
tender  Christians."  But  then,  3.  Notice  the  ground  on  which 
the  commendation  runs ;  they  have  kept  their  garments  clean, 
or,  have  not  defiled  their  garments.  Perhaps  there  may  be  an 
allusion  in  this  expression  to  the  Jews,  who  were  not  to  come 
near  any  thing  that  was  unclean,  by  the  law  of  Moses, 
or  to  touch  them  with  their  garments,  lest  they  should  be 
defiled :  or  it  may  allude  to  the  practice  of  the  eastern  coun- 
tries, who  used  to  gird  up  their  long  garments,  to  keep  them 
from  being  defiled,  or  spotted.  The  meaning  is,  that  this 
little  remnant  in  Sardis  had  maintained  their  integrity,  like 
Job ;  they  were  "  perfect  and  upright  men,"  men  that  "  feared 
God,  and  eschew^ed  evil ;"  they  had  not  complied  with  the 
abounding  errors  and  corruptions  of  their  day,  but  "  exercised 
themselves  to  keep  consciences  void  of  offence  towards  God 
and  man."  When  others  were  sleeping,  they  were  waking, 
about  their  work  ;  when  others  in  that  church  were  dead  and 
secure,  they  w'ere  lively.  And  so  much  for  the  commenda- 
tion given  by  Christ  to  this  remnant.  Secondly,  In  the  words 
we  have  a  reward,  or  rather  we  may  call  it  a  consolatory 
promise  made  to  this  little  remnant :  They  shall  walk  with  me 
in  white.  Perhaps  the  expression  may  allude  to  the  practice 
of  the  Romans,  who  clothed  their  nobility,  at  any  solemnity, 
in  white :  or  to  their  conquerors,  who  triumphed,  upon  any 
victory  obtained,  in  white  garments ;  or  to  the  priests  under 
the  law,  who  ministered  in  the  temple  in  white  garments. 
The  meaning  is.  They  shall  walk  zvith  me  m  zohite;  that  is, 
"  They  shall  be  admitted  to  the  immediate  enjoyment  of  fel- 
lowship and  communion  witfc  me,  and  be  partakers  of  my 
glory  in  heaven  through  eternity."  But  the  import  of  the 
expression  may  be  more  fully  spoken  to  afterward.  Thirdly, 
In  the  words  we  have  the  reason  and  ground  why  the  Lord 


I.]  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAV.  39 

puts  such  a  difference  between  his  remnant  and  others,  Far 
they  are  zcorthy;  that  is,  valuable,  and  excellent  persons,  as 
Solomon  s])caks,  "  The  righteous  is  more  excellent  than  his 
neighbour."  Not  as  if  they  had  any  worthiness  or  excellency 
in  themselves  beyond  others  by  nature;  no,  no;  "They  are 
children  of  wrath  and  condemnation,  even  as  others ;"  but  they 
are  made  worthy  by  justifying  and  sanctifying  grace,  by  im- 
puted righteousness  and  inherent  holiness.  Some  render  the 
word,  "  For  they  are  meet :"  so  the  word  is  rendered,  Matth. 
iii.  8 :  "  Bring  forth  therefore  fruits  meet  for  repentance."  So 
here  the  Lord  promises,  that  they  who  keep  their  garments 
clean  should  ivalk  with  him  in  zvhite ;  why,  because  it  is  meet 
or  suitable  it  should  be  so,  that  they  who  are  holy  here,  should 
be  happy  hereafter. 

Doct.  "  That  although  there  be  but  few  in  a  visible  church 
that  keep  their  garments  clean  in  a  declining  time,  yet  these 
few  are  highly  valued  by  Christ,  and  shall  be  admitted  to 
partake  of  his  glory  in  heaven." 

This  doctrine  I  take  to  be  the  scope  of  the  verse.  Thou  hast 
a  few  names,  &,c.  In  discoursing  on  this  point,  I  shall  endeavour, 
through  divine  assistance,  to  do  these  six  things: — 

I.  Offer  a  few  propositions  concerning  this  little  remnant. 

II.  Show  that  Christ  has  a  high  value  for  this  remnant ; 
they  are  worthy  in  his  esteem. 

III.  What  is  imported  in  their  keeping  their  garments  clean. » 

IV.  What  it  is  to  walk  with  Christ  in  white. 

V.  Inquire  into  the  connexion  between  the  duty  and  privi- 
lege. 

VI.  Apply  the  whole. 

I.  The  first  thing  is,  to  offer  a  few  propositions  concerning 
this  remnant,  who  are  said  to  keep  their  gai-meiits  cleati;  and 
you  may  take  these  few  following. 

1.  That  God  the  Father  gave  a  remnant  to  Christ  of  the 
posterity  of  Adam,  in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  to  be  ran- 
somed and  redeemed  by  him,  from  that  wo  and  wrath,  into 
which  Adam,  by  his  apostacy,  had  involved  himself  and  all 
his  posterity.  That  such  a  remnant  was  gifted  to  Christ  by 
the  Father,  is  plain  from  John  xvii. ;  where  Christ  in  his 
prayer  fre(|ucntly  speaks  of  those  that  the  Father  gave  him, 
particularly  ver.  (5 :  "  Thine  they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them 
me  ;  and  they  liavc  kept  thy  word."  He  promised  to  him, 
for  his  encouragement  in  that  great  undertaking,  that  he 
should  have  "a  seed  to  serve  him,"  and  "  see  of  the  travail 
of  his  soul," 

2.  The  Lord  Jesus,  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  in  the  fulness 
of  time,  took  on  the  nature  of  man,  and  in  our  nature  obeyed 


40  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

.the  law,  and  died  in  the  room  and  stead  of  this  remnant  which 
the  Father  gave  him.  He  did  not  obey  the  law,  and  satisfy 
justice  for  the  whole  world,  or  for  all  men,  as  Arminians  talk; 
no ;  but  he  died  for  a  select  number.  Hence  he  is  said  to 
"  lay  down  his  life  for  his  sheep,"  and  not  for  the  goats. 
And  as  his  death,  so  his  intercession  is  confined  to  this  rem- 
nant, as  is  plain  from  John  xvii.  9 :  *'  I  pray  for  them  :  I  pray 
not  for  the  world,  but  for  them  which  thou  hast  given  me, 
for  they  are  thine." 

3.  This  redeemed  remnant  are,  in  God's  own  time,  sooner 
or  later,  under  the  ministry  of  gospel-ordinances,  determined, 
by  the  power  and  efficacy  of  divine  grace,  to  close  with  Christ, 
upon  the  call  of  the  gospel,  and  to  go  in  to  the  blessed  contri- 
vance of  salvation  and  redemption  through  him  :  he  translates 
them,  in  a  day  of  his  power,  "  out  of  darkness  into  his  mar- 
vellous light,  and  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son."  Not  one 
of  this  elected  remnant,  but  shall  in  due  time  be  brought  home; 
for  "  whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called." 

4.  God's  remnant  are  a  holy  people.  They  are  a  set  of  men 
that  study  to  keep  clean  garments ;  they  study  to  "  purify 
themselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting 
holiness  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord ;"  and  therefore  called  "  the 
people  of  his  holiness,"  Is.  Ixiii.  18.  Holiness  is  the  design  of 
their  election;  for  "  he  hath  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption 
of  children,  that  we  should  be  holy,  and  without  blame  before 
him  in  love."  Holiness  is  the  design  of  their  redemption  by 
Christ  Jesus:  "He  hath  redeemed  us  from  all  iniquity,  and 
purified  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works," 
Tit.  ii.  14.  Holiness  is  the  design  of  their  effectual  calling: 
"  For  God  hath  not  called  us  to  uncleanness,  but  unto  holiness; 
and  he  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a  holy  calling."  So 
that,  I  say,  God's  remnant  are  a  holy  remnant. 

5.  The  number  of  this  remnant  is  but  small ;  there  are  but 
a  few  names  in  Sardis,  that  have  not  defiled  their  garments. 
Christ's  flock  is  but  a  little  Jlock.  It  is  indeed  a  great  flock, 
and  an  "  innumerable  multitude,"  abstractly  considered  :  but 
considered  comparatively,  or  when  laid  in  the  balance  with 
the  droves  and  multitudes  of  the  wicked,  it  is  but  a  little  flock, 
and  a  small  remnant.  They  are  few  that  are  elected  ;  "  for 
many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen;"  they  are  few  that  are 
redeemed ;"  it  is  only  God's  elect  that  are  "  bought  with  a 
price :"  they  are  few  that  are  eflfectually  called  ;  for  "  to 
whom  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord  revealed?"  few  that  hold  out  in 
the  time  of  temptation  ;  but  seven  thousa?id among  all  the  thou- 
sands of  Israel  "  that  have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal." 

G.  Although  they  be  but  few,  yet  in  the  worst  of  times  God 
has  always  some  of  this  remnant,  who  cleave  to  him  and  his 


1.]  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  41 

way,  even  when  all  about  them  are  corrupting  their  ways. 
He  had  a  Lot  in  Sodom,  whose  righteous  soul  w^is  vexed  with 
the  abominations  of  the  place;  he  has  a  remn.int  of  mourners 
in  Jerusalem,  when  the  whole  city  was  defiled  with  wicked- 
ness; he  has  his  tico  zcU?iesses  to  bear  testimony  to  his  truths, 
when  "the  whole  world  is  wondering  after  the  beast,"  and 
over-run  with  Antichristian  darkness  and  idolatry. 

7.  Lastly,  God  has  a  special  eye  of  favour  and  kindness  on 
this  remnant,  in  a  sinful  and  declining  time.  He  has  "a  mark 
set  upon  the  men  that  sigh  and  cry  for  the  abominations  in 
Jerusalem;"  his  "eyes  run  to  and  fro  throughout  the  whole 
earth,  to  show  himself  strong  in  the  behalf  of  them  whose 
heart  is  perfect  towards  him,"  &c.     But  this  leads  me  to, 

II.  The  sccofid  thing  proposed,  which  was  to  show,  that 
Christ  has  a  his^h  value  for  this  remriant.  They  are  the  wor- 
thies of  the  world  in  his  esteem,  however  they  be  disesteemed 
and  undervalued  by  the  world.  This  will  appear  from  these 
following  considerations: — 

1.  Consider  what  an  account  he  makes  of  them,  when  com- 
pared with  the  rest  of  the  world,  lie  values  them  so  highly, 
that  he  will  give  wjiole  nations  and  kingdoms  of  the  wicked 
for  their  ransom:  Isa.  xliii.  4:  "Ever  since  thou  wast  precious 
in  my  siglit  thou  hast  been  honourable,  and  I  have  loved  thee; 
and  I  gave  men  for  thce,"&.c.;  that  is,  he  will  sacrifice  whole 
nations  and  kingdoms  of  wicked  men,  before  he  be  bereft  of 
his  little  remnant.  The  scriptures  are  very  full  to  this  pur- 
pose. His  remnant  is  the  gold,  the  rest  of  the  world  arc  but 
dross:  "Thou  puttest  away  all  the  wicked  of  the  earth  like 
dross,"  Psal.  cxix.  119:  but  "the  precious  sons  of  Zion  arc 
comparable  to  fine  gold,"  Lam.  iv.  2;  not  only  gold,  but  fine 
gold,  polished  by  the  hand  of  the  Spirit.  Again,  his  little 
remnant  is  the  wheat,  but  the  rest  of  the  world  are  the  chaff; 
and  "What  is  the  chaff  to  the  wheat,  saith  the  Lord?"  When 
he  "comes  with  his  fan  in  his  hand,  he  will  gather  his  wheat 
into  his  garner;  but  the  chaff  he  will  burn  up  with  fire  that 
is  unquenchable,"  Matth.  iii.  12.  His  little  remnant  is  the 
good  corn,  but  the  wicked  are  the  tares;  and  he  will  say  to 
his  reapers  at  the  last  judgment,  "Gather  the  tares  together, 
and  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them;"  but,  "Gather  the 
go<)d  com  into  my  barn."  His  remnant  are  his  sheep,  but  the 
rest  are  the  goats;  and  he  will  say  to  the  sheep  on  his  right 
hand,  "  Come,  ye  blessed;  "  but  to  the  goats  he  will  say,  "  l^t- 
part,  ye  cursed,"  His  remnant  are  his  vessels  of  honour, 
whom  he  sets  by  as  plenishing  to  garnish  "  the  house  not  made 
with  hands;"  but  the  wicked  are  vessels  of  wrath,  whom  he 
"will  break  in  pieces  as  a  potter's  vessel,"  and  cast  into  the 
furnace  of  his  anger.     Thus,  I  say,  that  they  are  worthy  in 

4* 


42  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

his  esteem,  is  evident  from  the  account  he  makes  of  them, 
when  laid  in  the  balance  with  others. 

2.  That  this  little  remnant  are  worthy  on  Christ's  account, 
will  appear,  if  we  consider  the  names  and  compellations  that 
he  gives  them.  He  sometimes  calls  them  his  love,  his  dove,  his 
ujidefded,  his  Hephzibah,  his  Beidah,  his  Jedidiahs,  the  very 
darlings  of  his  heart.  He  calls  them  sometimes  his  jewels : 
Mai.  iii.  17:  "They  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord,  in  the  day 
that  I  make  up  my  jewels;  and  I  will  spare  them  as  a  man 
spareth  his  own  son  that  serveth  him."  He  calls  them  the 
very  apple  of  his  eye,  the  most  tender  part  of  the  body:  and 
the  eyelid  of  his  special  providence  doth  cover  them.  Yes, 
such  is  the  value  that  lie  has  for  them,  that  he  calls  them 
himself,  and  speaks  of  them  as  if  he  and  they  were  but  one : 
"Saul,  Saul,"  says  the  Lord,  "  why  persecutest  thou  me?" 

3.  Consider  the  endeared  relations  they  stand  under  to  him; 
and  from  thence  you  will  see,  that  they  cannot  but  be  worthy 
in  his  esteem.  There  is  a  legal,  a  moral,  and  a  mystical  union 
between  him  and  them.  He  is  their  Head,  and  they  are  his 
members;  he  is  the  Root,  and  they  are  the  branches  that 
grow  upon  him;  he  is  the  Husband,  and  they  are  his  spouse 
and  bride;  "Thy  Maker  is  thy  husband;"  he  is  their  Father, 
and  they  are  his  children;  he  is  their  Elder  Brother,  and  they 
are  his  younger  brethren;  he  is  Heir  of  all  things,  and  he 
makes  them  joint-heirs  with  himself  of  his  heavenly  kingdom; 
he  is  their  Advocate,  and  they  are  his  clients ;  he  is  their  King, 
and  they  are  his  subjects. 

4.  They  cannot  but  be  worthy  in  his  esteem,  if  you  consider 
how  much  he  valuesnot  only  their  persons,  but  whatever  per- 
tains to  them.  He  values  their  name§ ;  1  have  a  few  ?iames  in 
Sardis ;  he  keeps  them  among  the  reef  ^is  of  heaven,  and  has 
them  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life."  He  values  their 
prayers :  Cant.  ii.  14  :  "  O,  my  dove,  that  art  in  the  clefts  of 
the  rock,  let  me  hear  thy  voice ;  for  it  is  sweet."  The  prayers 
of  the  wicked  are  like  the  howling  of  dogs  to  him ;  but  the 
prayers  of  the  upright  remnant  are  his  delight.  He  values 
their  tears,  and  "  puts  them  into  his  bottle ; "  he,  as  it  were, 
gathers  every  drop  from  their  eyes:  "  I  have  heard  thy  prayers, 
I  have  seen  thy  tears,"  saith  the  Lord  to  Hezekiah.  He*  va- 
lues their  blood :  Psal.  cxvi.  15  :  "  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord,  is  the  death  of  his  saints:"  and  they  that  shed  their 
blood,  "  he  will  give  them  blood  to  drink." 

5.  Lastly,  That  they  are  worthy  in  his  esteem,  appears 
from  what  he  does  for  them.  He  remembered  them  in  their 
low  estate,  and  set  his  love  on  them  when  they  were  wallow- 
ing in  their  blood.  He  has  loved  them  "  with  an  everlasting 
love,"  an  unalterable  love,  with  an  ardent  love ;  his  love  to 


I.]  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  43 

them  "  is  strong  as  death :  he  has  redeemed  them  with  his 
blood  ;  for  \vc  arc  not  redeemed  by  corruptible  things,  such  as 
silver  and  gold,"  Slc.  "  He  hath  loved  us  and  washed  us  with 
his  own  blood,"  Rev.  i.  5.  He  confers  many  excellent  privi- 
leges upon  them.  They  liave  an  excellent  pardon,  it  being 
full,  final  and  irrevocable,  Heb.  viii.  12.  They  have  an  ex- 
cellent "  peace,  which  passes  all  understanding ; "  an  excel- 
lent joy,  being  "  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory  ; "  excellent 
food  ;  they  "  eat  of  tlie  liiddcn  manna ;  "  have  access  to  an  ex- 
cellent throne,  "with  boldness,"  Heb.  iv.  16.  They  have 
excellent  communion,  even  "  fellowship  with  the  Father,  and 
with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  They  have  the  interposition  of 
an  excellent  Mcdiatoi",  even  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new 
covenant.  They  have  an  excellent  guard  attending  them; 
they  are  guarded  with  the  divine  attributes,  even  "as  the 
mountains  are  about  Jerusalem;"  guarded  with  the  "twenty 
thousand  chariots  of  angels,"  Mahanaim,  "  the  two  hosts  of 
God."  They  have  an  excellent  store-house,  even  the  "  whole 
fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelling  bodily  in  Christ.  They  are 
clothed  with  excellent  robes,  even  "  the  garments  of  salvation, 
and  robes  of  righteousness."  They  are  "  heirs  of  an  ever- 
lasting inheritance,  that  is  incorruptible  and  undefiled  ;  yea, 
heirs  with  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Jesus  Christ."  And,  to 
crown  all,  they  have  excellent  security  for  all  this;  the  word 
of  God,  his  covenant,  his  oath,  his  blood,  and  the  earnest  of 
his  Spirit.  From  all  which  it  appears,  what  a  high  value  he 
has  for  them,  and  how  worthy  they  are  in  his  account  and 
reckoning. 

III.  The  third  thing  proposed  was,  to  i?iqitire  into  what  is 
imporlcd  in  the  remnant  keeping  their  garments  clea7i.     And, 

1.  It  imports,  that  C»d's  remnant  are  clothed,  or,  that  they 
have  garments  given  <hem  :  they  are  not  naked,  like  the  rest 
of  the  world.  And  there  is  a  two-fold  garment  with  which 
God's  remnant  arc  arrayed ;  namely,  a  garment  of  imputed 
righteousness,  and  a  garment  of  inherent  holiness.  By  the 
first,  all  their  iniquities  are  covered,  and  they  screened  from 
the  curse  and  condemnation  of  the  law,  and  the  stroke  of 
avenging  justice,  liy  the  last,  namely,  the  garment  of  in- 
herent holiness,  their  souls  are  beautified  and  adorned,  the 
image  of  God  restored,  and  they,  like  "  the  King's  daughter," 
made  "all  glorious  within."  And  it  is  the  last  of  these  that 
is  iiere  principally  intended. 

2.  It  imports,  that  the  garment  which  God  gives  his  rem- 
nant is  a  pure  and  a  cleanly  robe;  and  therefore  called  xi-hite 
raiment,  liev.  iii.  18;  and  y/w  linen,  chaj).  xix.  8.  Speaking 
of  the  bride,  the  Lamb\<t  nife,  it  is  said,  that  "to  her  was 
granted,  that  she  should  be  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  pure  and 


44  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

white  :  for  the  fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of  the  saints."  So 
that  you  see  white  is  the  hvery  with  which  Christ  clothes  his 
Httle  remnant :  and,  Rev.  vii.  9,  they  are  said  to  be  "  clothed 
with  white  robes." 

3.  That  sin  is  of  a  defiling  and  polluting  nature.  As  mire 
and  filth  defile  our  garments,  so  does  sin  defile  and  pollute  our 
souls,  and  render  us  vile  and  loathsome  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Hence  it  is  commonly  called  micleanness ;  Zech.xiii.  1:  "  There 
is  a  fountain  opened  to  the  house  of  David,  to  take  away  sin 
and  uncleanness."  It  is  the  abominable  thing  which  God's 
soul  doth  hate,  and  is  more  loathsome  in  his  sight,  than  the 
most  detestable  things  in  nature  are  to  us. 

4.  That  it  may  be  the  lot  of  the  Lord's  people  to  live  and 
walk  among  a  people,  the  generality  of  whom  are  polluting 
and  defiling  themselves;  for  this  is  the  commendation  of  the 
remnant  here,  that  though  the  body  of  this  church  was  cor- 
rupted, yet  they  had  not  gone  along  with  them.  Thus  it  fared 
with  Noah  in  the  old  world,  and  with  Lot  in  Sodom;  and  the 
prophet  Isaiah,  (chap  vi.)  cries  out,  "I  dwell  in  the  midst  of  a 
people  of  polluted  lips." 

5.  That  even  God's  remnant  are  not  without  danger  of  de- 
filing themselves  with  the  sins  and  defections  of  their  day.  Sin 
comes  gilded  with  such  fair  and  plausible  pretences,  and 
backed  with  such  powerful  motives  and  arguments,  that  even 
some  of  God's  own  remnant  are  not  only  in  danger,  but  some 
of  them  may  be  actually  insnared  and  defiled  therewith  ;  and, 
no  doubt,  some  that  had  the  root  of  the  matter  in  Sardis, 
were  tainted  with  the  corruptions  of  that  church;  as  I  doubt 
not  but  many  in  our  own  church,  who  have  made  very  wide 
steps,  are,  notwithstanding,  dear  and  near  to  God. 

6.  That  foul  garments  are  very  unbecoming  and  unsuitable 
to  God's  remnant;  for  they  that  "  name  the  name  of  Christ," 
and  profess  to  be  his  friends  and  favourers,  are  bound  to  "  de- 
part from  all  iniquity."  It  brings  up  a  reproach  on  religion, 
and  makes  "the  name  of  God  to  be  blasphemed,"  when  any 
of  God's  remnant  make  a  wrong  step ;  as  you  see  in  the  case 
of  David :  his  murder  and  adultery  opened  the  mouths  of  the 
wicked  in  his  day,  and  made  "  the  enemy  to  blaspheme." 
And  I  am  sure  it  cannot  but  be  bitter  to  any  that  belong  to 
God,  when,  through  their  untenderness,  "  the  way  of  God  is 
evil  spoken  of." 

7.  A  careful  study  of  universal  obedience  to  all  known  and 
commanded  duties.  God's  remnant  are  of  David's  mind  and 
principle ;  they  "  have  a  respect  to  all  God's  commandments ; " 
his  law  is  the  rule  and  standard  of  their  walk ;  it  is  a  "  light 
unto  their  feet,  and  a  lamp  unto  their  paths : "  and  they  are 
always  breathing  after  more  and  more  conformity  to  it,  say- 


I.]  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN   IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  45 

ing,  with  David,  "O  that  my  ways  were  directed  to  keep  thy 
statutes!"  They  study  to  have  a  gospel-adorning  conversa- 
tion, and  that  "their  light  may  so  shine  before  men,  that 
others,  seeing  their  good  works,  may  glorify  their  Father  which 
is  in  heaven." 

8.  A  holy  caution  and  tenderness  in  guarding  against  all 
sin,  especially  the  prevailing  sins  of  the  day  and  generation 
in  which  they  live.  They  will  not  "  walk  according  to  the 
course  of  this  world,  but  tiiey  are  transformed  by  the  renew- 
ing of  their  minds;"  they  keep  at  a  distance  from  common 
defections,  errors  in  doctrine,  profanity  in  practice,  and  in- 
novations in  the  worship  of  God;  they  will  not  so  much  as 
give  their  consent  to  these  abominations;  but  endeavour,  in 
their  station,  to  oppose  them,  and  give  their  honest  testimony 
against  them.  Keeping  of  the  garments  clam,  in  a  declining 
time,  implies  a  steady  adherence  to  the  truths,  laws,  and  ordi- 
nances, of  Christ,  and  the  government  that  he  has  appointed 
in  his  house.  Hence  they  are  said  to  "  keep  the  word  of  his 
patience."  They  will  not  sell  one  hoof  of  divine  truth,  no, 
not  though  it  should  cost  them  the  warmest  blood  of  their 
heart;  they  will  "  buy  the  truth"  at  any  rate,  but  sell  it  at 
no  rate.  It  implies,  that  they  have  supplies  of  covenanted 
strength  given  them,  to  uphold  and  keep  them  from  tfetiling 
their  garments:  for  they  are  not  able  to  keep  themselves;  no, 
"The  way  of  man  is  not  in  himself;"  it  is  "the  Lord  that 
keepeth  the  feet  of  his  saints,"  when  "  the  wicked  shall  be 
silent  in  darkness;"  yea,  they  "are  kept  by  the  power  of 
God,  through  faith  unto  salvation,"  1  Pet.  i.  5:  which  implies, 
a  keeping  them  as  in  a  garrison:  "  The  Lord  Jehovah  is  their 
strength,"  and  the  munitions  of  rocks  round  about  them. 

9.  Lastly,  It  imports  the  mortification  of  sin  in  the  root  and 
fruit  of  it,  together  with  a  holy  care  to  have  grace  improved 
and  exercised,  till  it  be  crowned  with  glory  ;  for  "he  that  hath 
this  hope  in  him  purifieth  himself,"  etc.  And  thus  you  see 
what  is  imported  in  keeping  of  the  garments  clean. 

IV.  The  fourth  thing  proposed,  was,  to  imjuire  a  little  into 
the  import  of  the  consolatorij  promixc  made  to  the  remnant  that 
keep  their  garments  clean ;  They  shall  zvalk  zcith  me  in  zvhite, 
saith  the  Lord:  that  is,  as  I  told  you  in  the  explication  of  the 
words,  "  they  shall  be  admitted  to  share  of  my  glory  at  death 
and  judgment."  But  I  sliall  endeavour  more  particularly  to 
inquire  into  the  import  of  this  promise.  And,  1.  What  is  im- 
ported in  walking  with  Christ?  And,  2.  What  in  walking 
with  him  in  white  ? 

First,   What  is  imported  in  walking  with  him? 

1.  It  necessarily  supposes  the  soul's  subsistence  in  a  separate 
state,  or  after  its  separation  from  the  body ;  otherwise  it  could 


46  god's  little.  REMPf  ant  keeping  [ser. 

not  be  said  to  walk  zvith  him.  This  is  one  of  the  fundamental 
truths  of  our  religion,  which  Christ  himself  proved  and  main- 
tained against  the  Sadducees,  from  that  scripture,  "I  am  the 
God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob;  God  is  not,"  says  he, 
"  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living."  No  sooner  are  the 
souls  of  God's  remnant  divorced  from  their  bodies,  but,  by 
the  ministry  of  angels,  they  are  carried  into  Abraham's  bosom. 

2.  Their  walking  with  Christ,  not  only  supposes  the  soul's 
existence  in  a  separate  state,  but  also  its  activity,  for  it  walks 
with  Christ.  The  spirits  of  just  men,  upon  their  separation 
from  the  body,  are  made  perfect,  and  so  perfect,  "  as  they 
serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  holy  temple,"  with  infinitely 
more  activity  and  liveliness,  than  when  they  were  cooped  up 
in  the  prison  of  the  body;  which,  in  this  state  of  sin  and  im- 
perfection, is  a  dead  weight,  as  it  were,  upon  the  soul,  in  the 
service  of  God. 

3.  Their  walking  with  Christ  implies  perfect  peace  and 
agreement  between  Christ  and  them :  for  how  can  two  walk 
together,  except  they  be  agreed  ?  The  Lord's  people,  while 
here,  are  many  times  under  the  affrighting  apprehensions  of 
his  anger  and  displeasure,  which  makes  them  cry  out  with 
David.  (Psal.  Ixxvii.  9,)  "Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious? 
hath  fie  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies?  Selah."  But 
there  will  be  no  such  complaint  in  heaven:  no,  no;  there  will 
not  be  the  least  grudge  in  his  heart,  or  frown  in  his  counte- 
nance, through  eternity ;  nothing  but  a  perpetual  smile  of  his 
reconciled  countenance. 

4.  It  implies  intimacy:  which  is  more  than  agreement; 
for  there  may  be  a  good  understanding  where  there  is  little 
intimacy  and  familiarity.  But  the  saints  in  glory  shall  walk 
with  Christ ;  that  is,  he  and  they  will  be  very  intimate  one 
with  another.  This  intimacy  is  begun  on  earth;  for  some- 
times, even  in  the  wilderness,  he  brings  them  into  the  cham- 
ber of  presence,  and  allows  them  sweet  fellowship  with  him- 
self; sometimes  they  "sit  down  under  his  shadow  with  great 
delight."  But  this  intimate  fellov^ship  shall  be  consummated 
and  completed  in  heaven,  where  all  vails  shall  be  rent,  and 
all  clouds  shall  be  for  ever  dispelled,  and  nothing  shall  remain 
to  interrupt  the  blessed  familiarity  betwixt  him  and  them :  then 
that  word  shall  be  fully  accomplished,  John  xvii.  23:  "I  in 
them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one." 

5.  It  implies,  that  they  shall  be  in  the  presence  of  Christ : 
and  this  is  an  addition  to  intimacy ;  for  two  intimate  friends 
may  be  at  a  distance  one  from  another.  The  Lord's  people, 
while  "in  the  body,"  are  said  to  be  "absent  from  the  Lord." 
But  then  they  shall  be  at  home ;  he  and  they  shall  dwell  to- 
gether through  eternity,  in  the  mansions  of  glory,  the  "  house 


I.]  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  47 

not  made  with  hands."  So  much  Christ  tells  his  disciples, 
John  xii.  2G:  "Where  I  am,  there  shall  also  my  servants  be." 
And,  John  xiv.  3:  "I  will  come  again,  and  receive  you  to 
myself,  that  where  1  am,  there  ye  may  he  also." 

G.  It  implies,  that  they  shall  be  privileged  with  the  sight 
of  Christ ;  for  two  cannot  well  walk  together  without  seeing 
one  another.  Then  they  shall  see  the  man  Christ  "exalted 
at  his  Father's  right  hand,  far  above  all  principalities  and 
powers,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only  in  this  world, 
but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come."  This  is  a  privilege  en- 
sured to  the  little  remnant  by  Christ's  own  prayer,  John  xvii. 
24:  "  Father,  I  will  that  they  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  may 
be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory  which 
thou  hast  given  me."  O  how  ravishing  a  sight  will  this  be,  to 
behold  the  glory  of  Christ  in  lieaven  !  When  he  was  trans- 
figured upon  mount  Tabor,  "  his  face  did  shine  as  the  sun, 
and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the  light: "  what  will  he  be  on 
Mount  Zion  above,  when  he  shall  be  seen  with  all  his  robes 
of  glory,  and  all  his  heavenly  retinue  attending  him? 

7.  They  shall  zcalk  nilh  me.  It  implies,  full  pleasure,  sa- 
tisfaction, and  complacency :  for  walking  is  an  act  of  recrea- 
tion. Heaven  is  a  place  of  joy  and  pleasure,  Psal.  xvi.  11: 
"  In  thy  presence  there  is  fulness  of  joy,  at  thy  right  hand 
there  are  pleasures  for  evermore."  Then  the  joy  of  the  Lord 
shall  not  only  enter  into  them,  but  they  shall  "  enter  into  the 
joy  of  their  Lord : "  "  The  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  come 
to  Zion  with  songs,  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads." 

Secomllii,  What  is  imported  in  walking  with  him  iri  xchile  f 

Aj)s.  1.  That  then  all  their  black  and  beggarly  garments 
shall  be  laid  aside.  A  "  body  of  sin  and  death  "  shall  not  then 
molest  them  ;  they  shall  not  any  more  complain  of  the  errors 
of  their  hearts,  or  the  iniquity  of  their  heels:  no,  they  shall 
be  "  presented  without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing." 

2.  White  is  a  badge  of  purity  and  innocence :  They  shall 
walk  inth  me  i?i  n-hile ;  that  is,  they  shall  not  only  lay  aside 
their  beggarly  garments,  but  they  shall  be  "  clothed  with 
change  of  raiment."  Perfect  holiness  shall  tlicn  be  their  or- 
nament :  "  They  shall  be  brought  unto  the  King  in  raiment 
of  needle-work;"  and,  like  the  King's  daughter,  "  they  shall 
be  all-glorious  within:"  they  who  had  "  lain  among  the  pots, 
shall  become  like  the  wings  of  a  dove,  covered  with  silver, 
and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold  ;  "  yea,  "  they  shall  shine 
forth  like  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father." 

3.  White  is  a  badge  of  victory,  as  we  told  you  in  the  ex- 
plication of  the  words.  Rev.  vii.  *.) ;  the  triumphant  company 
there,  "of  all  nations,  tongues,  and  kindreds, stand  before  the 
throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and 


48  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

palms  in  their  hands,"  as  a  sign  of  their  complete  victory  over 
all  their  enemies,  w'hether  outward  or  inward.  Sin  is  an 
enemy  that  the  believer  has  many  a  hot  conflict  with,  while 
here ;  but  in  heaven,  "  the  inhabitants  are  all  forgiven  their 
iniquities ;  "  there  is  no  more  sin,  Rev.  xxii.  As  for  Satan, 
that  grand  enemy,  that  went  about  like  a  roaring  lion,  seek- 
ing to  devour  them,  they  shall  then  tread  him  under  their  feet: 
"  Know  ye  not  that  the  saints  shall  judge  angels  1 "  saith  the 
apostle.  And  as  for  the  w^orld,  they  shall  never  any  more  be 
insnared  either  with  its  frowns  or  flatteries. 

4.  White  is  a  badge  of  honour.  The  Romans  clothed  their 
nobility  in  white,  as  you  heard.  O  what  honour  is  reserved 
for  the  saints  of  God,  his  little  remnant !  They  shall  be 
honoured  with  a  place  among  them  that  stand  by  in  the  new 
Jerusalem ;  yea,  they  shall  be  honoured  with  the  v)hite  stone 
and  the  neio  ?iame ;  they  shall  sit  with  Christ  upon  his  throne, 
Rev.  iii.  21.  They  shall  be  honoured  with  a  crown  of  burnish- 
ed glory :  "  When  the  chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  we  shall 
receive  a  crown  of  glory,  which  fadeth  not  away."  They 
shall  be  honoured  with  a  kingdom :  "  I  appoint  unto  you  a 
kingdom,  as  my  Father  hath  appointed  unto  me."  They  shall 
be  honoured  to  be  assessors  with  Christ  at  the  last  judgment: 
"  Know  ye  not  that  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world  1 "  they 
will  applaud  the  Judge  in  all  his  proceedings,  and  cry,  "  True 
and  righteous  are  thy  judgments,  Lord  God  Almighty ; "  then 
that  passage  will  be  fully  accomplished,  Psal.  cxlix.  5 — 9 : 
"  Let  the  saints  be  joyful  in  glory ;  let  them  sing  aloud  upon 
their  beds.  J^et  the  high  praises  of  God  be  in  their  mouth, 
and  a  two-edged  sword  in  their  hand,  to  execute  vengeance 
upon  the  heathen,  and  punishments  upon  the  people;  to  bind 
their  kings  with  chains,  and  their  nobles  with  fetters  of  iron; 
to  execute  upon  them  the  judgment  written.  This  honour 
have  all  his  saints.     Praise  ye  the  Lord." 

5.  White  was  a  garment  appointed  for  the  priests  under  the 
law,  when  they  were  to  minister  about  holy,  things.  The 
saints  of  God  are  all  priests.  Rev.  i.  5,  6 :  "  Unto  him  that 
loved  us,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God."  And 
as  priests  in  the  heavenly  temple,  their  continual  work  shall 
be,  to  offer  up  eternal  sacrifices  of  praise  to  God  and  the 
Lamb.  There  every  bird  in  every  bush  shall  sing,  and  say, 
"Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  and  hath  redeemed  us 
unto  God  by  his  blood.  Salvation  to  our  God,  which  sitteth 
upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever." 

6.  We  find  the  angels  frequently  appearing  in  white.  Acts 
i.  10;  while  the  disciples  are  looking  towards  heaven  after 
their  exalted  Lord,  "behold  two  men,"  that  is,  two  angels  in 
the  form  of  men,  "-«tood  by  them  in  white  apparel."     So  the 


1*]  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  49 

saints  shall  walk  with  Christ  in  white ;  they  shall  be  like  the 
angels  of  heaven :  Matth.  xxii.  30  :  "  In  the  resurrection,  they 
are  as  tlie  angels  of  God  in  heaven."  The  original  word 
signilics,  they  sh;ill  be  equal  to  angels,  or  angels^  males.  Like 
angels,  they  shall  not  be  liable  to  hunger,  thirst,  weariness, 
or  such  bodily  infirmities.  The  angels  are  said  to  "  behold 
the  face  of  God  in  heaven  ;"  so  shall  ye  who  are  God's  little 
remnant:  "Now  ye  see  darkly,  as  through  a  glass;  but  then 
ye  shall  sec  face  to  face."  The  angels  serve  God  with  the 
greatest  voluntariness  and  freedom,  with  the  greatest  activity 
and  nimbleness;  for  "he  maketh  his  angels  spirits,  and  his 
ministers  a  flame  of  fire;"  so  shall  the  saints  in  glory;  they 
shall  do  the  will  of  God,  as  it  is  done  by  the  angels  in  heaven. 

7.  We  find  Christ  sometimes  appearing  in  white,  particu- 
larly at  his  transfiguration :  "  His  countenance  did  shine  as 
the  sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the  light."  And  so  it 
may  import  this  much,  they  shall  zcalk  with  me  hi  -while  ;  that 
is,  there  shall  be  a  blessed  conformity  between  them  and  me  in 
glory.  Rev.  xix.  11,  14.  Christ  is  there  represented  as  mounted 
upon  "a  white  horse,"  and  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven 
followed  him  upon  white  horses,  "clothed  in  fine  linen,  white 
and  clean."  Christ,  and  all  his  redeemed  company,  shall  be 
clothed  with  the  same  livery:  1  John  iii.  2:  "When  he  shall 
ap[)car,  we  shall  be  like  him  ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is." 
Their  souls  shall  resend)lc  him  in  righteousness  and  true  ho- 
liness; yea,  "  their  vile  bodies  shall  be  made  like  unto  his 
glorious  body." 

8.  Lastlij,  White  has  a  great  reflection  of  light  with  it  when 
the  sun  shines  upon  it.  O  how  bright  and  dazzling  will  the 
glory  of  the  sainls  l)e  in  that  day,  when  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness shall  shine  upon  them  with  a  meridian  splendour  !  Christ 
will  then  "be  admired  in  his  saints;"  for  they  shall  "shine 
forth  like  the  snn,  and  like  the  brightness  of  the  firmament:" 
"  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  their  God  will  then  be  upon  them  ;  " 
and  such  beauty  as  shall  eternally  astonish  and  confound  the 
wicked,  who  contemned  them  upon  earth,  and  did  not  reckon 
them  worthy  to  sit  with  the  dogs  of  their  flock."  And  this 
nuich  for  tin;  fourth  thing. 

\.  The  fifth  thing  was,  to  imjiiire  into  the  co7inexio?i  helzcecti 
the  duhj  and  the  privihge,  between  keeping  the  garmefits  cleaJi, 
and  jcalki/ig  with  Christ  in  zvhile. 

1.  Then,  negatively,  you  would  know,  that  there  is  no  con- 
nexion of  merit,  as  if  our  keeping  of  clean  garments  did  deserve 
that  we  should  icalk  -with  Christ  in  white:  no,  no;  let  "every 
mouth  be  stopped  ;  for  all  the  world  is  guilty  before  (iod ; " 
and  therefore  can  merit  nothing  but  wrath  and  vengeance  at 
the  hand  of  God.     "  By  the  works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh 

VOL.  I.  5 


50  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

living  be  justified,"  or  saved  ;  it  is  by  the  merits  of  Christ,  his 
doing  and  dying,  as  the  surety  of  the  little  remnant,  that  they 
are  brought  to  walk  with  him,  in  white.  But  though  there  be 
no  connexion  of  merit,  yet, 

2.  And  positively,  there  is,  \st,  A  connexion  of  decree  or 
purpose  in  this  matter.  God,  by  an  unalterable  decree,  has 
ordained,  that  they  who  are  holy  shall  be  happy ;  that  they 
who  keep  their  garments  clean  shall  walk  with  him  in  zvhite. 
2  Thess.  ii.  13:  "God  hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  us  to 
salvation,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the 
truth."  2dly,  There  is  a  connexion  of  promise,  as  well  as  of 
purpose.  You  have  them  linked  together  in  this  promise  in 
the  text,  and  every  where  almost  through  the  scriptures  of 
truth.  You  have  a  cluster  of  these  promises  in  the  second  and 
third  of  the  Revelation:  "To  him  that  overcometh,"  which  is 
the  same  thing  with  keeping  the  garments  clean,  "  will  I  give 
to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna."  And  this  link  is  so  strong,  that 
it  can  never  be  broken ;  for  it  is  one  of  these  "  immutable 
things,  wherein  it  is  impossible  for  God  to  lie."  3dly,  There 
is  a  connexion  of  meetness  or  congruity.  It  is  suitable,  that 
these  who  are  holy  should  be  happy ;  that  they  who  have 
white  garments  here,  should  be  clothed  with  white  hereafter. 
It  is  suitable  to  the  nature  of  God  ;  for  he  "  cannot  behold 
iniquity,  neither  can  evil  dwell  with  him  :  "  none  but  holy  ones 
shall  enjoy  a  holy  God.  It  is  suitable  to  the  work  of  heaven  ; 
for  "  no  unclean  thing  can  enter  the  gates  of  the  new  Jerusa- 
lem;" to  this  purpose  is  the  last  clause  of  our  text.  They 
shall  xvalk  with  me  in  white,  for  they  are  worthy,  or  meet,  as  the 
word  may  be  rendered.  Col.  i.  12:  "Giving  thanks  unto  the 
Father,  who  hath  made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  in- 
heritance of  the  saints  in  light."  Alhly,  There  is  a  connexion 
of  evidence.  Holiness,  or  clean  garments,  is  an  evidence  of 
the  soul's  title  or  claim  to  glory  ;  for  "  whom  he  sanctified, 
them  he  also  glorified."  "  Who  is  the  man  that  shall  ascend 
into  the  hill  of  God  f  and  who  shall  stand  in  his  holy  place?  " 
The  answer  is,  "  He  that  hath  clean  hands,  and  a  pure  heart," 
Psal.  xxiv.  3,  4.  bthly,  There  is  a  connexion  of  legacy.  Christ, 
by  his  latter  will,  has  ensured  the  kingdom  to  his  little  rem- 
nant that  keep  their  garments  clean :  Luke  xxii.  28,  29 
"  Ye  are  they  who  have  continued  with  me  in  my  tempta- 
tions. And  I  appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom,  as  my  Father  hath 
appointed  unto  me." 

VI.  The  sixth  thing  is  the  application.  And  the  first  use 
shall  be  of  information,  in  these  particulars. 

1.  See  hence,  holiness  is  to  be  studied  and  pursued,  how- 
ever it  may  be  ridiculed  and  mocked  at  by  a  profane  world; 
for  it  is  they  that  do  ?iot  defile  their  garments  that  shall  walk 


I.]  THEIR    GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  51 

with  Christ  in  white.  The  blind  world  is  ready  to  imagine, 
that  the  way  to  heaven  is  not  so  strait  and  narrow  as  minis- 
ters call  it;  that  there  needs  not  be  so  much  ado,  and  all  is 
but  a  piece  of  needless  nicety,  preciscness,  and  the  like.  But 
remember,  that  strict  holiness  will  carry  the  day  at  the  long- 
run  ;  and  you  that  are  for  a  lax  religion,  and  a  broad  way  to 
heaven,  will  at  length  land  in  hell,  unless  mercy  and  repen- 
tance prevent.  "Walk  circumspectly,"  therefore,  "not  as 
fools,  but  as  wise,"  &.c. 

2.  Sec  from  this  doctrine,  that  they  labour  under  a  dam- 
nable mistake,  who  think  or  say,  that  it  is  a  vain  or  unpro- 
fitable thing  to  serve  tlie  Lord,  and  to  keep  his  way ;  for 
they  that  zmlk  uith  Christ  here,  shall  paitake  of  his  glory 
hereafter:  "Godliness,"  saith  the  apostle,  "is  great  gain, having 
the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to 
come."  Religion  carries  a  reward  in  its  bosom,  beside  the 
reward  that  is  prepared  for  the  saints  in  the  life  to  come.  "  In 
keeping  of  thy  commandments,"  says  David,  "  there  is  a  great 
reward. — O  how  great  is  the  goodness  thou  hast  laid  up  for 
them  that  fear  thee!"  &-c,  "Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 
heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things 
which  (lod  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him,"  1  Cor.  ii.  9. 

3.  We  may  see,  that  gospel-purity  and  holiness  is  not  such 
a  common  thing  as  the  world  apprehend ;  for  there  are  but 
a  fezo  names,  few  persons  that  are  helped  to  keep  their  gar- 
ments clean.  My  friends,  beware  of  taking  every  thing  for 
holiness  that  has  the  shadow  and  appearance  of  it."  Some  are 
ready  to  think,  that  their  garments  are  clean  enough,  if  they 
keep  free  of  gross  scandalous  outbreakings,  such  as  lying, 
swearing,  stealing,  uncleanness,  and  the  like;  but  the  proud 
Pharisee  came  this  length,  who  said,  "God,  I  thank  thee,  I 
am  not  as  other  men ;  I  am  no  extortioner,  adulterer,  or  in- 
jurious person,"  &-c.  Some  think  their  garments  clean,  if 
they  be  moral  in  their  walk,  just  in  their  dealings  between 
man  and  man.  I  wish,  indeed,  there  were  more  morality 
among  these  that  profess  the  name  of  Christ.  But,  O  sirs, 
mere  morality,  in  tlie  highest  degree  now  attainable,  comes  in- 
linitely  short  of  the  nature  of  true  holiness  ;  it  is  quite  another 
tiling :  and  to  put  morality  in  the  room  of  gospel-holiness,  is 
in  eilect  to  renounce  Ciirist  and  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  to 
run  back  to  Adam's  covenant  for  life  and  salvation.  Some 
think  their  garments  clean  enough,  because  of  some  personal 
reformation  that  they  have  made  in  their  outward  walk  ;  they 
have  left  off  lying,  swearing,  drunkenness,  uncleanness,  and 
the  like.  Hut^  this  will  not  amount  to  true  holiness.  Herod 
reformed  his  life,  and  did  many  things  through  the  ministry  of 
John  the  Baptist,  and  yet  beheaded  him  at  last.     Some  reckon 


52  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

upon  their  diligence  in  the  outward  duties  of  religion :  they 
read,  hear,  pray,  communicate,  and  run  the  round  of  outward 
performances,  and  thereupon  conclude,  that  they  are  holy  per- 
sons. But  who  more  diligent  in  the  externals  of  religion  than  the 
Pharisees,  who  "  fasted  twice  a  week,  and  gave  tithes  of  all 
that  they  possessed  ?  "  and  yet  Christ  tells  us,  that  "  except 
our  righteousness  exceed  the  righteousness  of  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  we  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  So 
that,  I  say,  gospel-holiness  is  no  common  thing. 

4.  See  hence,  that  the  division  of  mankind,  and  particular- 
ly of  these  that  live  in  the  visible  church,  between  Christ  and 
the  devil,  is  very  unequal  as  to  the  number;  for  the  gi'eatest 
part  even  of  the  visible  church,  go  to  the  devil's  share,  for 
there  are  hut  a  few  names  in  Sardis  that  do  not  defile  their  gar- 
ments. Christ's  flock  is  a  little  flock:  "I  will  take  them  one 
of  a  city,  and  two  of  a  family,"  or  tribe,  "  and  bring  them  to 
Zion."  It  is  true,  they  will  be  a  great  company,  and  make 
a  goodly  appearance,  when  they  shall  be  gathered  by  the 
angels  from  the  four  winds  of  heaven  ;  but  yet  they  are  only 
like  the  gleanings  after  the  vintage,  in  comparison  of  the  vast 
multitudes  of  mankind  that  run  in  the  broad  way  to  destruc- 
tion. 

5.  See  hence  what  it  is  that  sweetens  the  pale  countenance 
of  the  king  of  terrors  to  believers;  it  is  this,  they  see  that 
upon  the  back  of  death,  they  will  be  admitted  to  rvalk  zcith 
Christ  in  white.  This  made  the  apostle  to  long  so  vehemently 
for  his  dissolution,  saying,  "  I  have  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to 
be  with  Christ."  Faith's  views  and  prospect  of  this  makes 
the  believer  to  triumph  over  death,  as  a  vanquished  and  slain 
enemy,  saying,  "  O  death !  where  is  thy  sting  1  O  grave ! 
where  is  thy  victory  ?" 

6.  See  hence  what  they  may  expect  upon  the  back  of 
death,  who  habitually  wallow  in  the  puddle  of  sin.  It  is  only 
they  that  have  clean  garments,  that  shall  u'alk  zvith  Christ  in 
glory;  and  therefore  it  inevitably  follows,  that  the  gates  of 
glory  shall  be  shut  upon  you :  Rev.  xxi.  27 :  "  There  shall 
in  nowise  enter  into  it  any  thing  that  defileth,  neither  what- 
soever worketh  abomination  or  maketh  a  lie."  And  ver.  8 : 
"  The  fearful  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abominable,  and  mur- 
derers, and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  and 
all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  burncth  with 
fire  and  brimstone."  O  sirs  !  you  that  live  and  die  in  this 
condition,  with  the  guilt  and  filth  of  sin  and  lying  on  your 
consciences,  you  will  find  a  sting  in  death  M'hich  will  stick  in 
your  souls  through  eternity  :  for  it  is  only  God's  little  remnant, 
"  whose  garments  are  washed  and  made  white  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,"  that  shall  triumph  with  him  in  glory ;  while 


!.]  TJIEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  53 

you  that  wallow  in  sin  now,  shall  be  found  weltering  in  the 
flames  of  Tophet. 

7.  Sec  hence,  that  honesty  is  the  best  policy  in  a  declining 
time;  for  it  is  only  the  honest-hearted  remnant  that  shall 
walk  with  Christ  above.  Keep  God's  ways,  sirs,  whatever 
come;  and  beware  of  sinful  shifts  to  shun  the  cross:  "They 
that  walk  uprightly  shall  walk  surely;"  whereas,  they  who 
think  to  shun  danger  by  shifting  duty,  really  run  themselves 
into  greater  danger  and  inconveniencies,  than  those  which 
they  imagined  to  avoid. 

Use  2d,  may  be  of  lamaUation,  that  there  are  so  many  foul 
garments  among  us  at  this  day.  Alas !  sirs,  may  we  not  say, 
that  there  are  but  ajho  7iames  in  Scotland,  that  have  not  de- 
filed their  garments  with  the  corruptions  and  pollutions  of  the 
time  ?  All  ranks  have  corrupted  their  ways,  magistrates,  mi- 
nisters, and  people.  May  not  the  character  which  God  gave 
of  Israel  of  old,  be  too  justly  applied  to  us,  Is.  i.  4 :  that  we 
are  "a  sinful  nation,  a  p(!ople  laden  with  iniquity,  a  seed  of 
evil  doers,  children  that  are  corrupters,  who  have  provoked 
the  holy  One  of  Israel  unto  anger,  and  are  gone  away  back- 
ward ?"  I  cannot  now  stand  to  show  wherein  we  have  de- 
filed our  garments.  lias  not  the  land  been  defiled  with  the 
blood  of  many  of  the  saints  of  God  under  the  late  reigns,  from 
which  it  is  not  as  yet  purged  ?  Is  not  the  whole  land  defiled 
with  breach  of  solemn  national  engagements,  while  these  so- 
lemn covenants  have  been  scandalously  burnt  in  the  capital 
city  of  the  nation,  and  that  by  the  countenance  and  command 
of  authority?  And  are  there  not  many  at  this  day  amongst 
us,  who  j)rofess  to  be  of  the  communion  of  the  church  of  Scot- 
land, (hat  renounce  and  disown  the  obligation  of  these  so- 
lemn tics?  Are  not  many  defiling  their  garments  with  Armi- 
nian  and  Socinian  heresies?  others  with  a  superstitious  wor- 
ship, which,  to  the  reproach  of  our  holy  religion,  is  tolerated 
among  us  bv  law?  Have  not  many  defiled  their  garments  in 
our  land,  with  a  customary  swearing  by  the  name  of  God? 
others  by  juggling  with  God  in  the  matter  of  solemn  oaths, 
abjuring  a  Popish  Pretender,  with  a  design  to  put  themselves 
in  a  better  capacity  to  do  him  service,  and  promote  his  in- 
terest? Others  have,  even  in  this  province,  lately  defiled 
their  garments,  by  [)utting  their  hands  to  scandalous  libels, 
by  way  of  address  to  the  sovereign:  in  which  they  represent 
ministers  as  rebels  against  authority,  for  ap[)ointing  fasts,  and 
preaching  against  the  sins  of  the  time,  and  for  giving  warning 
to  peo[)le  of  the  tokens  of  God's  anger  that  are  visible  among 
us.  And,  alas!  may  we  not  all  lament,  that  we  have  defiled 
our  garments,  by  the  breach  of  sacramental  and  sick-bed 
vows?     But  I  must  not  stand  on  these  things, 


54  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

Use  Sd,  is  of  trial  and  examination.  Try,  sirs,  whether  you 
be  among  God's  little  remnant,  that  are  keeping  their  gar- 
ments clean,  when  all  round  about  you  are  defiling  themselves. 
And,  for  your  trial,  1  oifer  you  the  few  following  marks  of 
God's  remnant : — 

1.  God's  remnant  are  a  people  to  whom  Christ  is  exceed- 
ingly precious.  His  very  7iame  is  unto  them  as  ointment  poured 
forth;  they  love  to  hear  of  him,  they  love  to  speak  of  him, 

and  their  meditations  of  him  are  sweet;  "  the  desire  of  their 
soul  is  unto  him,  and  the  rememhrance  of  his  name;"  and 
they  are  ready  to  say  with  David,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven 
but  thee?'  &c.,  or  with  Paul,  "I  count  all  things  but  loss 
for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my 
Lord." 

2.  God's  remnant  are  a  people  that  do  not  reckon  them- 
selves at  home  while  they  are  here.  This  is  not  their  pro- 
per country ;  but  "  they  look  for  a  better  country,  that  is  a 
heavenly,"  Heb.  xi.  16.  They  "look  for  a  city  that  hath 
foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God,"  ver.  10.  See 
this  to  be  the  character  of  God's  remnant,  ver.  13;  the  apos- 
tle tells  us  of  these  worthies,  that  "  they  confessed  they  were 
strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth."  This  confession  David 
makes,  Psal.  cxix.  19 :  "I  am  a  stranger  in  the  earth,  hide 
not  thy  commandments  from  me."  So  then,  if  your  home 
be  here,  you  are  none  of  God's  remnant ;  if  your  thoughts 
and  affections  be  confined  v/ithin  the  narrow  limits  of  time. 
God's  remnant  are  a  people  that  are  "coming  up  from  the 
wilderness;"  they  are  always  ascending  and  mounting  hea- 
venward, in  their  affections  and  desires:  they  "look  not  at 
the  things  that  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  that  are  not  seen." 

3.  God's  remnant  are  a  people  that  speak  and  think  much 
on  God.  See  this' to  be  their  character,  Mai.  iii.  16:  "  Then 
they  that  feared  the  Lord,  spake  often  one  to  another,  and  a 
book  of  remembrance  was  written  before  him  for  them  that 
feared  the  Lord,  and  that  thought  upon  his  name."  Try  your- 
selves by  this.  It  is  the  character  of  the  wicked,  that  "  God 
is  not  in  all  their  thoughts;"  and  he  is  as  seldom  in  their 
mouths,  except  in  a  way  of  profanation.  But  God's  remnant, 
I  say,  think  much  on  God;  and  their  thoughts  of  God,  O 
how  precious  are  they  to  their  souls !  Psal.  cxxxix.  17 ;  and 
out  of  the  abundance  of  their  hearts  their  mouths  speak  ho- 
nourably and  reverently  of  him.  They  will  speak  to  one  an- 
other of  his  word,  of  his  works,  of  his  providences,  and  of  his 
ordinances ;  their  "  lips  are  like  lilies,  dropping  sweet-smelling 
myrrh." 

4.  God's  remnant  are  a  praying  people:  Psal.  xxiv.  6: 
"  This  is  the  generation  that  seek  thy  face,  O  Jacob  !"  or,  "  O 


I.]  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  55 

God  of  Jacob !"  whereas  it  is  given  as  the  character  of  the 
wicked,  Psal.  xiv.  4,  that  they  call  not  upon  God.  They  either 
live  in  the  total  neglect  of  this  duty  ;  or,  if  they  do  it  at  all, 
it  is  in  a  hypocritical,  formal,  and  overly  manner.  But  God's 
remnant  seek  the  face  of  God;  they  seek  him  with  ferven- 
cy, with  truth  in  the  inward  parts ;  they  seek  him  believing- 
ly ;  they  seek  him  constantly  and  perseveringly,  which  the 
hypocrite  will  not  do:  Job  xxvii.  10:  "Will  he  delight  him- 
self in  the  Almighty  ?  will  he  always  call  upon  God?"    - 

5.  God's  remnant  are  a  mourning  people.  They  mourn 
over  their  own  sins,  in  the  first  place:  Ezck.  vii.  ItJ.  The 
remnant  of  Jacob  "  that  escape,  they  shall  be  on  the  moun- 
tains like  doves  of  the  valleys,  every  one  mourning  for  their 
iniquity."  They  mourn  over  the  errors  of  their  hearts,  and 
the  iniquity  of  their  lives,  and  are  ready  to  cry  out,  "  Innu- 
merable evils  have  compassed  me  about,  mine  iniquities  have 
taken  hold  on  me,"  &-c.  And  then  they  mourn,  not  only  for 
their  own  personal  sins,  but  for  public  sins ;  the  sins  of  others, 
by  which  the  land  is  defiled :  "  llivers  of  waters  run  down 
mine  eyes,  because  they  keep  not  thy  law ;  I  beheld  trans- 
gressors, and  was  grieved."  That  this  is  the  character  of 
God's  remnant,  you  may  see  from  Ezek.  ix.  4:  "Go  through 
the  city,  and  set  a  mark  upon  the  foreheads  of  the  men  that 
sigh,  and  cry  for  all  the  abominations  done  in  the  midst  there- 
of." And  then  they  mourn  for  the  calamities  and  desolations 
of  Zion,  when  they  see  "  the  boar  out  of  the  wood  wasting 
her,  and  the  wild  beasts  out  of  the  forest  devouring  her :" 
Psal.  cxxxvii.  1 :  "  By  the  rivers  of  Babylon  we  sat  down,  and 
wept  when  we  remembered  Zion."  And  then  they  mourn 
when  they  see  ordinances  corrupted,  or  God's  candlestick  in 
any  measure  removed,  the  liOrd's  people  deprived  of  their 
wonted  freedom  and  liberty  in  waiting  upon  him  in  these  gal- 
leries:  Zcph.  iii.  18:  "I  will  gather  thein'  that  are  sorrowful 
for  the  solemn  assembly,  to  whom  the  reproach  of  it  was  a 
burden." 

G.  God's  remnant  are  a  people  that  will  rather  venture 
upon  sudering  than  sinning.  They  rather  venture  to  run  the 
ri^k  of  displeasing  kings  and  queens,  potentates  and  parlia- 
ments, than  venture  upon  the  displeasing  of  (ioci :  (hey  can 
rather  venture  on  the  rack  of  outward  torments,  than  upon 
the  rack  of  an  accusing  conscience.  See  this  to  be  the  cha- 
racter of  God's  remnant  in  the  three  children,  Dan.  iii.  Slc.  ; 
and  Moses,  (Ileb.  xi.  27,)  "  who  forsook  Egyi)t,  not  fearing  the 
wrath  of  the  king."  Many  other  marks  of  (iod's  remnant 
might  be  insisted  upon.  They  are  a  people  that  cannot  live 
without  Christ,  and  fellowship  and  communion  with  him,  Cant, 
iii.  1 ;  Job  xxiii.  3 :  "  O  that  I  knew  where  1  might  hud  him! 


56  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

that  I  might  come  even  to  his  seat !"  They  are  a  people  that 
will  not  rest  in  their  attainments,  but  press  towards  the  utter- 
most of  grace  and  holiness,  Phil.  iii.  12.  They  press  after 
more  nearness  to  Christ,  Cant.  viii.  1.  They  love  holiness  for 
itself,  Psal.  cxix.  140.  Christ  for  himself;  yea,  they  love  hea- 
ven for  Christ  and  holiness.  In  a  word,  they  love  holiness,  be 
the  event  what  it  will. 

Use  4,  is  of  exhortation.  Is  it  so,  that  God's  remnant,  who 
are  privileged  to  walk  u-ith  Christ  i?i  xchile,  are  such  as  keep 
their  garments  clean  ?  O  then  !  let  mc  exhort  all  hearing 
me,  particularly  you  who  have  been  professing  yourselves 
among  the  number  of  God's  remnant,  by  drawing  near  to  him 
in  the  holy  ordinance  of  his  supper;  let  me,  I  say,  exhort 
you  to  keep  your  garments  clean;  be  exhorted  to  the  study 
of  true  gospel-holiness,  both  in  heart  and  life.  And,  by  way 
of  motive,  I  would  have  you  to  consider  these  things  following. 

Motive  1.  Consider,  that  you  are  in  continual  hazard  of  de- 
filing your  garments.  You  are  in  danger  from  every  quar- 
ter :  As,  \st,  You  are  in  danger  from  the  world.  There  are 
many  things  in  the  world  that  are  of  a  very  defiling  and  pol- 
luting nature.  There  are  many  polluting  opinions  broached 
in  the  world,  which  go  very  glib  away  with  nature,  and 
which  nature  is  very  ready  to  catch  at  and  embrace ;  as, 
That  God  is  altogether  made  up  of  mercy,  and  will  never 
damn  any  of  his  creatures :  That  Christ  died  for  all :  That 
morality  runs  parallel  with  grace  :  That  an  empty  profession 
is  enough  to  save  folk:  That  it  is  better  to  keep  the  body 
whole  than  the  conscience  pure :  That  to  be  zealous  for  reli- 
gion is  to  be  "  righteous  overmuch."  These,  and  many  other 
such  opinions,  are  of  a  polluting  nature;  and  we  are  in  dan- 
ger of  defiling  ourselves  with  them.  And  then,  the  examples 
of  the  world  are  very  infectious;  the  examples  of  magistrates 
and  ministers,  as  you  see  from  Hos.  v.  1 :  "  Hear  ye  this,  O 
priests;  give  ye  ear,  O  house  of  the  king;  because  ye  have 
been  a  snare  on  Mizpeh,  and  a  net  spread  upon  Tabor."  And 
then  you  are  in  danger  from  the  example  of  professors,  who, 
perhaps,  have  a  great  name  for  religion  in  the  church  of  God. 
O !  will  you  say,  such  a  man  doth  so  and  so,  and  why  may 
not  1  do  it  also?  But  remember,  sirs,  that  there  are  many 
hypocrites  in  the  church  of  God,  that  go  under  a  mask  of  re- 
ligion. And  supposing  them  to  have  the  reality  of  grace,  yet 
they  maybe  under  a  spiritual  decay;  they  may  be  sadly 
deserted  of  God:  And  do  you  think,  that  in  this  case 
they  are  to  be  imitated  1  And  besides,  suppose  them  to 
be  ever  such  eminent  persons,  yet,  according  to  the  apos- 
tle's direction,  we  are  to  be  followers  of  them  no  farther 
than  they  are  followers  of  Christ.     And  besides,  we  are  in 


1,]  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  57 

danger  from  the  frowns  and  flatteries  of  the  world.  If  the 
world  cannot  get  us  allured  into  sin  by  its  enticing  promises, 
it  will  study  to  drive  us  into  a  compliance,  by  threats  of  trou- 
ble and  persecution.  Thus,  I  say,  we  are  in  imminent  dan- 
ger from  the  world.  The  apostle  James  exhorts  us  to  "  keep 
ourselves  unspotted  from  the  world,"  chap.  i.  27.  2Jlij,  You 
are  in  danger  from  Satan,  that  subtle  and  malicious  enemy, 
who  "goes  about  as  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  de- 
vour." He  waits  for  your  halting,  and  is  always  ready  to 
trip  up  your  heels.  And  I  assure  you,  sirs,  if  you  have  got 
any  love-token  from  the  Lord  at  tliis  occasion,  this  enemy 
will  do  his  best,  or  worst  rather,  to  you  and  it.  It  was  but  a 
little  after  Peter  had  been  feasting  with  Christ,  at  this  holy 
ordinance  of  the  supper,  that  Christ  told  him,  (Luke  xxii.  31,) 
"  Simon,  Simon,  Satan  hath  sought  to  winnow  thee  as  wheat." 
And  therefore  you  had  need  to  be  on  your  guard  as  to  this  ene- 
my, and  labour  "  not  to  be  ignorant  of  his  devices."  3(//y, 
You  are  in  danger  of  defiling  your  garments  from  your  own 
hearts.  My  friends,  would  not  that  city  be  exposed  to  great 
danger,  which  is  not  only  besieged  with  an  army  from  with- 
out, but  has  a  strong  and  powerful  party  within,  that  keeps 
a  correspondence  with  the  enemy  without,  and  is  ready  to 
comply  with  all  his  demands?  Just  so  is  it  with  us:  we  are 
not  only  besieged  with  the  world,  and  with  Satan,  who  are 
our  enemies  without ;  but  there  is  a  strong  party  of  indwel- 
ling sin  and  corruption  within  us,  that  is  ready,  upon  all  oc- 
casions, to  betray  us  into  our  enemies'  hands.  This  made 
David  cry  out,  "  Who  can  understand  his  errors  V  and  Paul, 
"Wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  will  deliver  me  from  the 
body  of  this  death  !"     So  much  for  the  first  motive. 

Mot.  2.  By  keeping  your  garments  clean,  you  comply  and 
fall  in  with  God's  great  design  in  all  his  dispensations  towards 
you,  whether  more  immediate  or  mediate.  God's  great  end 
in  all  is  to  l)ring  his  people  to  the  study  of  gospel-purity  and 
holiness.  This  is  the  design  of  his  electing  some  of  the  poste- 
rity of  Adam  from  all  eternity:  Eph.  i.  4:  "lie  hath  chosen 
us  in  him,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should 
be  holy,  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love."  It  is  a  very 
foolish  way  of  arguing  that  some  people  have  :  If  I  be  elected, 
I  shall  be  saved,  let  me  live  as  I  list;  for  (iod,  like  all  other 
wise  agents,  not  only  decrees  the  end,  but  the  means  leading 
to  that  end.  Now,  holiness  is  the  King's  high-way,  in  which 
he  has  ordained  and  decreed  to  bring  the  elect  to  glory  :  2 
Thes.  ii.  13:  "God  hath  chosen  us  from  the  beginning  to  sal- 
vation, through  sanctilication  of  the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the 
truth."  This  is  the  design  of  redemption.  Christ  did  not  die, 
sirs,  to  purchase  a  latitude  for  us  to  sin :  No,  no :  Til.  ii.  H : 


58  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

"  He  gave  himself  for  us,  to  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and 
purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works." 
This  is  the  dfjsign  of  our  creation.  Why  did  you  get  a  being, 
but  that  you  might  glorify  and  serve  God  1  "  This  people 
have  I  formed  for  myself,  that  they  may  show  forth  my 
praise."  And  this  is  not  only  the  design  of  our  first,  but  of 
our  second  creation  ;  "  for  he  hath  created  us  in  Christ  unto 
good  works."  This  is  the  design  of  our  effectual  calling; 
"  for  God  has  not  called  us  unto  uncleanness,  but  unto  holi- 
ness :"  no ;  "  he  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a  holy  call- 
ing." This  is  the  design  of  the  whole  word  of  God.  Why 
has  God  privileged  us  with  his  statutes  and  testimonies,  but 
that  they  may  be  "  a  light  to  our  feet,  and  a  lamp  to  our  path," 
to  keep  us  out  of  the  polluting  ways  of  sin?  Psal.  cxix.  9. 
"  Whereby  shall  a  young  man  cleanse  his  way,  but  by  taking 
heed  thereto,  according  to  thy  word  ?"  This  is  the  design  of 
the  promises  of  the  word.  However  carnal  persons  may 
make  the  promises  a  pillow  of  security,  yet  God's  design  in 
giving  them,  is  to  excite  his  people  to  keep  clean  garments : 
2  Cor.  vii.  1  :  "Dearly  beloved,  having  these  promises,  let  us 
cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  per- 
fecting holiness,  in  the  fear  of  God."  This  is  the  design  of 
the  threatenings  of  the  word,  that  so  men,  knowing  the  ter- 
ror of  God,  may  be  persuaded  to  keep  at  a  distance  from  sin, 
the  abominable  thing  that  his  soul  hates,  and  may  not  defile 
their  garments  therewith.  This  is  the  design  of  all  provi- 
dences by  which  God  exercises  his  people.  Why  doth  God 
cast  thee  into  the  furnace?  O  man!  his  design  is  to  purge 
away  thy  dross:  Is.  xxvii.  9 :  "By  this,  therefore,  shall  the 
iniquity  of  Jacob  be  purged,  and  this  is  all  the  fruit  to  take 
away  his  sin."  The  Lord  chastens  us,  that  we  may  be 
"partakers  of  his  holiness,"  Heb.  xii.  10.  This  is  the  design, 
not  only  of  cross,  but  of  favourable  providences.  "  The  good- 
ness of  God"  should  "  lead  us  to  repentance,"  and  lays  a  deep 
obligation  on  us  to  stand  off  from  sin,  which  is  otfensive  to  our 
gracious  Benefactor.  This  is  the  design,  not  only  of  all  pro- 
vidences, but  of  all  ordinances,  and  of  the  whole  dispensation 
of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  jijospel :  Tit.  ii.  11,  12:  "For  the 
grace  of  God,  that  bringeth  salvation,  hath  appeared  to  all 
men ;  teaching  us,  that,  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts, 
we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present 
world."  This  is  the  design,  not  only  of  the  preaching  of  the 
word,  but  of  the  administration  of  the  sacraments.  In  bap- 
tism, we  are  solemnly  devoted  to  the  service  of  God,  and  are 
engaged  to  walk  as  those  that  are  called  by  "  the  name  of 
Christ,"  who  are  bound  "  to  depart  from  iniquity."  And  in 
the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  we  solemnly  renew,  be- 


I.]  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  59 

fore  God,  angels,  and  men,  our  baptismal  engagements,  and 
swear  to  keep  our  garments  clean  from  the  pollution  of  sin ; 
and  that  by  laying  our  hands  on  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  This  is  tiie  design  of  every  frown,  and  of  every 
smile.  Doth  God  at  any  time  fill  thee  with  "joy  and  peace 
in  believing?"  lifts  he  up  the  light  of  his  countenance  upon 
thee?  The  language  of  this  is,0  do  not  defile  thy  garments! 
"God  will  speak  peace  unto  Iris  people,  and  to  his  saints;  but 
let  them  not  return  again  to  folly."  And  why  doth  God  at 
any  time  hide  his  face,  and  leave  thee  in  the  dark,  but  to  en- 
gage you  to  more  tenderness  in  time  to  come,  in  keeping  at  a 
distance  from  these  pollutions,  by  which  he  has  been  pro- 
voked to  forsake  thee?  Thus,  I  say,  if  you  do  not  keep  your 
garments  clean,  you  counteract  the  great  design  of  God  in  all 
his  dispensations  towards  you.  How  dangerous  is  it  to  be 
found  fighting  against  God  ! 

Mot.  3.  Consider  the  dismal  effects  that  will  follow  upon 
your  defiling  your  garments.  1st,  You  will  ruin  your  reputa- 
tion, and  render  your  names  unsavoury  in  the  world.  And 
this  is  no  small  loss;  for  "a  good  name,"  says  Solomon,  "is 
as  precious  ointment,"  and  renders  a  man  capable  to  do  ser- 
vice to  God  in  his  day  and  generation.  In  Prov.  vi.  33,  it  is 
said  of  the  adulterer,  "A  wound  and  dishonour  shall  he  get, 
and  his  reproach  shall  not  be  wiped  away."  When  profes- 
sors of  religion,  or  ministers,  defile  their  garments  by  sin,  espe- 
cially sins  of  a  public  nature,  they  wound  their  reputation, 
bring  a  reproach  upon  themselves  that  is  not  easily  wiped 
away;  and  not  only  so,  but  make  the  word  of  the  Lord,  in 
their  mouths,  to  be  contemned  and  despised.  You  may  read 
a  scripture  for  this,  Mai.  ii.  8,  9  :  It  is  spoken  of  the  priests  of 
that  day,  "  Ye  are  depjirted  out  of  the  way  ;  ye  have  caused 
many  to  stumble  at  the  law  ;  ye  have  corrupted  the  covenant 
of  Levi,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Therefore  have  I  also  made 
you  contemptible  and  base  before  all  the  people,  according  as 
ye  have  not  kept  my  ways,  but  have  been  partial  in  the  law." 
2(lli/,  You  will  stain  and  pollute  your  souls,  which  you  ought 
to  keep  pure  as  a  holy  temple  unto  God.  And  how  danger- 
ous a  thing  this  is,  you  may  see  from  1  Cor.  iii.  IG,  17: 
"  Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and  that  the 
Spirit  of  (Jod  dwelleth  in  you?  If  any  man  defile  the  tem- 
ple of  (lod,  him  shall  God  destroy."  My  friends,  you  have 
been  solemnly  consecrating  your  souls  and  bodies  unto  God, 
as  his  temple;  and  if  any  of  you  shall  after  this  rrlurn  n-ilh 
the  dog  to  his  vomit,  anchrilh  the  son-,  that  seemed  to  be  trashed, 
to  u-ullo7r  again  in  the  puddle  of  sin,  you  run  a  very  dreadful 
risk.  Utter  "destruction  from  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory 
of  his  power,"  is  abiding  all  those  that  are  hypocrites  in  heart. 


60  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [sEr. 

And  dreadful  temporal  destruction  from  the  Lord  may  over- 
take even  his  own  children,  who  defile  their  garments :  "  For 
this  cause  many  are  weak  and  sickly,  and  many  sleep." 
^dly,  You  will  break  your  peace,  and  mar  your  comfort.  If 
you  keep  not  your  garments  clean,  you  may  provoke  the 
Lord  to  fill  you  with  terrors,  and  to  cast  such  a  spark  of  hell- 
fire  into  your  bosoms  as  shall  make  you  roar,  and  cry  out  of 
broken  bones,  with  David ;  or,  with  Job,  "  The  arrows  of  the 
Almighty  are  within  me,  the  poison  whereof  drinketh  up  my 
spirit."  Alhly,  You  will  cast  a  blot  upon  religion,  and  on  "  the 
good  ways  of  the  Lord."  If  you  who  have  been  professing  to 
own  Christ  at  his  table,  shall  be  found  defiling  your  garments, 
by  lying,  swearing,  drunkenness,  or  the  like,  what  will  the 
graceless  world  say?  They  will  conclude,  that  professors  are 
but  a  company  of  hypocrites;  that  religion  is  nothing  but  a 
piece  of  trick  and  imposture.  You  will  be  a  blemish  to  Chris- 
tian society :  "  These  are  spots,"  says  the  apostle,  "  in  your 
feasts  of  charity."  And  he  speaks  of  some,  who,  through  their 
untenderness,  "  made  the  way  of  the  Lord  to  be  evil  spoken  of." 
hlhly.  You  will  dishonour  Christ,  that  glorious  Master  whom 
you  have  been  professing  to  own.  Hence  the  Lord  complains  of 
the  children  of  Israel,  that  they,  by  their  wickedness,  caused 
his  "  name  to  be  polluted  among  the  Heathen."  David's  sin 
made  the  name  of  God  to  bo  blasphemed  and  reproached. 
Qthhj,  By  polluting  your  garments,  you  will  "offend  the  genera- 
tion of  the  righteous ; "  and  "  it  were  better  for  you  that  a  mill- 
stone were  hanged  about  your  necks,  and  ye  cast  into  the  midst 
of  the  sea,  than  that  ye  should  oflend  one  of  Christ's  little 
ones."  It  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  grieve  the  hearts  of  those 
that  are  dear  unto  God;  for  God  will  not  grieve  their  hearts; 
and  he  will  resent  it,  if  any  other  do  it  by  their  vmtenderness. 
Ithlij,  You  will  harden  others  in  their  sins.  ^  When  the  wicked 
see  professors,  or  ministers,  going  along  with  them,  they  con- 
clude, that  their  way  is  the  best  of  it,  and  preferable  to  the 
way  of  religion.  Thus,  you  see  the  dismal  effects  that  will  fol- 
low upon  your  defiling  your  garments. 

Mot.  4.  Consider  the  great  advantages  that  shall  accrue 
to  you  by  keeping  your  garments  clean.  1st,  It  will  yield 
you  great  peace ;  peace  in  life ;  for  "  as  many  as  walk  accord- 
ing to  this  rule,  peace  shall  be  upon  them."  Peace  in  the 
midst  of  all  troubles :  "  This  is  our  rejoicing,  the  testimony  of 
a  good  conscience."  Peace  at  death:  Psal.  xxxvii.  37  :  "  Mark 
the  perfect  man,  and  behold  the  upright;  for  the  end  of  that 
man  is  peace."  Peace  after  death.  In  Is.  Ivii.  2,  we  are  told, 
that  "the  righteous,"  at  death,  "enter  into  peace;  they  rest 
upon  their  beds,  each  one  walking  in  his  uprightness."  Peace 
at  the  last  judgment.     It  is  only  the  cleanly  remnant  to  whom 


J 


I.]  THEIR  GARMEXTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  61 

the  Lord  will  say  then,  "  Lift  up  your  heads ;  for  the  day  of 
your  redemption  drawelh  nigh."  2dly,  By  keeping  clean  gar- 
ments, you  will  be  in  a  continual  fitness  for  maintaining  fel- 
lowship and  communion  with  God  in  any  ordinance  of  his  ap- 
pointment; for  it  is  the  man  that  "hath  clean  hands,  and  a 
pure  heart,"  that  shall  stand  on  God's  holy  hill,  and  have  a 
place  in  his  tabernacle.  And  not  only  so,  but  it  will  till  you 
with  a  holy  boldness  and  confidence,  in  your  approaches  to 
God  in  (he  ordinances  of  his  appointment :  Job  xi.  14,  15  :  "If 
iniquity  be  in  thine  hand,  put  it  far  away,"  &c.  3(//y,  The 
influences  of  ordinances  will  stay  the  longer  upon  you,  that 
you  keep  your  garments  clean.  What  is  the  reason  why  the 
impression  of  any  thing  of  God,  that  we  meet  with  in  ordi- 
nances, so  soon  A'anishcs,  like  the  morning  cloud?  The  rea- 
son is,  the  untendcrness  of  our  walk :  we  lie  down  among  the 
pots  of  sin,  and  this  makes  God  to  withdraw  from  us.  We 
read  of  some  mountains  that  are  so  high,  that  if  men  draw 
figures  in  the  sand  upon  the  tops  of  them,  they  will  abide  for 
many  years.  The  reason  is,  they  arc  so  high,  that  they  are 
above  the  winds  and  rains.  O  sirs,  if  we  were  living  and 
walking  on  high  with  God,  the  impression  of  ordinances  would 
stay  longer  with  us  than  they  do.  4thli/,  By  keeping  your 
garments  clean,  you  will  perhaps  save  the  souls  of  others,  and 
commend  religion  to  them.  Hence  is  that  [direction]  of  Christ, 
(Matth.  V.  10,)  "  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they 
may  sec  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven."  5//</y,  By  keeping  your  garments  clean,  you  will  find 
more  strength  to  keep  yourselves:  "  for  the  way  of  the  Lord 
*  is  strength  to  the  upright."  If  ye  keep  God's  way,  he  will 
"  keep  you  in  the  hour  of  temptation,"  Rev.  iii.  10.  God  will 
keep  you  by  his  power  through  faith  unto  salvation.  6lhli/, 
After  a  little  time  is  elapsed,  ye  shall  be  clothed  in  white,  and 
walk  with  Christ  in  the  new  Jerusalem,  according  to  his  pro- 
mise in  the  text. 

Now,  I  conclude  all  with  directions  and  advices,  in  order 
to  your  keeping  of  your  garments  clean. 

1.  Be  persuaded  of  your  own  utter  inability  to  keep  your 
garments  clean  by  your  own  power,  or  the  strength  of  created 
grace:  for  "the  way  of  man  is  not  in  himself:  it  is  not  in 
man  that  walketh  to  direct  his  own  steps." 

2.  Take  care  that  you  be  united  to  Christ,  the  fountain  of 
holiness;  for  you  do  but  wash  the  Elhiopian,  while  you  attempt 
to  make  yourselves  clean  and  holy,  while  you  grow  on  the 
root  of  the  old  Adam.  You  may  indeed  "  wash  the  outside 
of  the  cup  and  platter,"  but  you  will  remain  "filthy  still"  in 
the  sight  of  God,  till  you  be  created  in  Christ,  the  true  root  of 
sanctification :  "  Can  a  man  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs 

VOL.  I.  6 


62  god's  little  remnant  keeping  [ser. 

of  thistles?"     The  tree  must  be  good  before  the  fruit  be 
good. 

3.  Being  united  to  Christ,  you  must  make  daily  use  of  him 
by  faith.  Do  not  think,  that,  when  you  have  first  believed 
in  Christ,  your  wofk  is  done ;  no,  your  life  must  be  a  life  of 
faith.  By  faith  we  live,  by  faith  we  stand,  by  faith  we  work, 
by  faith  we  fight;  and  "whatever  we  do,  in  word  or  deed," 
we  must  "do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  You  must 
be  always  "  building  up  yourselves  in  your  most  holy  faith," 
and  going  on  from  faith  to  faith ;  and  whenever  you  have, 
through  infirmity,  or  the  prevalency  of  temptation,  defiled 
your  garments,  be  sure  to  run  by  faith  unto  the  blood  of  sprin- 
kling, that  you  may  get  your  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil 
conscience. 

4.  Set  God  continually  before  you,  and  keep  up  the  im- 
pression of  his  all-seeing  eye  on  your  spirits :  Psal.  xvi.  8 : 
"  I  have  set  the  Lord  always  before  me :  because  he  is  at  my 
right  hand,  I  shall  not  be  moved." 

5.  Be  much  in  viewing  and  meditating  on  the  dismal  and 
terrible  effects  of  sin ;  how  it  did  cast  angels  out  of  heaven, 
Adam  out  of  Paradise,  and  brought  God's  curse  upon  all  his 
posterity ;  how  it  brought  a  deluge  on  the  old  world,  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah  burnt  by  fire  and  brimstone  ;  how  it  made  the 
earth  to  swallow  up  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram. 

6.  l(  you  would  keep  your  garments  clean,  O  then  beware 
of  going  to  the  utmost  length  of  Christian  liberty  ;  it  is  dan- 
gerous to  come  too  near  God's  marches.  We  should  take  heed 
to  ourselves,  even  in  the  use  of  things  that  are  in  themselves 
lawful ;  "many  things  are  lawful,"  but  every  thing  lawful  is 
not  at  all  times  "  expedient."  You  would  shun  every  "  ap- 
pearance of  evil ;"  do  not  stand  in  the  way  of  temptations, 
or  occasions  of  sin.  And,  in  particular,  take  care  to  avoid  evil 
company;  for  "can  a  man  take  fire  in  his  bosom,  and  his 
clothes  not  be  burnt?" 

7.  Beware  of  giving  your  consent  and  countenance  to  the 
sins  of  others;  for  hereby  ye  shall  be  "partakers  with  them 
in  their  sins."  We  may  not  only  defile  our  garments  by  per- 
sonal sins,  but  by  the  sins  of  others,  when  we  encourage  them 
in  an  evil  way,  when  we  assent  or  consent  to  them,  or  do  not 
faithfully  warn  and  reprove  them,  or  endeavour  to  reclaim 
them. 

8.  Lastly,  Be  importunate  with  God,  at  the  throne  of  grace, 
for  guidance  and  direction ;  for  "  unless  the  Lord  keep  the  city, 
the  watchmen  watch  in  vain."  Unless  his  "grace  be  suflicient 
for  "  us,  we  will  soon  be  carried  down  the  stream  of  tempta- 
tion and  corruption  ;  for  "  the  way  of  man  is  not  in  himself." 
And  therefore,  I  say,  plead  hard  at  the  throne,  that  the  Lord 


I 


I.]  THEIR  GARMENTS  CLEAN  IN  AN  EVIL  DAY.  G3 

would  keep  you,  who  "  keeps  the  feet  of  his  saints."  And 
for  this  end  plead  the  promise  that  he  has  made  to  his  people, 
Jcr.  xxxii.  40 :  "I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with 
them,  that  1  will  not  turn  away  from  them  to  do  them  good ; 
but  I  will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  de- 
part from  me."  Zeeh.  x.  12 :  "I  will  strengthen  them  in  the 
Lord,  and  they  shall  walk  up  and  down  in  his  name,  saith 
the  Lord." 


THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED;  OR,  THE  EVIL  AND  DANGER  OF 
DEFECTION  DESCRIBED.* 

If  any  man  di'aw  back,  my  soul  shall  hare  no  pleasure  in  him. — Hbb,  x.  38. 


[Tlie  f<)llowing  Discourse  was  represented  to  the  commission,  May  1725, 
by  Mr.  Alexander  Anderson,  as  if  it  had  been  of  such  a  turbulent  or 
erroneous  tendency,  that  he  hin>seif,  preaching  after  me,  was  obliged 
publicly  to  contradict  me.  The  following  notes  are,  to  the  best  of 
my  remembrance,  the  ipsissima  verba  which  I  delivered  at  that  time. 
Whether  the  doctrines  contained  therein  deserved  the  character  he 
gave  them  before  the  Reverend  Commission,  or  if  he  had  ground  pub- 
licly to  contradict,  I  submit  to  the  judgment  of  the  impartial  world.] 


From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples  went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with 
him. — John  vi.  66. 

Is  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  our  blessed  Lord  works  a 
notable  miracle;  he  feeds  five  thousand  people  with  five  loaves 
and  two  fishes,  twelve  baskets  of  fragments  remaining.  The 
multitude  is  so  taken  with  this  miraculous  entertainment,  that 
they  would  needs  make  him  a  king.  But  our  lowly  King  of 
Zion  did  not  afFoct  worldly  grandeur,  his  kingdom  not  being 
of  this  world;  therefore  he  withdraws  himself,  and  passes 
over  the  sea  to  Capernaum.  Many  of  the  multitude,  whom 
he  had  fed,  followed  him  thither.  And  there  our  blessed 
Lord  takes  occasion  to  preach  a  very  heavenly  and  spiritual 
sermon  to  them,  holding  out  the  necessity  of  living  and  feed- 

•  Preaclied  at  Dysart,  on  a  thanksgiving  day,  after  the  sacrament,  Mon- 
day, October  7,  17 14. 


64  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  [SER. 

ing  by  faith  upon  him,  in  order  to  everlasting  life.  These 
carnal  hearers  are  exceedingly  stumbled  at  the  spiritually  of 
his  doctrine,  looking  upon  it  as  a  piece  of  unaccountable  stuff 
and  nonsense.  Upon  which  they  begin  to  drop  off  from  him, 
as  the  evangelist  remarks  here,  in  the  words  of  my  text, 
From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples  rvenl  hack,  &.C. 

In  which  words  we  may  notice,  1.  A  defection,  or  going 
back  from  Christ.  2.  The  season  of  it :  namely,  From  that 
lime,  or,  after  he  had  preached  the  foregoing  sermon.  3. 
The  cause  of  it,  implied  in  the  time,  namely,  the  spirituality  of 
his  doctrine.  4.  The  persons  guilty  of  this  defection,  namely, 
professed  disciples ;  and  that  not  a  few,  but  many  of  them. 
5.  The  final  and  irrecoverable  nature  of  their  defection,  they 
tvalked  no  more  zoith  him. 

The  words  are  plain  and  easy ;  and  therefore  there  is  no 
need  of  any  critical  explication.  Wherefore,  take  this  native 
observation  from  them ;  namely, — 

Doct.  "  That  there  are  some  seasons  in  which  many  of 
Christ's  pretended  disciples  fall  off  from  him,  and  that  finally 
and  irrecoverably.  From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples  went 
hack,  and  walked  no  more  zoith  himJ' 

In  handling  this  doctrine,  I  shall  observe  the  order  of  the 
words,  and  speak  a  little, 

I.  To  this  defection,  or  falling  off  from  Christ. 

II.  Inquire  a  little  into  the  causes  of  it. 

III.  The  seasons  of  it. 

IV.  The  persons  guilty  of  the  defection,  namely,  the  disci- 
ples. 

V.  Give  a  few  characters  of  those  who  fall  off  finally,  and 
walk  no  more  with  him. 

VI.  Apply  the  whole. 

I.  I  say,  I  will  speak  a  little  of  this  defection  or  falling  off 
from  Christ.  And  here  I  would,  1.  Give  you  some  of  the  scrip-> 
tural  names  of  it,  2.  Speak  of  the  kinds  and  degrees  of  it.  3, 
Notice  some  of  its  ingredients,  4.  Mention  some  of  its  conco- 
mitants. 

First,  I  would  give  you  some  scriptural  names  by  which 
it  is  called.  And  sometimes  it  is  called  a  looking  back :  Luke 
ix.  62 :  "  No  man  putting  his  hand  to  the  plough,  and  looking 
back,  is  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  My  friends,  you  have 
been  professing  to  set  your  faces  heavenward ;  O  beware 
pf  casting  a  back-look  upon  your  old  lovers :  "  Remember 
Lot's  wife ;"  take  heed  that  God  do  not  set  you  up  as  monu- 
nients  of  his  vengeance.  Again  ;  it  is  sometimes  called  a  turn- 
ing back:  Lam.  i,  8:  "  Jerusalem  sigheth,  and  turneth  hack-* 


i 


II.]  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  65 

ward."  The  way  to  heaven  will  not  admit  of  a  retreat;  you 
must  still  be  pressing  forward,  whatever  opposition  may  be 
in  your  way.  Again;  sometimes  it  is  called  a  drawing  back : 
Ileb.  X.  38 :  If  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no  plea- 
sure in  him.  Moreover,  it  is  called  a  sliding  back;  ifitimating, 
that  the  people  who  are  not  well  buckled  in  religion  stand  upon 
slippery  ground:  IIos.  xi.  7:  "My  people  arc  bent  to  backsliding 
from  me."  Farthcrmore,  it  is  called  a  falling  back:  Is.  xxviii. 
13:  'The  word  of  the  Lord  was  unto  tliem,  precept  upon 
precept,  and  line  upon  line;  that  they  might  go  and  fall  back- 
ward, and  he  broken,  and  snared  and  taken;"  and  you  know 
a  backward  fall  is  exceedingly  dangerous.  Lastly,  To  men- 
tion no  more,  it  is  called  a  turning  aside.  It  is  said  of  Israel, 
that  "they  quickly  turned  aside  like  a  deceitful  bow;"  which 
fiustrates  the  design  of  the  archer,  by  shooting  away,  or  be- 
side the  mark.  They  who  "turn  aside  into  crooked  ways," 
whatever  may  be  their  pretences  to  religion,  miss  the  mark 
of  the  same,  even  the  "  mark  and  prize  of  the  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus;  and  shall  be  led  forth,"  and  have  their 
part  "with  the  workers  of  iniquity." 

Secondly,  I  come  to  treat  of  the  kinds  and  degrees  of  defec- 
tions from  Christ.  And,  not  to  multiply  distinctions,  which 
arc  more  ready  to  confound  than  edify  hearers,  I  shall  only 
mention  these  two  or  three: — 

1.  Defection  from  Christ  is  sometimes  more  universal  and 
general,  of  the  body  of  a  church  and  nation  together.  Thus, 
Ephcsus,  (Ilev.  ii.)  is  charged  with  falling  from  her  tirst  love. 
And  the  whole  body  of  the  Israclitish  nation  are  engaged 
together  in  a  defection,  by  going  in  to  worship  the  idolatrous 
calves  which  Jeroboam  erected  at  Dan  and  Bethel:  and  it 
was  so  universal,  that  the  prophet  Elijah  thought  he  had  been 
left  alone;  though,  indeed,  the  Lord  tells  him,  that  he  had 
"  seven  thousand  in  Israel,  which  had  not  bowed  the  knee  to 
Baal."  And  sometimes  it  is  more  special  and  particular,  as 
when  a  single  society,  family,  or  particular  person,  enters 
upon  a  course  of  defection  and  backsliding  from  Christ  and 
his  ways;  of  which  instances  may  be  afterwards  named. 

2.  Sometiini  N  it.  is  more  open  and  avowed,  in  contradis- 
tinction from  the  former,  by  abandoning  and  relinquishing 
the  very  profession  of  r(;ligion  to  which  they  once  pretended, 
and  become  openly  wicked  and  llagitious,  giving  themselves 
loose  reins  in  a  way  of  sin.  Or,  it  is  more  hidden  and  secret, 
when,  though  there  be  still  a  profession  of  religion  kept  up ; 
yet  the  power  of  godliness  is  quite  forsaken,  and  the  heart 
maintains  a  close  correspondence  with  sin,  and  lives  in  a  se- 
cret trade  of  wickedness,  inconsistent  with  the  rules  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

6* 


66  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  [sEK. 

3.  There  is  a  total,  as  also  a  partial  defection  or  falling  off 
from  Christ.  A  total  or  final,  is  that  of  the  wicked  and  re- 
probate, who,  when  they  fall,  are  like  lead,  or  a  stone  falling 
into  deep  water,  which  never  rises  again ;  as  it  is  said  of  Pha- 
raoh and  his  host,  "  They  sank  like  lead  in  the  mighty  waters:" 
they  make  an  utter  "  shipwreck  of  faith  and  a  good  con- 
science." A  partial  defection  is  incident  even  to  the  godly 
themselves.  1  may  call  it  temporary;  for  they  may  be  left  for  a 
considerable  time,  to  make  many  woful  steps  of  defection  from 
Christ  and  his  ways ;  as  is  plain  from  the  instances  of  David, 
Peter,  Abraham,  and  many  others.  But  when  they  fall,  they 
are  like  wood  or  cork,  falling  into  water,  who,  though  they 
sink  at  first,  yet  they  rise  again  by  faith  and  repentance,  which 
influence  the  reformation  of  their  lives,  and  which,  in  pursuit 
of  the  divine  purpose  of  grace  for  their  salvation,  are  actu- 
ated in  them  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  according  to  P.sal.  xxxvii.  24  : 
"  Though  he  fall,  he  shall  not  be  utterly  cast  down :  for  the 
Lord  upholdeth  him  with  his  hand."  The  defection  here  spo- 
ken of  in  the  text,  seems  to  have  been  of  the  first  kinds  of 
each  division.  It  was  general  and  public ;  for  there  was  a 
great  multitude  of  them,  as  we  read  in  the  beginning  of  the 
chapter :  it  was  open  and  avowed ;  for  they  put  a  slight  on 
Christ  in  the  face  of  the  sun :  and  it  was  total  and  final ;  they 
walked  no  more  with  him,  nor  looked  after  Christ  any  more. 

Thirdly,  I  come  to  notice  some  ingredients  of  this  defection 
here  spoken  of.  And  there  appears  to  have  been  these  things 
in  it : — 

1.  A  dissatisfaction  with  Christ,  and  a  vilifying  both  him 
and  his  way;  for  they  said,  ver.  42,  "  Is  not  his  father  and  his 
mother,  and  sisters  with  us  ?  how  then  came  he  down  from 
heaven  1 " 

2.  A  murmuring  and  repining  against  the  spirituality  of  his 
doctrine,  out  of  a  rooted  enmity  and  prejudice  against  it:  ver. 
41:  "They  murmured  at  him,  because  he  said,  I  am  the 
bread  of  life  which  came  down  from  heaven : "  and  again, 
"This  is  a  hard  saying,  who  can  hear  it?" 

3.  A  formal  disputing  and  arguing  against  his  doctrine,  as 
repugnant  to  reason.  They  set  up  their  reason  as  the  stand- 
ard of  revelation,  and  will  receive  nothing  but  what  they 
were  able  to  comprehend ;  for  they  strove,  or  disputed,  "  amongst 
themselves,  saying.  How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat?" 
ver.  52. 

4.  A  formal  casting  off  with  Christ,  and  turning  back  to 
their  old  way  and  trade  of  living,  by  which  their  latter  end 
was  worse  than  their  beginning ;  for  they  zvent  back  and  fol- 
lowed him  no  more,  as  in  the  text. 


II.]  THK  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  67 

Fourthly,  I  come  to  mention  some  concomitants  of  defec- 
tion from  Christ : 

1.  It  is  commonly  accompanied  with  a  halting  and  waver- 
ing between  sin  and  duty,  as  Israel  did  between  God  and  Baal : 
"How  long,"  says  Elijah  to  them,  "do  ye  halt  between  two 
opinions?  If  the  Lord  be  God,  follow  him:  but  if  Baal,  then  fol- 
low him."  When  this  wavering  befalls  people,  they  cannot 
stand  long;  for  "a  double-minded  man  is  unstable  in  all  his 
ways,"  says  James,  "  Their  heart  is  divided ;  therefore  shall 
they  be  found  faulty." 

2.  It  is  commonly  attended  with  a  mercenary  kind  of  spirit. 
For,  as  secular  and  worldly  interest  is  the  spring  of  all  their  re- 
ligion ;  so  it  is  the  spring  of  their  apostacy  and  defection  from 
it ;  as  is  plain  from  wliat  our  Lord  tt^lls  his  pretended  disciples : 
"  Ye  seek  me,  not  because  ye  saw  the  miracles,  but  because 
ye  did  eat  of  the  loaves,  and  were  filled."  Where  this  mer- 
cenary spirit  prevails,  folk  will  stand  by  Christ  and  religion  as 
long  as  it  will  stand  with  their  selfish  and  secular  designs,  but 
no  longer.  Christ,  conscience,  religion,  and  every  thing,  must 
truckle  to  this  at  length. 

3.  It  is  attended  with  a  stretching  of  Christian  liberty  to  the 
uttermost  pitch,  and  a  dallying  with  the  appearances  of  evil. 
"  O,"  will  the  man  say,  "  what  needs  all  this  needless  nicety 
and  preciseness?  I  may  adventure  thus  far,  and  yet  keep  in 
both  with  God  and  a  good  conscience."  Like  Eve,  who  thought 
she  might  tamper  with  the  temptation,  without  any  hazard 
of  a  compliance;  or  Samson,  who  thought  he  might  dally  with 
Delilah,  and  yet  keep  in  with  God.  O  sirs,  it  is  dangerous 
going  too  near  God's  marches;  for,  as  one  says,  he  that  will 
go  all  the  length  he  may,  when  occasion  serves,  will  go  farther 
than  he  ought. 

4.  It  is  attended  with  a  snarling  at  reproofs.  They  can- 
not abide  to  have  their  sores  ripped  up,  and  the  evil  of  their 
ways  discovered.  Let  ministers  preach  ever  such  sound  doc- 
trine, yet  if  they  but  point  towards  the  quarter  where  their 
defections  lie,  presently  they  are  like  wild  bulls  in  a  net,  full 
of  fury  and  resentment.  VV^e  find  too  much  of  this,  even  in 
good  men,  when  engaged  in  a  |)artial  defection.  Asa  was  so 
irritated  by  the  reproof  of  the  proj)het,  that  he  cast  him  into 
prison,  for  telling  him  that  he  was  fallen  from  his  former 
confidence  in  (Jod,  when  the  hosts  of  the  Ethiopians  came  up 
against  him.  And  the  (iaiatians  reckoned  Paul  their  "enemy, 
because  he  told  them  the  truth." 

With  a  snatching  at  the  reputation  of  those  that  stand  their 
ground,  or  who  give  any  testimony  against  their  defections : 
and  if  they  can  perceive  any  such  making  but  the  least  wrong 
step,  they  are  sure  to  make  it  as  open  and  public  to  the  world 


68  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  [SER. 

as  possible,  and  to  represent  it  in  the  blackest  character 
imaginable.  It  is  a  very  true  observation,  That  backsliders 
are  commonly  backbiters.  They  cannot  abide  to  see  any  out- 
shine themselves  in  holiness  and  tenderness ;  and  therefore 
they  lie  at  the  catch,  to  wound  the  reputation  of  those  that 
cannot  run  the  same  length  with  themselves.  This  made  David 
pray,  "  Deliver  me,  O  Lord,  from  all  my  transgressions,  and 
make  me  not  the  reproach  of  the  foolish :  for  when  my  foot 
slippeth,  mine  enemies  do  magnify  themselves  against  me." 

6.  Division  is  usually  the  concomitant  and  fruit  of  defection. 
If  we  should  trace  all  divisions  to  their  spring,  by  which  the 
bowels  of  the  church  of  God  have  been  rent,  since  the  first 
ages  of  Christianity,  we  should  still  find  them  taking  their  rise 
from  the  bitter  fountain  of  defection.  What  was  it  but  the 
defections  of  some  in  the  church  of  Corinth,  that  gave  birth 
to  that  division,  of  which  the  apostle  complains,  1  Cor.  i.  ? 
What  was  it  but  the  defections  of  the  church  of  Rome,  that 
has  made  such  a  wide  breach  between  Protestants  and  Papists? 
It  is  true,  every  party  and  set  of  men  have  preached  up  peace, 
and  cried  out  against  division  ;  as  the  Papists  to  this  very  day, 
exclaim  against  us  for  making  a  rupture  in  the  church  of  Christ : 
whereas  it  is  not  we,  but  they  themselves,  that  make  the  rup- 
ture by  their  defections.  We  must  not  say,  A  confederacy 
with  any  in  a  way  of  sin,  or  purchase  peace  at  the  expense 
of  truth  and  holiness.  This  was  the  sentiment  of  good  old 
Jacob  on  his  death-bed.  Gen.  xlix.  5:  "Simeon  and  Levi  are 
brethren  in  iniquity :  instruments  of  cruelty  are  in  their  habita- 
tions. O  my  soul,  come  not  thou  into  their  secret,"  &c.  Many 
other  things  might  be  added  as  concomitants  of  defection  ;  but 
I  must  not  stand  on  them.     I  go  on,  therefore,  to — 

II.  The  second  thing  in  the  text  and  method,  which  was,  to 
inquire  a  little  into  the  causes  of  defection.     And, 

1.  The  main  cause,  or  rather  occasion,  of  this  defection  here 
mentioned,  was  the  unpleasantness  of  Christ's  doctrine  to  the 
sensual  and  carnal  inclinations  of  these  pretended  disciples 
mentioned  in  our  text.  His  doctrine  did  not  suit  their  hu- 
mours, and  answer  their  expectations;  therefore  they  xnent 
back,  and  zvalked  no  more  zcith  him.  Just  like  many  among 
ourselves,  who,  if  ministers  do  not  preach  according  to  their 
fancies,  if  they  be  free  and  faithful,  and  preach  against  the  de- 
fection of  which  they  are  guilty,  they  either  turn  their  backs 
on  them,  or  cry  out  upon  them  as  men  of  turbulent  spirits, 
incendiaries,  fire-brands,  and  what  not?"  But  ministers  need 
not  be  discouraged  on  this  account,  since  the  apostles  of  our 
Lord  were  characterized  after  the  same  manner  :  "These  are 
they  that  have  turned  the  world  upside  down."  I  fear  there 
are  many  among  us,  who,  if  they  would  speak  the  language  of 


i 


II.]  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  69 

their  hearts,  would  join  issue  with  that  people,  Isa.  xxx.  10: 
"  Who  said  to  their  seers,  Sec  not ;  and  to  tiic  prophets,  Prophe- 
sy not  unto  us  right  things,  speak  unto  us  smooth  things,  prophe- 
sy deceits.  But,  sirs,  we  need  not  wonder  to  see  folk  stum- 
bling at  the  plain  truths  of  the  word,  seeing  Christ  himself  is 
"set  for  the  fall,"  as  well  as  for  the  "  rising  of  many  in  Israel." 

2.  The  love  of  worldly  riches  is  another  great  cause  of  de- 
fection, as  is  plain  from  what  the  apostle  says,  1  Tim.  vi.  10  : 
"  The  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil :  which,  while  some 
coveted  after,  they  have  erred  from  the  faith,  and  pierced 
themselves  through  with  many  sorrows."  Where  the  love 
of  the  world  has  the  ascendant  in  the  heart,  the  love  of  God 
cannot  be  strong ;  for,  "  If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love 
of  the  Father  is  not  in  him:"  and  where  the  love  of  God  is 
not,  it  is  impossible  for  that  man  to  stand  his  ground. 

3.  The  love  of  worldly  ease  is  another  great  cause  of  de- 
fection from  Christ,  especially  in  a  time  of  persecution  for  the 
gospel's  sake;  for  then  it  will  be  said,  as  Peter  to  Christ, 
when  dissuading  him  from  going  up  to  Jerusalem,  Master,  spare 
thyself;  it  is  best  to  sleep  in  a  whole  skin.  But  let  us  remem- 
ber what  Christ  says  in  this  case,  Matth.  xvi.  25:  "  Whosoever 
shall  save  his  life,  shall  lose  it;  and  whosoever  shall  lose  his 
life  for  my  sake,  shall  find  it." 

4.  The  fear  of  man  is  another  cause  of  defection :  "  The 
fear  of  man,"  says  Solomon,  "  bringeth  a  snare ; "  especially 
the  fear  of  offending  and  displeasing  great  men,  upon  whom 
we  have  any  kind  of  dependence.  But,  as  an  antidote  against 
this,  let  us  compare  the  wrath  of  man  with  the  wrath  of  the 
eternal  God.  Shall  we  adventure  to  run  upon  "  the  thick 
bosses  of  the  Almighty's  buckler,"  to  avoid  the  displeasure  of 
a  worm  like  ourselves?  Is.  li.  12  :  "  Who  art  thou,  that  shouldst 
be  afraid  of  a  man  that  shall  die,  and  of  the  son  of  man,  who 
shall  be  made  as  grass?  and  forgettest  the  Lord  thy  Maker, 
that  hath  stretched  forth  the  heavens,  and  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  the  earth  ?  "  To  the  same  purpose  is  that  caveat  given 
us  by  our  blessed  Lord  ;  "  Fear  not  man,  that  can  kill  the  body, 
but  cannot  kill  the  soul,"  &.c. 

r*.  Bad  example  has  a  fatal  influence  this  way;  and  espe- 
cially the  bad  example  of  men  of  influence  and  authority,  such 
as  ministers  and  magistrates.  You  have  a  word  for  this,  Hos. 
v.  1 :  "  Hear  ye  this,  O  priests,  and  give  ye  car,  O  house  of 
the  king;  for  judgment  is  toward  you  ;  because  ye  have  been 
a  snare  on  Mizpoh,  and  a  net  spread  upon  Tabor."  When 
we  have  conceived  a  great  veneration  for  any  man,  we  are 
very  ready  to  run  after  his  example.  Thus,  Gal.  ii.  13 :  Barna- 
bas, with  many  of  the  converted  Jews  at  Antioch,  were  led 
away  with  Peter's  dissimulation,  who  seemed  to  them  a  pillar ; 


70  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  [SER. 

for  which  Paul  withstood  him  to  the  very  face.  Let  us  always 
remember,  that  we  are  to  be  followers  of  no  man,  but  in  so  far 
as  they  are  followers  of  Christ, 

6.  The  treachery  and  deceit  of  the  heart,  with  its  natural 
bent  and  bias  towards  sin  :  "  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  desperately  wicked."  That  character  given  Israel 
is  exceedingly  applicable  to  it,  Hos.  xi.  7  :  "  They  are  bent  to 
backsliding."  There  is  not  only  an  easiness  and  ductility  in 
the  heart  of  man  to  sin,  but  a  strong  propensity  and  inclina- 
tion. So  that  it  was  not  without  sufficient  ground  that  Solo- 
mon tells  us,  Prov.  xxviii.  26 :  "  He  that  trusteth  in  his  own 
heart,  is  a  fool."  Let  us,  therefore,  advert  to  that  caveat  of 
the  apostle's,  Heb.  iii.  12:  "Take  heed,  brethren,  lest  there 
be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in  departing  from 
the  living  God."  I  might  mention  many  other  causes,  if  time 
would  allow,  such  as  absolute  and  downright  hypocrisy  in  their 
management  with  God.  If  the  heart  be  not  "  right  with  God," 
people  can  never  be  "  steadfast  in  his  covenant."  Again ;  self- 
confidence,  when  men  lean  to  their  own  understanding,  trust  to 
their  own  strength;  like  Peter, "  Though  all  men  should  forsake 
thee,  yet  will  not  I."  These  resolutions,  that  are  founded  upon 
our  own  strength,  will  prove  like  Jonah's  gourd,  wither,  and 
come  to  naught,  as  soon  as  ever  the  wind  of  temptation  blows 
on  them.  We  are  not  to  trust  any  created  grace  that  is  in 
us,  but  only  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus :  "  Be  strong  in 
the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might."  Again ;  when  folk 
voluntarily  disband  their  guard,  and  slack  their  watch,  they 
yield  themselves  an  easy  prey  to  the  devil :  and  therefore, 
"  Be  sober,  be  vigilant ;  for  your  adversary  the  devil  goes  about, 
as  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour."  Again; 
when  folk  do  not  lay  a  sure  foundation.  He  that  builds  must 
count  the  cost.  They  that  have  not  a  root  of  solid  grace  in 
themselves,  will  fall  away  in  the  time  of  temptation.  And  so 
much  for  the  causes  of  defection,  the  second  thing  proposed. 

III.  The  third  thing  was,  to  inquire  a  little  into  the  seasons 
of  defection.  The  words  also  give  ground  for  this  inquiry: 
From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples  went  hack.  You  may  take 
these  few  causes,  among  many  others:  — 

\.  Defections  may  happen  after  God  has  been  making  very 
signal  and  remarkable  appearances  in  his  providence  for  a 
people.  Christ,  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  had  made  a 
signal,  yea,  a  miraculous  appearance,  for  those  people,  by 
feeding  them  in  a  desert  place ;  and  yet  a  day  or  two  after, 
they  went  back,  and  zvalked  no  more  with  him.  This  was  the 
sin  of  Israel:  God  delivers  them  out  of  their  Egyptian  bondage, 
in  a  wonderful  way,  plaguing  their  enemies,  and  dividing  the 
Red  Sea  before  them ;  and  yet  they  soon  forgot  his  mighty 


i 


11.]  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  71 

works,  and  turned  aside  from  the  right  way.  And,  alas !  may 
not  this  aggravate  the  defections  of  which  we  in  this  land  are 
guilty,  that  we  have  turned  aside  from  God,  after  many  sur- 
prising and  almost  miraculous  deliverances  that  he  has  wrought 
for  us  ? 

2.  Defections  frequently  happen  in  the  midst  of  the  clearest 
revelation  of  the  gospel,  and  when  the  light  of  the  gospel  is 
shining  with  the  greatest  brightness  among  a  people.  This 
people  here  had  heard  Christ  himself  preach,  who  spake  as 
never  man  spake;  and  yet,  immediately  upon  the  back  of 
hearing  him,  they  turned  their  back  upon  him.  This  also  ag- 
gravates our  defections,  and  abounding  sins,  that  they  are  un- 
der the  clearest  sunshine  of  gospel-revelation :  "  If  I  had  not 
come  and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had  not  had  sin ;  but  now 
they  have  no  cloak  for  their  sin," 

3.  After  very  solemn  professions  of  love  and  friendship  to 
Christ.  This  people  here  professed  such  a  kindness  to  Christ, 
that  they  would  needs  make  him  a  king ;  and  they  are  so  taken 
with  him,  that  they  follow  him  to  the  other  side  of  the  sea; 
and  yet,  alas!  they  weul  back,  and  walked  no  more  with  him. 
Thus,  Israel  also,  they  seemingly  professed,  that  "  whatever 
the  Lord  their  God  should  command  them,"  that  they  would 
"observe  and  do;"  but  they  quickly  "turned  aside  like  a  de- 
ceitful bow."  My  friends,  you  have  been  professing  friendship 
to  Christ,  before  men  and  angels,  by  partaking  of  the  sym- 
bols of  his  body  and  blood  :  O  take  care  that  you  be  not  found 
practically  renouncing  your  sacramental  engagements,  by  en- 
tering upon  a  course  of  defection.  Alas !  may  not  the  defec- 
tions of  many  professors  be  dated  from  a  communion-table  ? 
they  come  away,  after  they  have  got  the  sop,  with  more  of 
hell  and  the  devil  in  them  than  before. 

4.  After  some  remarkable  common  illumination,  and  seem- 
ing experiences  in  religion,  Heb.  vi.  &c.  It  was  a  high  ag- 
gravation of  Solomon's  sin,  that  he  went  astray  after  the  Lord 
had  several  times  appeared  to  him. 

!).  The  time  of  worldly  prosperity.  Deut.  xxxii.  15 :  "Jeshu- 
run  waxed  fat,  and  kicked."  And  IIos.  xiii.  6:  "According 
to  their  pasture,  so  were  they  filled:  they  were  filled,  and 
their  heart  was  exalted ;  therefore  have  they  forgotten  me." 

0.  A  time  of  trial  and  persecution  for  righteousness'  sake, 
when  enemies  are  invading  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the 
church  of  Christ,  casting  fire  into  his  sanctuary,  and  polluting 
the  dwelling-place  of  his  name.  This  is  a  season  in  w  hich  the 
Lord  calls  for  a  special  testimony  for  himself  at  the  hand  of 
professors;  and  yet  even  then  many  fall  off,  and  sail  with  the 
stream.  The  stony -ground  hearers,  "  when  afiliction  or  perse- 
cution arises  because  of  the  word,  immediately  they  are  of- 


72  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  [sER- 

fended."  Rotten  fruit  usually  drops  off  in  a  storm;  and  the 
wind  commonly  drives  away  the  chafi! 

7.  Defection  may  happen  among  a  people,  even  when  there 
is  a  remnant  keeping  their  ground,  and  maintaining  their  in- 
tegrity ;  as  you  see  here.  When  the  multitude  are  turning 
their  back  on  Christ,  he  says  to  his  disciples,  "  Will  ye  also  go 
away  ? "  To  which  they  answered,  "  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we 
go  but  unto  thee  1  thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life."  Rev. 
iii.  4:  "Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis,  which  have 
not  defiled  their  garments,"  &c. 

IV.  The  fourth  thing  is,  to  inquire  who  they  are  that  make 
this  defection  from  Christ.  We  are  told  here,  that  they  were 
disciples;  that  is,  they  were  so  professedly.  They  pretend- 
ed to  be  disciples,  and  had  gone  considerable  lengths  with 
Christ,  which  had  procured  for  them  this  character.    For, 

1.  They  had  entered  into  Christ's  school,  and  got  many  a 
sweet  lesson:  but,  hearing  mamj  things,  they  did  not  observe 
them. 

They  were  disciples;  for  they  owned  him  as  their  Master 
and  Lord:  ver.  25.  "  When  they  had  found  him  on  the  other 
side  of  the  sea,  they  said  unto  him.  Rabbi,  when  camest  thou 
hither?  "  and,  ver.  34:  "  Lord,  evermore  give  us  this  bread," 
Of  the  same  kind  are  these,  (Matth.  vii.  22,)  who  cried,  "  Lord, 
Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name?"  &c. 

3.  They  were  a  set  of  men  that  had  a  very  fiery  edge  upon 
them  for  awhile:  for  they  not  only  followed  Christ  through  the 
sea,  but  they  have  seemingly  very  strong  desires  after  Christ, 
and  the  bread  of  life;  saying,  "Lord,  evermore  give  us  this 
bread."  But  though  "  with  their  mouth  they  pretended  much 
love,  yet  their  heart  went  after  their  covetousness." 

4.  They  are  called  disciples;  for  they  joined  themselves  to 
the  society  of  the  true  and  real  disciples  of  Christ,  and  go 
along  with  them,  in  following  Christ  for  a  considerable  time; 
but  yet  turn  their  backs  on  them  at  length. 

5.  They  had  been  eye  and  ear  witnesses  of  the  doctrine  and 
miracles  of  Christ:  and  yet,  for  all  this,  they  wefit  back,  and 
walked  no  more  with  him.  Thus,  you  see  upon  what  account 
they  might  be  called  disciples. 

And  now,  seeing  in  the  text  we  are  told  that  they  were 
many  ;  hence,  therefore,  you  may  take  the  following  observa- 
tions or  remarks: — 

L  That,  among  the  multitude  of  professors,  Christ  has  com- 
monly but  a  thin  backing  in  a  winnowing  and  sifting  time: 
There  was  but  a  handful  that  staid  with  Christ;  the  greatest 
multitude  dropped  ofK  The  heap  of  corn  is  but  small,  when 
tlie  straw  and  chatf  are  separated  from  it.     Christ's  flock  is 


II.]  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  73 

but  a  little  flock  :  "  Many  arc  called,  but  few  are  chosen. 
Strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  which  leadeth  unto 
life,  and  few  there  bo  that  find  it." 

2.  As  Christ  has  but  a  tliin  backing,  so  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  professors  usually  dance  to  the  devil's  pipe,  and  com- 
ply with  the  side  of  the  times.  Many  of  them  went  back, 
only  the  twelve  staid  behind  :  "  Broad  is  the  way  that  leadeth 
to  de!<truction,  and  many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat." 

3.  Defection  from  Christ  is  of  a  very  spreading  and  con- 
tagious nature  ;  "  a  little  of  this  leaven"  is  fair  to  "  leaven  the 
whole  lump;"  like  a  pestilential  air,  it  flics  over  a  whole 
country  or  kingdom  in  a  very  little  time.  Among  the  many 
thousands  in  Israel,  only  seven  thousand  had  not  bowed  to 
Baal.  There  were  but  "a  few  names  in  Sardis,  which  had 
not  defiled  their  garments."     Hence  it  follows, — 

4.  That  the  way  of  the  multitude  is  always  to  be  suspected. 
And  people  are  never  to  think  themselves  safe  enough,  be- 
cause they  have  many  neighbours ;  for  wc  arc  not  to  "  follow 
a  multitude  to  do  evil,"  in  regard  the  way  of  the  multitude  is 
a  way  commonly  loathed  of  God. 

5.  The  followers  of  Christ  need  not  be  discouraged  because 
of  the  paucity  of  their  numbei';  for  it  has  been  so  in  all  ages. 
It  was  so  at  first,  and  will  be  so  to  the  end  of  the  wOrld : 
"  When  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  shall  he  find  faith  in  the 
earth  1 "  And  therefore,  I  Sc'\y,  though  you  should  sit  like  a 
pelican  in  the  wilderness,  and  owl  in  the  desert;  though  you 
should  become  the  song  of  the  drunkard,  and  be  held  for  signs 
and  wonders  in  Israel,  l)ecause  of  the  singularity  of  your  way  ; 
yet  be  not  discouraged  at  this,  for  it  is  far  better  to  go  to 
heaven  alone  than  to  hell  in  company. 

Now,  if  it  be  asked.  Why  the  Lord  suflTers  defections  among 
his  professed  disciples?  I  answer,  briefly,  1.  Because  God 
will  have  a  diilerence  put  "  between  the  precious  and  the 
vile!"  1  Cor.  xi.  19:  "There  must  needs  be  heresies  among 
you,  that  they  which  are  approved  may  be  made  manifest." 
God  will  have  the  chalF  distinguished  from  the  wheat,  the 
dross  fionj  the  true  gold;  he  will  have  his  Israel  proved  and 
tried,  that  they  may  be  distinguished  from  others.  2.  That 
real  dis(ii)les  may  be  excited  to  cleave  to  the  Lord  with  the 
more  firmness  and  resolution:  "Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go, 
but  imto  thee?"  said  the  twelve,  when  they  saw  the  multi- 
tude running  away.  W^e  have  a  word  to  this  purpose,  Job 
xvii.  8,  y  :  "The  iiuiocent  shall  stir  up  himself  against  the  hy- 
pocrite;" and  then  it  inunediately  follows,  "The  righteous 
shall  hold  on  his  wav,  and  he  that  hath  clean  hands  shall  add 
strength,"  as  in  the  Hebrew,  or  "  be  stronger  and  stronger;" 
intimating  that  the  defections  of  hypocrites  from  the  way  of 

VOL.  I.  7 


74  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  [sER. 

the  Lord  sharpens  the  resolution  of  the  truly  godly  in  cleav- 
ing to  him ;  for  at  such  a  time,  God,  as  it  were,  is  issuing  his 
proclamation  in  the  camp  of  Israel,  "Who  is  on  the  Lord's 
side  ? "  To  which  we  may  add,  that  these  defections  of  pre- 
tended disciples  do,  in  a  way  of  righteous  judgment,  prove 
stumbling-blocks  to  others,  by  which  they  are  hardened  in  a 
way  of  sin.  And  thus  a  wo  falls  both  upon  the  offender  and 
the  offended ;  according  to  that  of  Christ's,  Matth.  xviii.  7 : 
"  Wo  unto  the  world  because  of  offences :  for  it  must  needs 
be  that  offences  come ;  but  wo  to  that  man  by  whom  the  of- 
fence Cometh." 

V.  The  fifth  thing  is,  to  give  a  few  characters  of  those  who 
fall  off  finally,  and  walk  no  more  zcith  Christ.  Only,  before  I 
go  on,  I  would  premise,  that  I  do  not  here  offer  to  give  posi- 
tive marks  of  an  irrecoverable  condition ;  for  who  can  set 
bounds  to  the  infinite  grace  and  mercy  of  him,  to  whom  no 
case  is  desperate,  and  "  who  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost" 
of  sin,  and  to  the  uttermost  of  misery?  But  all  I  do  is,  to  of- 
fer some  melancholy  symptoms  or  presumptions  of  an  irre- 
coverable defection. 

1.  It  is  a  shrewd  evidence  of  a  final  defection,  when  people 
fall  off  from  the  profession  and  practice  of  religion,  after  some 
signal,  though  common,  illuminations  and  irradiations  of  the 
Spirit ;  for  which  you  may  read  Heb.  vi.  4 — 6. 

2.  When  people,  through  the  influence  of  these  common 
illuminations  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  have  been  led  to 
make  considerable  advances  in  the  way  of  religion,  and  yet 
afterward  apostatize,  and  fall  back  into  the  same  puddle  of 
wickedness  which  they  seemed  to  have  escaped.  A  pregnant 
scripture  for  this  you  have,  2  Pet.  ii.  20,  21. 

3.  When  people  knowingly  and  wilfully  venture  upon  a  way 
of  sin,  after  they  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth : 
for  which  see  Heb.  x.  26,  27.  When  folk  come  that  length, 
especially  after  a  profession  of  religion,  as  to  become  mockers 
of  true  piety,  attempting  to  ridicule  things  sacred,  and  to  ban- 
ter those  out  of  their  religion,  whom  they  think  to  be  aiming 
heavenward  :  this  is  a  black  mark  of  one  that  is  entirely  given 
up  of  God ;  this  being  an  open  proclamation  of  war  against 
heaven.     "  Be  not  mockers,  lest  your  bands  be  made  strong." 

4.  Those  whose  hearts  are  filled  with  malice  against  the 
image  of  God  in  his  people,  who  nauseate  and  detest  the  very 
picture  of  holiness  in  his  people,  and  so  become  open  perse- 
cutors of  Christ  in  his  members,  and  take  all  methods  ima- 
ginable to  extirpate  the  name  of  Christ  and  Christianity  out 
of  the  world  ;  as  did  the  cursed  apostate  Julian. 

5.  When  people  get  success  and  prosperity  in  a  way  of  sin. 
They  thirst  after  sin,  and  God  grants  them  the  desire  of  their 


II.]  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  75 

hearts.  This  is  a  sign  of  total  and  final  defection ;  for,  says, 
the  Lord,  "  Backsliders  in  heart  shall  be  filled  with  their  own 
ways."  Perhaps,  you  think  all  is  right,  because  God  in  his 
providence  does  not  check  you  in  your  sinful  ways.  But  as- 
sure yourselves,  there  cannot  be  a  sadder  mark  of  his  wrath 
and  vengeance ;  for  then  he  seems  to  be  saying,  "  They  are 
joined  to  their  idols,  let  them  alone. — Let  him  that  is  filthy,  be 
filthy  still." 

0.  When,  after  challenges  of  conscience,  rebukes  from  the 
word  and  Spirit  upon  theaccount  of  sin,  all  comes  to  be  hush- 
ed up  in  a  profound  silence,  and  the  senses  of  the  soul  are 
locked  up  in  a  deep  slumber,  then  it  would  appear,  that  God 
is  saying,  as  he  said  to  the  old  world,  "  My  Spirit  shall  no  more 
strive  with  them."  They  "  would  not  hearken  to  my  voice, 
and  Israel  would  none  of  me.  So  I  gave  them  up  unto  their 
own  hearts'  lusts;  and  they  walked  in  their  own  counsels. — 
I  would  have  purged  them,  and  they  were  not  purged  ;  there- 
fore they  shall  not  be  purged  from  their  filthiness  any  more, 
till  1  have  caused  my  fury  to  rest  upon  them."  We  have  a 
sad  instance  of  this  nature,  Is.  vi.  10 :  There  is  a  people  on 
whom  God  had  taken  a  great  deal  of  pains,  as  we  read,  chap. 
V.  He  had  chosen  them  as  his  vineyard,  planted  them  in  a 
fruitful  soil :  but  all  his  labour  was  lost;  they  still  went  on  in 
a  course  of  defection  and  apostacy  ;  "  instead  of  grapes,  they 
brought  forth  wild  grapes."  Well,  at  length  God  seals  them 
up  under  a  stroke  of  judicial  blindness  and  hardness;  so  that 
no  reproof  from  word,  providence,  or  conscience,  should  ever 
affect  them.  "  Go,"  says  the  Lord,  "  and  make  the  heart  of 
this  people  fat,  and  make  their  ears  heavy,  and  shut  their 
eyes ;  lest  they  sec  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears, 
and  understand  with  their  hearts,  and  convert,  and  be  healed." 

Before  I  proceed  to  the  application,  I  shall  obviate  a  ques- 
tion which  some  serious  soul  may  be  ready  to  move,  upon 
what  has  been  said  on  the  former  head ;  namely.  Wherein 
hes  the  difierence  between  the  partial  and  temporary  defec- 
tions of  the  godly,  and  these  total,  final,  and  irrecoverable 
apostacics  of  hypocrites  and  temporary  believers  ? 

To  which  I  answer,  1.  The  believer,  when  he  is  left  to 
backsliile,  or  to  fall  into  any  sin,  howls  and  groans  under  it; 
it  lies  heavy  on  him,  like  a  burden  too  heavy  for  him  to 
bear.  "  Mine  iniquities  have  taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I 
am  not  able  to  look  up;  they  are  more  than  the  hairs  of  mine 
head,  therefore  my  heart  faileth  me."  They  can  never  enjoy 
themselves  with  satisfaction,  till  they  be  recovered  again.  An 
instance  of  this  we  have  in  the  apostle  Peter,  after  he  had 
been  left  to  make  that  foul  st(q)  of  defection,  in  denying  Christ 
with  curses  and  imprecations :  after  Christ  gave  him  but  a 


76  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  [sER. 

look,  he  went  out,  and  wept  bitterly.  The  same  we  see  in 
David,  Psal.  li.  After  he  had  been  guilty  of  murder  and  adul- 
tery, in  the  matter  of  Uriah  and  Bathsheba,  how  does  he  la- 
ment and  bewail  his  folly?  And  that  which  principally 
touches  them,  is  not  so  much  the  penal,  a^_  the  moi-al  evil 
of  their  defection ;  they  are  not  so  much  grieved  that  they 
themselves  suflTer,  as  that  God  is  dishonoured,  and  religion 
wounded  by  their  means  ;  as  we  see  in  David,  Psal.  li.  4  : 
"  Against  thee,  thee  only,  have  I  sinned,  and  done  this  evil  in 
thy  sight." 

2.  They  are  never  at  rest,  or  ease,  till  they  have  the  guilt 
and  filth  of  their  sin  expiated  and  washed  away  by  the  blood 
and  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  all  the  world  will  not  quiet 
their  consciences,  till  this  be  obt^iined.  O,  says  David,  after 
he  had  made  this  foul  step,  "  wash  me  thoroughly  from  mine 
iniquity,  and  cleanse  me  from  my  sin :"  And  again,  ver.  7  : 
"  Purge  me  with  hyssop,  and  I  shall  be  clean  ;  wash  me,  and 
I  shall  be  whiter^than  snow."  Whereas  the  hypocrite,  when 
he  falls,  satisfies  the  clamours  of  his  conscience,  either  by 
extenuating  his  sin,  or  by  multiplying  his  duties  :  "  Will  the 
Lord  be  pleased  with  thousands  of  rams,  or  ten  thousands  of 
rivers  of  oil  ?"  But  he  never  runs  to  Christ,  to  have  his  "con- 
science sprinkled  from  dead  works." 

3.  The  believer,  after  he  has  fallen,  does  not  satisfy  him- 
self with  a  turning  from  sin  to  God,  but  he  must  have  some 
reviving  intimations  of  God's  favour  and  reconciled  counte- 
nance: as  David,  (ver.  8:)  "  Make  mc  to  hear  joy  and  glad- 
ness ;  that  the  bones  which  thou  hast  broken  may  rejoice." 
Though  all  the  world  should  fawn  upon  him,  yet  it  will  not 
please  him,  unless  he  get  a  smile  from  God  himself. 

4.  When  the  believer  falls,  his  fall  leads  him  to  bewail 
the  corruption  and  depravation  of  his  nature.  He  traces  the 
streams  to  the  fountain,  and  sits  down  there,  and  weeps  over 
it,  as  the  cause  of  all  his  defections  and  backslidings  from  God  ; 
as  David  did,  (ver.  5 :)  '•  Behold,  I  was  shapen  in  iniquity  ; 
and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me  :"  and  looks  up  to  God 
for  a  cast  of  renewing  grace,  (ver.  10:)  "  Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me."  Whereas 
hypocrites  bewail  the  loss  of  their  reputation  more  than  they 
do  their  sin,  or  the  depravation  of  their  nature. 

5.  When  believers  fall,  they  come  under  fresh  engagements, 
through  grace,  to  walk  more  closely  with  God  than  ever  they 
have  done  before,  and  endeavour  to  be  more  serviceable  to 
him  in  their  generation  than  ever;  as  David,  (ver.  12,  J3':) 
"  Restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation ;  then  will  I  teach 
transgressors  thy  ways,  and  sinners  shall  be  converted  unto 
thee." 


II.]  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  77 

6.  As  burnt  children  dread  the  fire,  believers  are  afraid  of 
faUing  into  the  same  sins  again;  and  for  this  end  indent  with 
God,  not  in  their  own,  but  only  in  his  strength  to  keep  them; 
as  David,  ''  Uphold  nne  with  thy  free  Spirit;"  and  again,  else- 
where, "  Hold  up  my  goings  in  thy  paths,  that  my  footsteps 
may  not  slide  :"  and  Psal.  cxix.  5  :  "  O  that  my  ways  were  di- 
rected to  keep  thy  statutes !"  Now,  from  these  marks  of  the 
partial  falls  of  the  godly,  you  may  easily  gather  the  ditference 
between  them,  and  the  damnable  apostacy  and  total  defec- 
tion of  hypocrites  and  reprobates. 

And  now  I  go  on  to  the  application  of  this  doctrine  ;  and  all 
the  use  I  make  of  it  shall  be  in  a  word  of  exhortation.  Is  it 
so,  that  many  of  Christ's  pretended  disciples  do,  some  time 
or  other,  fall  totally  and  finally  away  from  him?  Then  let 
me  exhort  and  persuade  all  hearing  me,  but  especially  you 
who  have  been  lifting  up  your  hands  to  him  at  a  communion- 
table, and  professing  to  be  his  discijjles,  by  laying  your  hands 
on  a  slain  Redeemer,  to  endeavour  firmness  and  stability,  in 
cleaving  to  Christ  and  his  way.  O  let  it  no't  be  said  of  you, 
as  it  is  said  of  these  disciples  here,  From  that  time  they  went 
back,  a?id  walked  no  more  icith  him,. 

To  enforce  this  exhortation,  consider,^;*/,  the  evil  of  apos- 
tacy (;ithcr  in  part,  or  in  whole. 

1.  It  is  a  provocation  of  the  highest  nature.  And  there  are 
especially  two  evils  in  it,  which  cannot  but  awaken  divine  re- 
sentment; namely,  treachery  and  ingratitude.  Is/,  There  is 
treachery  in  it.  What  husband  would  take  it  well,  if  his 
wife  should  abandon  him,  and  follow  after  other  lovers.  My 
friends,  you  have  been  taking  God  for  your  husband,  in  a 
solemn  manner,  before  angels  and  men ;  and  will  it  not  be 
treachery  in  the  highest  degree,  to  go  and  prostitute  your 
souls  to  sill,  his  greatest  enemy?  Will  not  this  cast  a  ca- 
lumny and  reproach  upon  Crod,  as  if  others  were  better  than 
lie?  This  will  make  him  sav,  "What  iniquity  have  your 
fithcrs  found  in  me  ?"  &-c.  "O  my  peo[)le,  what  have  T  done 
unto  thee  !  and  wherein  have  I  wearied  Ihee  ?"  2o'li/,  There 
is  ingratitude  in  it,  also.  It  was  a  very  cutting  word  that 
Christ  had  to  his  disciples,  in  the  verse  following  our  text, 
"  Will  ye  also  leave  me  !"  The  same  is  he  saying  to  every 
one  of  vou  :  '  Will  ye  also  go  away,  after  such  proofs  of  my 
kindness,  after  such  r('[)eati'd  vows  and  obligations!'  From  all 
which  it  is  evident,  that  a[)ostacy  is  a  provocation  of  the  highest 
nature. 

2.  Your  backsliding  will  give  a  deep  wound  to  religion, 
and  bring  u|)  a  reproach  upon  the  good  ways  of  (Jod.  Vou 
have  been  owning  him  as  your  Lord  and  Master,  and  declaring 
before  the  world,  that  you  think  his  service  the  best  service, 

7* 


78  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  [sER. 

his  wages  the  best  wages;  that  one  day  in  his  courts  is  better 
than  a  thousand.  Now,  if  after  all  you  baclcslide,  will  not 
the  world  conclude,  that  you  have  not  found  that  in  his  ser- 
vice which  you  expected  I  And  thus  others  will  be  scared 
from  the  good  ways  of  the  Lord. 

3.  You  will  grieve  the  hearts  of  the  godly,  whose  hearts 
God  would  not  grieve.  And  it  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  offend 
one  of  his  little  ones :  "  It  were  better  for  you  that  a  mill-stone 
were  hanged  about  your  neck,  and  you  cast  into  the  midst  of 
the  sea,  than  that  you  should  offend  one  of  these  little  ones." 

4.  If  you  shall  apostatize  in  the  whole,  and  slide  back  with  a 
perpetual  backsliding,  it  will  be  a  prelude  of  your  eternal 
banishment  and  separation  from  the  presence  of  God.  God's 
soul  takes  no  pleasure  in  backsliders,  and  therefore  they  can 
never  have  access  into  his  gracious  presence ;  consequently, 
"  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction." 

5.  If  you  be  believers,  and  apostatize  in  part,  you  shall  put 
a  whip  in  God's  hand  to  chastise  you.  If  you  shall  after  this 
turn  careless  in  your  walk,  more  remiss  in  duty,  less  frequent, 
less  fervent,  less  lively,  than  before,  you  may  assure  yourselves, 
that  you  shall  not  go  unpunished:  "You  only  have  I  known 
of  all  the  families  of  the  earth;  therefore  I  will  punish  you 
for  all  your  iniquities. — If  his  children  forsake  my  law,  and 
keep  not  my  commandments;  then  will  I  visit  their  transgres- 
sion with  the  rod,  and  their  iniquity  with  stripes." 

Seco?idly,  Consider  some  great  advantages  of  stabillity  in 
cleaving  to  Christ,  and  standing  tirm  to  his  cause  and  interest. 

1.  It  will  furni.sh  you  much  inward  peace  and  tranquility  of 
mind  :  "  Great  peace  have  all  they  which  love  thy  law."  God 
tells  Israel,  that  if  they  had  cleaved  to  him  and  his  way,  "  their 
peace  should  have  been  as  a  river,  and  their  righteousness  as 
the  waves  of  the  sea." 

2.  It  will  glorify  God,  and  reflect  a  lustre  upon  religion; 
make  the  world  conclude  you  serve  a  good  Master.  Hence  is 
thitt  of  Christ ;  "  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they 
may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven." 

3.  As  backsliding  strikes  a  damp  upon  (he  spirit  at  the  ap- 
proaches of  death;  so  stability  of  heart,  in  the  Lord's  way, 
affords  courage  and  confidence,  through  Christ,  upon  the  ap- 
proach of  that  grim  messenger  of  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Hence 
is  that  of  Paul,  "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight ;  I  have  finished 
my  course;  I  have  kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid 
up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,"  &c. 

4.  The  reward  of  grace  is  ensured  in  Christ  to  the  steadfast 
soul :  1  Cor.  xv.  58.  "  Be  ye  steadfast,  unmoveable,  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  your  labour  shall  not 


II.]  THE  BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  79 

be  in  vain  in  the  Lord."  Remember,  that  your  title  to  the  re- 
ward comes  in  by  virtue  of  your  union  with  Christ;  and  O 
how  glorious  is  that  reward  the  steadfast  soul  is  entitled  to 
throua;h  him!  It  has  a  kingdom  secured  to  it:  "Ye  are  they 
which  have  continued  witli  me  in  my  temptations;  and  I  ap- 
point unto  you  a  kingdom."  A  throne  :  Rev.  iii.  21  :  "  To  him 
that  overcometh,  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne." 
A  crown  is  secured;  a  crown  of  life:  "  Be  thou  faithful  unto 
death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  A  crown  of  glory  : 
"When  the  chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  ye  shall  receive  a 
crown  of  glory,  which  fadeth  not  away."  A  crown  of  righteous- 
ness, which  is  "laid  up  for  all  that  keep  the  faith,  and  love 
his  appearing."  A  crown  of  joy,  yea  a  crown  of  everlasting 
joy,  shall  he  "  upon  their  heads,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall 
fly  away." 

I  conclude  with  two  or  three  advices: — 

1.  Take  care  that  the  foundation  be  well  laid,  upon  the 
everlasting  Rock  Jesus  Christ;  for  this  is  ihefoimdation  that 
God  hath  laid  i?i  Ziori,  and  anollier  found alioii  can  vo  man  lay. 
You  must  be  cemented  to  this  foundation  by  the  Spirit  and 
faith,  otherwise  you  can  never  stand  in  a  day  of  trial ;  for  your 
root  being  rottoimess,  your  "  blossom  shall  go  np  as  the  dust." 
The  house  l)uilt  upon  the  sand  foil,  when  the  floods  came,  and 
the  winds  bUnv  and  beat  upon  it;  but  the  house  founded  upon 
this  rock  shall  stand  out  against  the  utmost  efforts  of  the  gates 
of  hell. 

2.  Maintain  an  everlasting  jealousy  over  your  own  hearts; 
for  "he  that  trusteth  in  his  own  heart  is  a  fool,"  considering 
that  it  is  "deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked.'* 
Particularly  take  heed  of  the  workings  and  sproutings  of  the 
bitter  root  of  unbelief,  which  causes  to  depart  from  the  living 
God,  lieb.  iii.  12. 

3.  Keep  your  eyes  upon  the  promises  of  persevering  grace, 
particularly  that,  Jer.  xxxii.  40:  "  I  will  make  an  everlasting 
covenant  with  them,  that  I  will  not  turn  away  from  them  to 
do  them  good;  but  I  will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that 
they  shall  not  depart  from  me."  If  you  plead  and  improve 
this  [)romise  by  faith,  it  is  inipossible  you  can  draw  back  ;  for 
it  is  "  im|)o.s,sible  for  (iod  to  lie."  God  stands  on  both  sides 
of  the  covenant,  to  fulfil  both  his  and  our  part  ol"  th(;  same; 
and  therefore  plead,  that  he  may  fulfil  his  in  you.  that  he 
would  keep  \o\\  by  his  "pow(!r,  through  laith  unto  salvation." 

4.  Keep  a  steady  eye  on  Christ,  the  blessed  Mediator  of  the 
covenant."  Eye  him  as  the  store-house  and  fountain  of  all 
your  supplies  of  grace  and  strength  ;  for  it  is  "out  of  his  ful- 
ness that  we  receive,  and  grace  for  grace."  Eye  him  as  your 
Captain,  to  fight  all  your  battles  against  sin  and  Satan;  for 


80  THE   BACKSLIDER  CHARACTERIZED.  [sER.  11. 

he  has  "  spoiled  principalities  and  powers ;"  and  if  ever  we 
overcome,  it  must  be  in  the  blood  and  strength  of  the  Lamb. 
Eye  him  as  your  guide,  to  lead  you  through  all  the  dark  and 
difficult  steps  of  your  pilgrimage ;  for  "  he  leads  the  blind  in 
a  way  that  they  have  not  known."  Eye  him  as  your  pattern; 
endeavour  to  imitate  him  in  all  his  imitable  perfections ;  run 
your  Christian  race,  "  looking  unto  Jesus."  Remember  how 
steady  and  firm  he  was  in  carrying  on  the  great  work  of  re- 
demption ;  he  set  his  face  like  a  Jlint  against  all  the  storms 
and  obstacles  that  lay  in  his  way ;  "  he  did  not  faint,  nor  was 
he  discouraged,"  but  "  travelled  on  in  the  greatness  of  his 
strength, — enduring  the  cross,  and  despising  the  shame;"  for  he 
said  on  the  cross,  "  It  is  finished."  So  study  ye,  after  his  ex- 
ample, to  run  your  Christian  race,  your  course  of  obedience, 
and  press  on  against  all  temptations  and  difficulties,  till  ye 
"  have  finished  your  course  with  joy,"  and  arrive  at  "  the 
mark  and  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ." 

5.  Beware  of  the  first  beginnings  of  defection  and  back- 
sliding; for  one  trip  makes  way  for  another.  Defections,  are 
like  the  rolling  of  a  stone  upon  the  brow  of  a  high  mountain  ; 
if  once  it  begin  to  roll,  it  is  fair  never  to  rest  till  it  be  at  the 
bottom.  You  have  been  upon  the  mount  of  God,  sirs;  and  if 
you  begin  once  to  roll  down  the  hill  of  your  high  professions 
and  resolutions,  it  is  a  hundred  to  one  if  you  do  not  land  in 
the  depths  of  apostacy,  and  at  last  in  the  depths  of  hell. 

6.  Lastly,  Study  to  be  well  skilled  in  unmasking  the  mys- 
tery of  iniquity,  and  in  detecting  the  wiles  and  stratagems 
of  the  tempter,  and  to  provide  yourselves  with  suitable  anti- 
dotes against  every  attack  of  the  enemy.  For  instance,  if  he 
tell  thee  sin  is  pleasant,  ask  him,  if  the  gri pings  of  the  worm 
of  conscience  be  pleasant  too  ?  and  if  "  one  day  in  God's  house" 
be  not "  better  than  a  thousand  in  the  tents  of  sin  ?"  If  he  tell 
thee,  that  nobody  sees,  ask  him  If  he  can  shut  the  eye  of  an 
omniscient  God,  whose  "  eyes  are  as  a  flame  of  fire,"  and  who 
"  setteth  our  most  secret  sins  in  the  light  of  his  countenance!" 
If  he  tell  thee,  that  it  is  but  a  little  one,  ask  him.  If  there 
be  a  little  God?  or  if  His  displeasure  be  a  little  thing  ?  If  he  tell 
thee,  that  sin  is  profitable,  ask  him,  "  What  is  a  man  profited, 
if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  sonl'?"  By 
considerations  of  this  nature,  the  mind  comes  to  be  fortified 
against  the  attacks  and  onsets  of  that  grand  enemy  of  salvation, 
and  prove  a  notable  ballast  to  keep  the  soul  firm  and  steady 
against  the  most  violent  storms  and  tempests  that  may  blow 
either  from  earth  or  hell. 


(     81     ) 


8ERIfIOIV    III. 

THE   WIND    OF   THE   HOLY  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON   THE  DRY  BONES 
IN  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.* 

Come  from  the  four  winds,  O  breath;  and  breathe  upon  these  slain,  that 
tiiey  may  live. — Ezek.  xxxvii.  9. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  the  Lord,  in  a  vision,  brings 
the  prophet  Ezekiel  into  a  valley  full  of  dead  men's  bones, 
quite  dried  and  witherecl,  and  asks  him  the  question.  If  he 
thought  it  possible  for  these  dry  bones  to  live  i  thereby  inti- 
mating, that  although  it  was  a  thing  impossible  with  men,  yet 
it  was  easily  ctTected  by  the  almighty  power  of  God.  And, 
to  convince  him  of  it,  he  commands  the  prophet  to  speak  to 
the  dry  bones,  and  to  tell  them,  in  his  name,  that  he  would 
make  the  breath  of  life  to  enter  into  them :  which  accordingly 
is  done ;  for  the  prophet  having  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
called  upon  the  four  winds  to  breathe  upon  the  dry  bones, 
immediately  life  enters  into  them,  and  they  come  together 
bone  to  his  bone,  and  they  lived,  and  "  stood  up  upon  their 
feet,  and  became  an  exceeding  great  army." 

By  which  vision  We  have  a  lively  representation  of  a  three- 
fold resurrection,  as  a  late  commentator  (Mr.  Henry)  very 
well  observes.  L  Of  the  resurrection  of  the  body  at  the  last 
day,  and  general  resurrection,  when  God  will  command  the 
earth  to  give  up  its  dead,  and  the  sea  to  give  up  its  dead ; 
and  when,  by  the  ministry  of  angels,  the  dust  and  bones  of 
the  saints  shall  be  gathered  from  the  four  winds  of  heaven, 
to  which  they  have  been  scattered.  Or,  2.  We  have  in  this 
vision  a  lively  representation  of  the  resurrection  of  the  soul 
from  the  grave  of  sin  ;  which  is  etlected  by  prcachiiit!;  or 
propliesying,  as  the  instrumcnlal,  and  by  the  powerful  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit  of  the  I^ord,  as  the  principal  etlicient  cause 
of  it:  and  the  wind  here  spoken  of  is  plainly  said  to  be  un- 
derstood of  the  Spirit,  (ver.  14 :)  "  I  will  put  my  Spirit  in  you, 
and  ye  shall  live."  Or,  3.  Wc  have,  by  this  vision,  a  repre- 
sentation of  the  resurrection  of  the  churrhof  God,  from  the 
grave  of  her  bondage  and  captivity  in  Babylon,  under  which 
they  were  at  present  detained.  And  this,  indeed,  is  the  pri- 
mary and  immediate  scope  of  the  vision,  as  is  plain  from  the 

•  Preached  in  the  Tolhooth-Churrli,  Kdinliuri^h,  upon  a  fast-day  before 
the  sacrament  of  our  Lord's  supper,  March  15,  1715. 


82  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON  [SER. 

explication  that  follows  it,  ver.  11 — 14.  However,  seeing  the 
deliverance  of  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  their  Babylonish 
captivity,  was  typical  of  our  spiritual  redemption  purchased  by 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  upon  the  cross,  and  in  a  clay  of  power 
applied  by  the  mighty  and  powerful  operation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God ;  and  seeing  it  is  this  redemption  with  which  we 
under  the  gospel  are  principally  concerned,  therefore  I  shall 
handle  the  words  that  I  have  read  under  this  spiritual  sense 
and  meaning. 

And  in  them  briefly  we  have,  1.  A  dismal  case  supposed, 
and  that  is,  spiritual  deadness.  The  people  of  God  were  not 
only  in  bondage  under  their  enemies,  but  likewise  their  souls 
were  at  this  time  in  a  languishing  condition.  But  of  this  more 
afterwards. 

2.  We  have  a  blessed  remedy  here  expressed,  and  that  is 
the  breathings  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  the  influences  of  the 
Holy  Ghost :  Come  from  the  four  zo'mds,  0  breath,  &c.  Now, 
these  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are  here  described, 

\st,  From  their  nature,  held  out  under  the  notion  and  me- 
taphor of  wind  ;  Come  from  the  four  winds,  O  breath.  There 
are  three  elements  by  which  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  are 
held  out  to  us  in  scripture.  Sometimes  they  are  compared 
tojire:  Matth.  iii.  11:  "He  shall  baptize  you  (speaking  of 
Christ)  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with  fire."  Sometimes  they 
are  compared  to  water:  Is.  xliv.  3:  "  I  will  pour  water  upon 
him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground  :  I  will  pour 
my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed,"  &c;  Sometimes  the  influences  of 
the  Spirit  are  held  forth  under  the  metaphor  of  wind,  as  in 
Cant.  iv.  16 :  "  Awake,  O  north  wind ;  and  come,  thou  south ; 
blow  upon  my  garden."  So  here,  by  the  wind,  or  breath  here 
spoken  of,  we  are  principally  to  understand  the  Spirit :  it  is 
plainly  declared  to  be  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  14th  verse  of 
this  chapter.  I  cannot  stand  to  show  you  the  grounds  of  this 
metaphor.  Wind,  you  know,  is  of  a  cleansing,  cooling,  fructi- 
fying nature  and  virtue;  it  acts  freely  and  irresistibly.  It  is 
not  in  the  power  of  man  to  resist  or  oppose  the  blowings  of 
the  wind.  So  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  cleanse  and  purify 
the  heart;  they  allay  the  storms  of  conscience,  "  make  the 
bones  which  were  broken  to  rejoice  1"  they  make  the  soul  to 
"  grow  as  the  lily,  and  to  cast  forth  its  roots  like  Lebanon ;" 
they  render  the  soul  fruitful  "  like  the  garden  of  God  ?'  and 
the  Spirit  acts  with  a  sovereign  freedom,  and  irresistible  efli- 
cacy,  as  you  may  hear  afterwards.     But, 

2dly,  These  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  described, 
from  their  variety,  four  winds :  Come  from  the  four  winds,  O 
breath;  importing  the  manifold  influences  and  operations  of 
this  one  and  eternal  Spirit.     Hence  we  read  of  the  "  north 


III.]  THE  DRY  BONES  IN  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  83 

and  south  wind,"  Cant.  iv.  10 ;  and  of  "  the  seven  spirits  that 
are  before  the  throne  of  God,"  Rev.  iv.  5. 

Sdly,  These  influences  are  described  from  their  acting  or 
operation,  which  is  here  called  a  breathing:  Breathe  upon 
these  slain.  By  the  acting  of  this  almighty  wind,  our  natural 
life  was  produced  and  formed.  Gen.  ii.  7.  We  are  there  told, 
that  after  God  had  "  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground, 
he  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life;  and  he  be- 
came a  living  soul."  Ilence  is  that  of  Elihu,  Job  xxxiii.  4: 
"  The  Spirit  of  God  hath  made  me,  and  the  breath  of  the  Al- 
mighty hath  given  me  life."  And  it  is  by  the  influences  of 
the  same  almighty  breath,  that  our  souls  are  "quickened, 
when  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  and  our  spiritual  life  is 
formed  within  us.     But  then, 

4thli/,  These  influences  are  described  from  the  end  and  ef- 
fect of  their  operation  :  Breathe  upon  these  slain,  that  they  may 
live;  that  is,  that  the  dry  bones  may  become  living  souls,  that 
out  of  these  stones  children  may  be  raised  up  to  Abraham. 

Now,  from  these  words,  thus  briefly  explained,  1  only  offer 
you  this  one  observation ;  namely, 

DocT.  "  That  as  the  generality  of  a  church  and  people  in 
covenant  with  (iod,  may  be  in  a  very  dead  and  languishing 
condition  as  to  their  souls ;  so  the  breathings  and  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  are  absolutely  necessary  for  their  re- 
vival. This  is  the  sum  of  what  I  intend  from  these  words, 
Come  from  the  four  winds,  0  breath ;  and  breathe  t/pon  these 
slain,  that  they  may  live.^' 

In  discoursing  upon  this  doctrine,  I  shall, 

I.  Speak  a  little  upon  this  deadness  which  is  incident  to  a 
people  externally  in  covenant  with  God. 

II.  Upon  the  influences  or  breathings  of  the  wind  of  the 
Holy  (ihost,  which  are  so  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to 
their  revival. 

III.  Touch  at  that  life  which  is  effected  by  these  breath- 
ings. 

IV.  I  shall  apply. 

I.  I  say,  I  would  speak  a  little  on  this  deadness  u-hich  is  in- 
cident to  a  people  externally  in  covenant  xcith  God.  And  here 
I  shall  only,  J.  Give  you  some  of  its  kinds.  2.  Some  of  the 
causes  of  it.     3.  Some  of  the  symptoms  of  it. 

1.  The  first  thing  is  to  give  you  some  kinds  of  deadness. — 
Know,  then,  in  general,  that  there  is  a  two-fold  death;  one 
is  proper  and  natural,  the  other  is  improper  and  metapho- 
rical. 


84  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON  [SER. 

(1.)  Death,  properly  so  called,  is  a  thing  so  well  known, 
that  it  is  needless  for  me  to  tell  you  what  it  is.  There  is 
none  of  us  all  but  we  shall  know  it  experimentally  within  a 
little ;  for  "  it  is  appointed  for  every  man  once  to  die." — 
The  grave  is  a  house  appointed  for  all  living ;  and  therefore, 
with  Job,  we  may  "  say  to  corruption.  Thou  art  our  father ; 
and  to  the  worm,  Thou  art  our  mother  and  sister."  But  this 
is  not  the  death  I  now  speak  of;  and  therefore, 

(2.)  There  is  a  death  which  is  improper  or  metaphorical; 
which  is  nothing  else  but  a  disease  or  distemper  of  the  soul, 
by  which  it  is  rendered  unmeet  and  incapable  for  holy  and 
spiritual  exercises.  And  this,  again,  is  two-fold ;  either  total 
or  partial. 

\st,  There  is  a  total  death  incident  to  the  wicked  and  un- 
godly, who  are  stark  dead,  and  have  nothing  of  spiritual  life 
in  them  at  all.  Hence,  (Elph.  ii.  1,)  men  in  a  state  of  nature 
are  said  to  be  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins ;"  that  is,  under 
the  total  reigning  power  of  sin,  "  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and 
under  the  bond  of  iniquity ;"  without  God,  zcithout  Christ,  and 
therefore  zvithotit  hope. 

2dh/,  There  is  a  partial  death  incident  to  believers,  whom 
God  has  raised  out  of  the  grave  of  an  unrenewed  state,  and 
in  whose  souls  he  has  implanted  a  principle  of  spiritual  life. 
And  this  partial  death,  incident  to  believers,  consists  in  a  ma- 
nifest decay  of  spiritual  principles  and  habits,  in  the  abating 
of  their  wonted  life  and  vigour,  and  activity  in  the  way  and 
work  of  the  Lord  :  their  faith,  their  love,  their  hope,  and 
other  graces,  are  all  in  a  fainting  and  languishing  condition ; 
they  lie  dormant  in  the  soul,  like  the  life  of  the  tree  that  lies 
hid  in  its  root,  without  fruit  or  blossoms,  during  the  winter- 
vSeason.  Such  deadness  as  this  we  find  the  Lord's  people  in 
scripture  frequently  complaining  of,  particularly  Is.  Ivi.  3 : 
"  The  son  of  the  stranger,  that  hath  joined  himself  to  the 
Lord,  and  taken  hold  of  his  covenant,"  he  is  made  to  speak, 
saying,  "  The  Lord  hath  utterly  separated  me  from  his  peo- 
ple :"  and  the  eunuch  cries  out,  /  ain  a  dry  tree,  wherein  there 
is  no  life  or  sap.  It  is  this  kind  of  spiritual  deadness,  incident 
to  believers,  that  I  now  principally  speak  of.  The  leaves  of 
his  profession  may  in  a  great  measure  be  withered ;  the  can- 
dle of  his  conversation  may  burn  dimly,  or  with  a  very  im- 
perfect light ;  the  flame  of  his  affections,  his  zeal,  love,  desire, 
may,  like  that  of  a  great  fire,  be  reduced  to  a  few  coals  and 
cinders.  There  may  be  a  great  intermission  or  formality  in 
the  discharge  of  commanded  duty.  The  mind,  which  once 
with  delight  and  admiration,  could  meditate  upon  God  and 
Christ,  and  the  covenant,  and  things  that  are  above,  may 
come  to  lose  its  relish  for  these  things,  and  to  dote  upon  the 


III.]  THE  DRY  BONES  IN  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  85 

transitory  fading  vanities  of  a  present  \vorld.  The  common 
gifts  of  the  Sjtirit,  through  carnal  ease,  and  defect  of  em- 
ployment, may  be  in  a  great  measure  blasted:  and,  which  is 
worst  of  all,  the  saving  graces,  and  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  may 
come  to  be  wofully  impaired  as  to  their  former  degrees  and 
actings.  But  now,  this  partial  death  of  believers,  again,  is 
twofold:  there  is  a  deadncss  which  is  felt  by  God's  people, 
antl  a  dcadness  which  is  not  felt;  "gray  hairs  are  here  and 
there  upon  them,  sometimes,  and  they  do  not  behold  them." 
The  Lord  was  departed  from  Samson,  a7id  he  wist  not,  Judg. 
xvi.  20.  But  then  there  is  a  dcadness  which  is  felt,  when 
God's  people  have  a  sense  of  their  dcadness,  and  are  lament- 
ing it.  And  it  is  an  evidence  of  spiritual  life,  or  of  some  re- 
vival, when  the  Lord's  people  are  beginning  to  cry  out  with 
the  church,  (Psal.  Ixxxv.  G:)  "  Wilt  thou  not  revive  us  again; 
that  thy  people  may  rejoice  in  thee? — Why  hast  thou  har- 
dened our  heart  from  thy  fear?"    Is.  Ixiii.  17.     But, 

2.  The  second  thing  is,  to  take  notice  of  some  of  the  causes 
of  this  spiritual  dcadness.  1  shall  only  name  them,  because 
your  time  would  not  allow  me  to  enlarge. 

(1.)  Then,  abstinence  or  neglect  of  food,  you  know,  will 
soon  bring  the  body  into  a  pining,  languishing  condition:  so, 
if  the  means  of  grace  be  not  diligently  improved,  if  we  ne- 
glect, by  faith,  to  apprehend  and  to  improve  Christ,  and  to 
feed  upon  him,  whose  "  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  whose  blood 
is  drink  indeed,"  the  spiritual  life  of  the  soul  will  soon  lan- 
guish and  wither.  Hence  is  that  [declaration]  of  Christ, 
John  vi.  53:  "  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and 
drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you." 

(2.)  Surfeiting  the  soul  with  sensual  pleasure  is  another 
great  cause  of  spiritual  death :  Hos.  iv.  11 :  "  Whoredom  and 
wine,  and  new  wine  take  away  the  heai't :"  they  suck  out 
the  very  life  of  the  soul.  What  is  the  reason  why  many  pro- 
fessors of  religion  have  lost  their  wonted  vigour  in  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  and  are  in  such  a  languishing  condition  as  to  their 
soul-matters  f  The  plain  reason  of  it  is  this,  they  are  glut- 
ting themselves  with  the  pleasures  of  sense.  If  Samson  do 
but  sleep  on  Delilah's  lap,  she  will  betray  him  into  the  hands 
of  the  Philistines,  and  cut  the  locks  wherein  his  strength  lies ; 
and  when  he  goes  out  to  shake  himself,  as  at  otlier  times,  he 
will  find  his  strength  gone  away  from  him. 

(.*J.)  Inactivity  and  sloth  in  salvation  and  regeneration-work 
is  another  cause  of  spiritual  dcadness.  Physicians  observe, 
that  as  too  violent  exercise,  so  too  much  rest,  or  a  sedentary 
way  of  living,  is  prejudicial  to  the  health  of  the  body.  This 
holds  also  in  spiritual  things:  if  we  do  not  exercise  our- 
selves unto  godliness,  and  endeavour  to  abound  in  the  work 

VOL.  I.  8 


86  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLV  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON  [sER. 

of  the  Lord,  the  spiritual  Ufe  will  soon  languish  and  dwindle 
away.  Therefore,  "  Let  us  not  be  slothful  in  business,  but 
fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord ;  and  whatever  our  hand 
findeth  to  do,  let  us  do  it  with  all  our  might."  And  beware 
of  resting  upon  empty  wishes  and  desires  in  spiritual  matters ; 
for  "  the  desire  of  the  slothful  kills  him,  because  his  hands 
refuse  to  labour." 

(4.)  The  contagion  of  ill  example,  of  a  carnal  world,  and 
irreligious  relatives,  has  a  fatal  influence  this  way.  You  know 
it  is  exceedingly  dangerous  for  those  who  have  the  seed  of  all 
diseases  in  them  to  frequent  the  company  of  those  who  are 
infected  with  the  plague  or  pestilence.  A  Joseph,  if  he  stay 
long  in  the  Egyptian  court,  will  learn  to  swear  "by  the  life  of 
Pharaoh."  It  is  true,  indeed,  as  fire  sometimes  burns  with 
the  greater  vehemence,  and  casts  the  greater  heat,  the  cold- 
er the  air  be;  so  the  zehl  and  life  of  God's  people  is  some- 
times rather  quickened,  by  beholding  the  wickedness  of  those 
among  whom  their  lot  is  cast,  as  Paul  among  the  Athenians. 
But  if  we  shall  adventure  to  cast  ourselves  into  the  society  of 
the  wicked,  without  a  special  call  and  warrant  from  Provi- 
dence, it  will  be  next  to  an  impossibility  to  keep  ourselves 
free  of  the  contagion :  for  "  can  a  man  carry  fire  in  his  bo- 
som, and  his  clothes  not  be  burnt?  Can  a  man  walk  upon 
hot  coals,  and  his  feet  not  be  burnt?  Evil  communications 
corrupt  good  manners." 

(5.)  Some  deadly  wound  in  the  soul,  not  carefully  noticed, 
may  be  the  cause  of  spiritual  death.  You  know  a  man  may 
die  not  only  by  a  draught  of  poison,  or  the  like,  but  also  by 
the  cut  of  a  sword.  While  we  are  in  the  wilderness,  we  live 
in  the  very  midst  of  our  spiritual  enemies :  the  fiery  darts  of 
Satan  are  flying  thick  about  us;  he  is  always  seeking  to 
bruise  the  believer's  heel,  "going  about  seeking  to  devour:" 
and  not  only  so,  but  our  own  lusts  also  do  war  against  the 
soul,  so  that  we  cannot  miss  to  be  wounded  thereby.  And 
if  the  filth  and  guilt  of  these  wounds  be  not  carefully  washed 
away  by  the  blood  and  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  they 
cannot  miss  exceedingly  to  impair  the  spiritual  life  and  health  : 
therefore,  David,  after  he  had  been  wounded  by  murder  and 
adultery,  is  so  earnest  that  God  would  wash  and  cleanse  his 
wounds,  and  purge  him  with  hyssop,  that  so  the  joy  of  his 
salvation  might  be  restored.     But  then, 

(6.)  A  holy  God  has  sometimes  a  righteous  and  holy  hand 
in  this  spiritual  death,  to  wliicii  the  Lord's  people  are  liable, 
by  withdrawing  and  suspending  the  influences  of  his  Spirit 
from  them.  For  as  the  plant  and  the  herb  of  the  field  wi- 
ther, and  languish  when  the  rain  of  heaven  is  withheld ; 
so  when  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are  suspended,  the 


HI.]  THE  DRY  BONES  IN  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  87 

very  sap  of  the  soul,  and  its  spiritual  life  go  away.  And 
the  Lord  withholds  the  influences  of  his  Spirit  for  many  rea- 
sons,    As, 

1.9/,  He  does  it  sometimes  in  a  way  of  awful  and  adorable 
sovereignty,  to  show  that  he  is  not  a  debtor  to  any  of  his 
creatures.  However,  because  the  Spirit's  influences  are  sel- 
dom withdrawn  in  a  way  of  sovereignty,  it  is  our  part  to  search 
and  try  if  conscience  do  not  condemn  us,  as  having  a  sinful 
and  culpable  hand  in  it  ourselves. 

2dly,  Sometimes  he  does  it  to  humble  his  people,  and  to 
prevent  their  pride,  which  makes  him  to  "  behold  them  afar 
ofK"  If  we  were  always  under  the  lively  gales  and  influences 
of  the  Spirit,  we  would  be  ready^to  forget  ourselves,  and  in 
danger  with  Paul,  of  being  lifted  up  above  measure,  when  he 
was  wrapt  up  into  the  third  heaven.  Upon  this  account, 
some  of  the  saints  have  said,  that  they  have  got  more  good 
sometimes  by  their  desertion,  than  by  their  enlargement. 

'Sdlij,  He  does  it  to  make  them  prize  Christ,  and  see  their 
continual  need  of  fresh  supplies  "out  of  his  fulness."  He  lets 
our  cisterns  run  dry,  that  we  may  come  anew,  and  lay  our 
empty  vessels  under  the  flowings  of  the  blessed  "fountain  of 
life,"  that  "  out  of  his  fulness  we  may  receive,  and  grace  for 
grace."  y 

4thli/,  He  does  it  sometimes  for  the  trial  of  his  people,  to 
sec  if  they  will  follow  him  "  in  a  wilderness,  in  a  land  that 
is  not  sown,"  as  well  as  when  he  is  feeding  them  with  the 
sensible  communications  of  his  grace  and  Spirit ;  to  see  if 
they  will  live  on  him  by  faith,  when  they  cannot  live  by  sight 
or  sense. 

bthli/,  Sometimes  he  does  it  for  their  chastisement,  to  cor- 
rect them  for  their  iniquities.  And  this,  indeed,  is  the  most 
ordinary  cause  why  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  suspended  and 
withdrawn. 

I  have  not  time  to  enumerate  many  of  these  sins  which 
provoke  the  Lord  to  withdraw  his  Spirit.  I  shall  only  men- 
tion two  or  three. 

(1.)  Not  hearkening  to  the  motions  of  his  Spirit,  is  one 
great  reason  why  the  Lord  withdraws  his  Spirit ;  as  you  see 
in  the  spouse,  Cant.  v.  There  Christ  comes,  and  moves,  and 
calls  for  entrance  :  the  spouse  does  not  hearken  to  the  motion: 
"  I  have  putolFmy  coat,  how  shall  1  put  it  on?  I  have  washed 
my  feet,  how  shall  I  defile  them  ?"  Upon  which  he  immediate- 
ly withdraws  and  leaves  her,  as  you  may  read  at  your  own 
leisure. 

(*2.)  Liikewarmness  and  formality  in  the  discharge  of  duty 
is  another  cause  of  it,  as  we  see  in  the  church  of  Laodicea  ;  it 
made  him  to  spew  that  church  out  of  his  mouth.     And  then, 


88  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOL^  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON  [SER. 

(3.)  Prostituting  the  gifts  and  graces  of  the  Spirit  to  carnal, 
selfish,  and  base  ends,  to  procure  a  name,  or  make  a  show  in 
the  world.     This  is  another  reason  of  it. 

(4.)  Sinning  against  light,  trampling  upon  the  belly  of  con- 
science, as  David  no  doubt  did  in  the  matter  of  Uriah  and 
Bathsheba ;  whereby  he  provoked  the  Lord  so  far  to  leave 
him,  that  he  cries  out,  (Psal.  li.  11 :)  "Cast  me  not  out  of  thy 
sight;  and  take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me." 

(5.)  Barrenness  and  unfruitfulness  under  the  means  of 
grace :  Is.  v.  the  clouds  are  commanded  to  give  no  rain  upon 
the  barren  vineyard.     And  then, 

(6.)  And  lastly,  Their  not  listening  carefully  to  the  voice  of 
God  in  ordinances  and  providences;  this  is  another  cause  of 
it;  Psal.  Ixxxi.  11,  12:  "  My  people  would  not  hearken  to 
my  voice;  therefore,  I  gave  them  up  unto  their  own  hearts' 
lust:  and  they  walked  in  their  own  counsels."  And  thus  you 
have  some  of  the  causes  of  this  spiritural  deadness.  I  come 
to— 

3.  The  third  thing,  which  was  to  give  you  some  of  the 
symptoms  of  it :  and  would  to  God  they  were  not  too  visible, 
rife,  and  common  in  the  day,  and  upon  the  generation  in  which 
we  live.     I  shall  name  a  few  of  them  to  you. 

(1.)  Want  of  appetite  after  the  bread  and  water  of  life  is  a 
symptom  of  spiritual  death.  You  know  that  man  cannot  be 
in  a  healthful  condition  that  loathes  his  food,  or  has  lost  his 
appetite  after  it.  Alas !  is  not  the  manna  of  heaven,  that 
God  is  raining  about  our  tent-doors,  generally  loathed?  The 
great  truths  of  God,  which  some  of  the  saints  have  found  to 
be  "sweeter  than  honey,  from  the  honey-comb,"  have  not 
that  savour  and  relish  with  us  that  they  ought  to  have.  Are 
not  sabbaths,  sacraments,  sermons,  fast-days,  and  feast-days, 
burdens  to  many  among  us ;  so  that  if  they  would  but  speak 
out  the  language  of  their  hearts,  they  would  be  ready  to  join 
issue  with  these,  Mai.  i.  13:  "What  a  weariness  is  this?" 
Whereas,  the  soul  that  is  in  a  lively  condition  is  ready  to  say 
of  the  word,  "  It  is  better  to  me  than  thousands  of  gold  and 
silver;  I  esteem  it  more  than  my  necessary  food :"  and  of  or- 
dinances, "  1  love  the  habitation  of  thy  house,  and  the  place 
where  thy  honour  dwelleth;"  and  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  10:  "One 
day  in  thy  courts  is  better  than  a  tiiousand." 

(2.)  Though  a  man  have  something  of  an  appetite,  yet  if 
he  do  pot  grow,  or  look  like  his  food,  it  looks  something  dan- 
gerous and  death-like.  The  thriving  Christian  is  a  growing 
Christian:  "They  that  be  planted  in  the  house  of  tlie  Lord 
shall  flourish  in  the  courts  of  our  God. — The  righteous  shall 
hold  on  his  way,  and  he  that  Jiath  clean  hands  shall  be 
stronger  and  stronger,"     But,  alas !  is  it  not  quite  otherwise 


m.]  THE  DRY  BONES  IN  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  89 

with  the  most  part?  Many  are  going  backward,  instead  of 
forward  ;  as  it  is  said  of  Jerusalem  ;  (Lam.  i.  8  :)  "  She  sigheth, 
and  turneth  backward."  May  we  not  cry  out  of  our  leanness, 
our  leanness,  notwithstanding  of  all  the  fattening  means  and 
ordinances  that  we  enjoy? 

(3.)  You  know,  when  death  takes  a  dealing  with  a  person,  it 
makes  his  beauty  to  fade:  "  When  with  rebukes  thou  dost 
correct  man  for  iniquity,  thou  makest  his  beauty  to  consume 
away  like  a  moth."  Pale  death  soon  alters  the  ruddy  coun- 
tenance. Perhaps  the  day  has  been,  O  believer,  when  the 
beauty  of  holiness  adorned  every  step  of  thy  conversation ; 
thy  "  light  did  so  shine  before  men,  that  they,  seeing  thy  good 
works,"  could  not  but 'i  glorify  thy  heavenly  Father;"  but 
now,  alas  !  the  beauty  of  thy  conversation  Is  sullied  and  stain- 
ed, by  "  lying  among  the  pots  "  of  sin.  This  says,  that  spiritual 
death  is  dealing  with  thy  soul. 

(4.)  Death  not  only  wastes  the  beauty,  but  the  strength 
also:  Eccl.  xii.  3:  "The  keepers  of  the  house  do  tremble, 
and  the  strong  men  do  bow,"  upon  the  approaches  of  the  king 
of  terrors.  Now,  see  if  your  wonted  strength  and  ability 
to  perform  duty,  or  to  resist  temptations,  be  not  abated. 
Perhaps  the  day  has  been,  when  thou  couldst  have  said  with 
Paul,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?  for,  through 
Christ  strengthening  me,  lean  do  all  things;"  but  now  thou 
art  ready  to  faint  and  sit  up  at  the  very  thoughts  of  duty. 
The  day  perhaps  has  been,  when,  though  Satan,  that  cun- 
ning archei-,  did  slioot  sore  at  thee;  yet  "thy  bow  did  abide 
in  its  strength,  and  the  arms  of  thy  hands  were  made  strong 
by  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob ;"  thou  wast  in  case  to  beat  back 
the  fiery  darts  of  Satan,  and  to  stand  thy  ground  against  the 
corruptions  and  defections  of  the  day  and  generation  :  but 
now,  like  a  dead  fish,  thou  art  canied  down  the  stream.  Does 
not  this  proclaim  thy  soul  to  be  under  a  sad  decay? 

(5.)  Death  wastes  the  natural  heat  and  warmness  of  the 
body.  There  is  a  kind  of  chilliness  and  coldnctss  that  seizes  a 
man  when  death  takes  a  dealing  with  him.  So  it  is  a  sign  of  a 
spiritual  decay  and  deadness,  when  wonted  zeal  for  (iod  and 
his  glory,  aiiu  the  concerns  of  his  church  and  his  kingdom,  is 
abated.  Perhaps  the  day  has  been,  when,  with  David,  the 
zeal  of  (^lod's  house  did  in  a  manner  eat  you  up,  and  you 
"  preferred  Jersualem  to  your  chief  joy:"  hut  now  you  are  al- 
most come  the  Icnuth  of  (iailio's  temper,  to  "  care  for  none 
of  these  things;"  indiircrent  whether  the  work  of  (iod  in  the 
land  sink  or  swim.  I^aodicea's  di>temper  is  too  prevalent 
among  us  at  this  day  :  we  are  "  neither  cold  nor  hot"  in  the 
things  of  God ;  and  therefore  have  reason  to  fear,  lest  we 
be  spewed  out  of  God's  mouth.     The  day  has  been,  when 

8* 


90  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON         [SER. 

your  spirits  were  lifted  up,  in  prayer,  in  hearing,  in  commu- 
nicating ;  you  were  "  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord ;" 
you  could  rejoice  to  work  righteousness,  and  say,  in  some 
measure,  with  David,  "  I  will  go  unto  the  altar  of  God,  to 
God,  my  exceeding  joy;"  but  now  all  this  holy  warmth  is 
gone  in  a  great  measure ;  you  are  become  formal  and  careless 
in  the  concerns  of  God's  glory. 

(6.)  A  dead  man,  you  know,  cannot  move,  but  only  as  he 
is  moved  from  without,  in  regard  he  wants  a  principle  of 
motion  within.  So  it  is  a  sign  of  spiritual  death,  even  in 
believers,  when  external  motives  and  considerations  have  a 
greater  influence  in  the  duties  of  religion  upon  them,  than  an 
internal  principle  of  faith  and  love.  When  the  believer  is 
himself,  "the  love  of  Christ  constrains"  him  in  every  duty; 
this  is  the  "  one  thing  "  he  desires,  "  that  he  may  behold  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  inquire  in  his  temple:"  but  when 
any  selfish  or  external  motive  sets  him  at  work,  it  is  a  sign  of 
spiritual  death.  Other  things  might  be  added;  but  I  hasten 
to  speak  to, 

II.  The  seco7id  thing  proposed  in  the  method,  and  that  was, 
to  speak  a  Utile  of  these  breathings  and  i?ifluences  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  which  are  absolutely  7}ecessary  for  the  revival  of  the 
Lord^s  people  under  deadness :  Come  from  the  four  winds,  0 
breath !  and  breathe  upon  these  slain,  that  they  may  live.  And 
here  I  would,  L  Clear  the  nature  of  these  influences,  in  a 
word  or  two.  2.  Speak  to  the  variety  of  these  influences, /o?/r 
wijids.  3.  To  the  manner  of  their  operation  upon  the  elect ; 
they  crt-e  said  to  breathe  upon  the  slain.  4.  Speak  a  little  to 
the  necessity  of  these  breathings.  5.  To  the  several  seasons 
of  the  Spirit's  reviving  influences. 

I  fear  your  time  will  cut  me  short  before  I  have  done ;  but 
I  shall  run  through  these  particulars  as  quickly  as  possible. 

L  'Thefrst  thing  is,  to  clear  the  nature  of  these  breathings 
or  influences.  And  what  I  have  to  offer  upon  this  head,  you 
may  take  in  these  few  propositions: — 

(L)  You  would  know,  that  the  influences  and  gifts  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  are  of  two  sorts,  either  common  or  saving.  As 
for  the  common  influences  of  the  Spirit,  which  are  sometimes 
bestowed  upon  the  wicked  and  reprobate  world,  I  am  not  to 
speak  of  these  at  this  time.  All  I  shall  say  about  them  is,  to 
tell  you,  that  they  are  given  in  common  to  the  children  of 
men,  "for  edification  of  the  mystical  body  of  Christ,"  until  it 
arrive  at  "  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ," 
as  you  read,  Eph.  iv. :  and  therefore  they  are  commonly  called 
by  divines  dona  ministrantia,  or  ministering  gifts.  Although 
they  liave  no  saving  eilicacy  upon  the  person  in  whom  they 
dwell ;  yet  God,  in  his  holy  wisdom,  makes  use  of  them  for 


III.]  THE  DRV  BONES  IN  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  91 

the  good  of  his  cliurch  in  general,  as  we  read,  Eph.  iv.  And 
another  thing  that  I  would  tell  you,  likewise,  concerning  these 
common  influences,  is,  that  they  are  of  an  exceedingly  dan- 
gerous nature,  when  they  are  not  accompanied  with  saving 
grace.  The  man  that  has  them,  is  like  a  ship  having  very 
large  sails,  and  but  little  or  no  ballast  at  all,  in  the  midst  of 
the  ocean ;  and  is  therefore  in  danger  of  being  split  in  pieces 
against  every  rock.  In  Matth.  vii.  22,  we  read  of  some  who 
had  extraordinary  common  gifts;  they  prophesied  in  Christ's 
name,  wrought  miracles,  and  cast  out  devils  in  his  name,  and 
did  many  wonderful  works,  and  yet  Christ  utterly  disowns 
them.  I  do  not  speak  of  these  common  influences  now,  but 
of  such  as  are  saving.     And  therefore, 

(2.)  A  second  proposition  is,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God, 
considered  in  his  particular  economy  in  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion, as  the  applierof  the  Redeemer's  purchase,  is  the  author 
and  cflicient  cause  of  all  saving  influences.  It  is  he,  I  say, 
that  prepares  and  disposes  the  soul  of  man  for  the  entertain- 
ment of  the  things  of  God,  which  are  not  received  nor  dis- 
cerned by  the. natural  mind.  It  is  he  that  ploughs  up  the 
fallow  ground  of  the  heart,  and  brings  in  the  wilderness,  and 
turns  it  into  a  fruitful  field.  It  is  he  that  garnishes  the  face 
of  the  soul  with  the  saving  graces  of  the  Spirit ;  these  are 
flowers  of  the  upper  paradise,  therefore  called  "  the  fruits 
of  the  Spirit,"  Gal.  v.  22.  It  is  he  that  preserves,  cherishes, 
and  maintains,  them  by  renewed  influences:  he  cherishes  the 
smoking  flax,  and  at  last  turns  it  into  a  lamp  of  glory  in  hea- 
ven; for  "he  brings  forth  judgment  unto  victory." 

(3.)  Again;  you  would  know  that  the  elect  of  God  are  the 
suhjects  recipient  of  all  saving  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God: 
I  say,  they  are  peculiar  only  to  the  elect  of  God,  and  to  them 
only  upon  their  conversion,  when  they  come  to  be  united  to 
Christ,  as  members  of  his  mystical  body.  We  must  be  in- 
grafted into  this  true  olive,  otherwise  we  can  never  partake 
of  his  sap,  and  "  receive  out  of  his  fulness,  grace  for  grace." 
That  (hese  influences  are  peculiar  to  the  elect  of  God,  is  plain 
from  Tit.  i.  1;  where  we  read  of  "  the  faith  of  God's  elect." 

(4.)  These  influences  of  the  Spirit,  are  given  for  various 
ends  to  the  elect  of  God.  The  judicious  Dr.  Owen,  in  his 
Discourses  on  the  S/iirU,  observes,  that  these  saving  influences 
are  given  to  the  elect  of  (iod  for  regeneration,  to  the  regene- 
rate for  sanctification,  to  the  sanctified  for  consolation,  and  to 
the  comforted  Christian  for  farther  up-building,  and  edifica- 
tion, and  establishment,  until  they  arrive  at  perfection  in  glo- 
ry. Bid  the  nature  of  these  influences  will  farther  appear 
from, 

2.  The  second  thing  proposed,  which  was,  to  speak  a  little 


92  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLV  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON  [sER. 

to  the  variety  of  these  influences  of  the  Spirit.  You  see  they 
are  diversified  here,  while  they  are  called  four  zvmds:  Come 
from  the  four  roinds,  0  breath.  The  apostle  tells  us,  that 
"there  are  diversities  of  gifts  and  operations,  but  the  same 
Spirit,"  1  Cor.  xi.  4.  And  we  read,  as  I  was  telling  you,  of 
"seven  Spirits  that  are  before  the  throne,"  Rev.  i.  Here,  if 
time  would  allow  me  to  enlarge,  I  might  tell  you,  that  the 
saving  influences  and  breathings  of  the  Spirit  are  either  pri- 
mary, fundamental,  and  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation;  or 
they  are  accumulative,  additional,  necessary  only  for  the  be- 
liever's comfort  and  well-being.  Some  of  these  influences  are 
antecedent,  or  preparative  unto  conversion ;  some  of  them 
are  regenerating,  and  others  are  subsequent  and  posterior 
unto  regeneration.  But  I  shall  not  stand  upon  such  nice  dis- 
tinctions. You  may  take  a  few  of  them  in  the  order  follow- 
ing'— 

(1.)  There  are  the  convincing  influences  of  the  Spirit: 
John  xvi.  8:  "When  he  is  come,  he  will  convince  the  world 
of  sin."  This  is  what  I  conceive  we  are  to  understand  by 
the  "north  wind,"  (Cant.  iv.  IG;)  which  is  commonly  boiste- 
rous, cold,  chill  and  nipping.  The  elect  of  God  by  nature 
He  fast  asleep  within  the  sea-mark  of  God's  wrath,  upon  the 
very  brink  of  everlasting  ruin,  crying,  "Peace,  peace,"  to 
themselves;  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  comes  like  a  stormy  north 
wind,  blows  hard  upon  the  sinner's  face,  and  awakens  him ; 
breaks  his  carnal  peace  and  security,  brings  him  to  himself, 
and  lets  him  see  his  danger;  fills  him  with  remorse  and  ter- 
ror. Hence,  (Isa,  xxviii.  17,)  the  hail  is  said  to  "sweep  down 
the  refuge  of  lies,"  before  the  sinner  come  to  settle  upon  the 
"foundation  that  God  hath  laid  in  Zion."  In  Acts  ii.  37,  it  is 
said,  "they  were  pricked  in  their  heart;"  and  then  they  cried 
out,  "Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do?" 

(2.)  There  are  the  enlightening  influences  and  breathings 
of  the  Spirit.  Hence,  he  is  compared  to  ei/e-salve,  Rev.  iii. 
18:  "Ye  have  received  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One,  where- 
by ye  know  all  things,"  1  John  ii.  20.  We  read.  Is.  xxv.  7, 
of  a  "veil  and  face  of  a  covering  that  is  spread  over  all  na- 
tions." The  wind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  must  blow  off  this  veil 
of  ignorance  and  unbelief;  and  then  the  poor  sinner  comes  to 
see  a  new  world  of  wonders  that  he  never  saw  before;  a 
wonderful  great  God,  a  wonder  Ail  Redeemer,  a  wonderful 
covenant,  and  a  wonderful  holy  law.  Hence,  we  are  said  to 
be  "translated  out  of  darkness  into  a  marvellous  light.  The 
Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea,  even  the  deep  things  of  God." 
And,  1  Cor.  ii.  12:  "By  the  Spirit  we  know  the  things  that 
are  freely  given  to  us  of  God." 

(3.)  There  are  the  renewing  influences  of  the  Spirit.     We 


III.]  THE  DRY  BONES  m  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  93 

are  said  to  be  "  saved  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and 
renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  Tit.  iii.  5.  Hence,  he  is  called 
*'  a  new  Spirit."  He  renews  the  will,  and  "  makes  old  things 
to  pass  away,  and  all  things  lo  become  new." 

(4.)  There  are  the  comforting  influences  of  the  Spirit. 
This  is  the  soidh-idnd,  as  it  were,  gentle  and  easy,  and  re- 
freshing; and  therefore  he  is  called  the  Comforter.  And,  in- 
deed, his  consolations  are  strong  consolations ;  they  put  more 
gladness  into  the  heart  than  corn,  wine,  and  oil  in  abundance ; 
fill  the  soul  with  a  joy  that  is  "  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory." 
And  then, 

(5.)  There  are  the  corroborating  and  strengthening  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit.  By  the  breathings  of  the  Spirit  the 
feeble  are  made  "  like  David,  and  as  the  angel  of  God  before 
him."  It  is  he  that  "gives  power  to  the  faint,  and  increases 
strength  to  them  that  have  no  might."  It  is  by  him  that 
■V30rm  Jacob  is  made  to  "  thresh  the  mountains,  and  to  be^t  them 
small,  and  to  make  the  hills  as  chaff."     And  then, 

(0.)  There  are  the  drawing  and  enlarging  influences  of  the 
Spirit:  "Draw  me,"  (says  the  spouse,)  "we  will  run  after 
thee."  The  poor  believer  lies  many  times,  as  it  were,  wind- 
bound,  that  he  is  not  able  to  move  one  step  in  the  way  of  the 
Lord:  but,  O!  when  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  comes,  then  come 
Hberly  and  enlargement:  "I  will  run  the  way  of  thy  com- 
mandments," (says  David,)  "  when  thou  hast  enlarged  my 
heart;"  to  wit,  by  the  influences  of  thy  Spirit.  He  is  like  oil 
to  their  chariot-wheels ;  and  when  he  comes,  they  are  as  the 
chariots  of  Ammi?iac/ib,  or  a  znll'mg  people. 

(7.)  There  are  the  sin-mortifying  and  sin-killing  influences 
of  the  Spirit :  "  We,  through  the  Spirit,"  are  said  to  "  morti- 
fy the  deeds  of  the  body,  that  so  we  may  live."  When  this 
wind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  blows  upon  the  soul,  he  not  only 
makes  the  spices  to  revive,  but  he  kills  the  weeds  of  sin  and 
corruption,  making  them  to  wither  and  decay ;  so  that  the 
poor  believer,  who  was  crying,  "  Wretched  man,  what  shall 
1  do  to  be  delivered  from  this  l)ody  of  death !"  is  made  some- 
times to  tread  upon  the  necks  of  these  enemies,  as  a  pledge 
of  his  complete  victory  at  last.     And  then, 

(8.)  There  arc  the  interceding  influences  of  the  Spirit: 
Rom.  viii.  2(5 :  "  The  Sj)irit  maketh  intercession  for  us  with 
groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered."  He  intercedes  in  a  phy- 
sical and  cflirient  way.  He  makes  us  to  wrestle  and  pray; 
therefore  he  is  called  "  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  supplications," 
Zech.  xii.  10.  He  fills  the  believer's  heart  and  mouth  with 
such  a  heavenly  rhetoric,  that  God  is  not  able  to  withstand  it. 
Hence  Jacob  "had  power  with  the  angel,  and  prevailed;"  for 
"he  wept,  and  made  supplication  unto  him."     And  then, 


94  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON         [SER. 

(9.)  There  are  the  sealing  and  witnessing  influences  of  the 
Spirit :  He  "  witnesseth  with  our  spirits,  that  we  are  the  sons 
of  God."  He  bears  witness  of  the  glorious  fulness  and  suita- 
bleness of  Christ  to  the  soul :  "  The  Spirit  shall  testify  of  me," 
John  XV.  26.  And  he  is  said  to  "  seal  believers  to  the  day  of 
redemption;"  and  his  seal  is  the  earnest  of  glory:  Eph.  i.  13, 
14:  "Ye  are  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is 
the  earnest  of  the  inheritance."  But  these  things  1  have  not 
time  to  insist  upon.     So  much  for  the  second  thing.    > 

3.  The  third  thing  that  I  proposed  here,  was,  to  speak  a 
little  to  the  manner  of  the  acting  or  operation  of  these  in- 
fluences, or  how  it  is  that  this  wind  blows  upon  the  soul?  I 
answer, 

(1.)  The  wind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  blows  very  freely;  the 
Spirit  acts  as  an  independent  sovereign,  John  iii.  8.  It  does 
not  stay  for  the  command,  nor  stop  for  the  prohibition  of  any 
creature.  So  the  breathings  of  the  Spirit  are  sovereignly 
free  as  to  the  time  of  their  donation,  free  as  to  their  duration 
and  continuance,  free  as  to  the  measure,  and  free  as  to  the 
manner  of  their  working.     And  then, 

(2.)  He  breathes  on  the  soul  sometimes  very  surprisingly: 
"Or  ever  I  was  aware  (says  the  spouse,)  my  soul  made  me 
like  the  chariots  of  Amminadib."  Canst  thou  not  seal  this  in 
thy  experience,  believer,  that  sometimes,  when  thou  hast 
gone  to  duty  in  a  very  heartless  and  lifeless  condition,  per- 
haps beginning  to  raze  foundations,  and  to  say  with  Zion, 
"The  Lord  hath  forsaken,  and  my  God  hath  forgotten,"  a 
gale  from  heaven  has  in  a  manner  surprised  thee,  and  set 
thee  upon  the  high  places  of  Jacob,  and  made  thee  to  cry  with 
the  spouse,  "It  is  the  voice  of  my  beloved!  Behold,  he 
Cometh  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  skipping  upon  the  hills? 
— His  anger  endureth  but  for  a  moment:  in  his  favour  is  life: 
weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the 
morning." 

(3.)  These  breathings  and  influences  of  the  Spirit  are  some- 
times very  piercing  and  penetrating.  The  cold  nipping  north 
wind,  you  know,  goes  to  the  very  quick.  The  sword  of  the 
Spirit  "  pierces  even  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit, 
and  of  the  joints  and  marrow,  and  is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts 
and  intents  of  the  heart."  Wind,  you  know,  is  of  a  very  seek- 
ing, penetrating  nature ;  it  seeks  through  the  closest  cham- 
bers. So  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  candle  of  the  Lord,  "searcheth 
the  lower  parts  of  the  belly:"  he  makes  a  discovery  of  these 
lusts  and  idols  that  skulk  in  the  secret  chambers  of  the  heart. 

(4.)  The  breathings  of  this  wind  are  very  powerful,  strong, 
and  efiicacious.  Who  can  oppose  the  blowings  of  the  winds? 
Some  winds  have  such  a  mighty  force  with  them,  that  they 


III.]  THE  DRY  BONES  IN  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  95 

bear  down,  overturn,  and  overthrow  every  thing  that  stands 
in  their  way.  So  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  sometimes,  especial- 
ly at  first  conversion,  breaks  in  upon  the  soul  like  the  rushing 
of  a  mighly  uhid,  as  he  did  upon  the  apostles,  breaking  down 
the  strong  holds  of  iniquity,  casting  to  the  ground  every  high 
thought  and  towering  imagination  of  the  soul,  that  exalts 
itself  against  Christ,  with  a  powerful  and  triumphant  efficacy. 
He  masters  the  darkness  of  the  mind,  the  contumacy  and  re- 
bellion of  the  will,  and  the  carnality  of  the  affections :  the 
enmity  of  the  htjart  against  God,  and  all  the  spiritual  wicked- 
nesses that  are  in  the  high  places  of  the  soul,  are  made  to  fall 
down  at  his  feet,  as  Dagon  did  before  the  ark  of  the  Lord. 

{p.)  Although  he  act  thus  powerfully  and  irresistibly,  yet 
it  is  with  an  overcoming  sweetness,  so  as  there  is  not  the  least 
violence  oircred  to  any  of  the  natural  faculties  of  the  soul :  for 
whenever  the  Spirit  comes  with  his  saving  influences,  he  sweet- 
ly overcomes  the  darkness  of  the  mind  ;  the  sinner  becomes  a 
volunteer,  and  content  to  enlist  himself  a  soldier  under  Christ's 
banner:  Psal.  ex.  3:  "  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in  the  day 
of  thy  power."  No  sooner  does  Christ  by  his  Spirit  say  to  the 
soul,  "  Follow  me,"  but  immediately  they  arise  and  follow  him. 
"  Behold,  we  come  unto  thee,  for  thou  art  the  Lord  our  God." 
Then, 

(6.)  There  is  something  in  the  breathing  of  this  wind  that 
is  incomprehensible  by  reason :  John  iii.  8 :  "  Thou  hearest 
the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and 
whither  it  goes,"  says  Christ  :  "  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of 
the  Spirit."  There  is  something  in  the  operation  of  the  eternal 
Spirit  and  his  intluertces  beyond  the  reach,  not  only  of  natural, 
but  of  sanctified  reason.  Who  can  tell  "how  the  bones  are 
formed  in  the  womb  of  her  that  is  with  child?  "  so,  far  less  can 
we  tell  how  the  Spirit  forms  the  babe  of  grace  in  the  heart; 
how  be  preserves,  maintains,  and  cherishes  "the  smoking  flax," 
that  is  not  quite  extinguished.  We  may,  in  this  case,  apply 
the  words  of  the  psalmist  in  another  case,  and  say,  "Thy  way 
is  in  the  sea,  and  thy  path  in  the  great  waters,  and  thy  footsteps 
are  not  known  ; "  and  that  of  the  apostle,  "  How  unsearchable 
are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  fit)ding  out!" 

(7.)  These  influences  of  the  S[)irit,  arc  sometimes  felt  be- 
fore they  are  seen  ;  as  you  know  a  man  will  feel  the  wind,  and 
hear  it,  when  he  cannot  see  it.  So  it  is  with  the  Lord's  peo- 
ple many  times,  on  whom  the  Spirit  breathes:  they  feel  his 
actings,  they  are  sensible  that  he  has  been  dealing  with  them  ; 
and  all  that  they  can  say  about  it  is,  with  the  man  that  was 
born  blind,  "One  thing  I  know,  that  whereas  I  was  blind,  now 
I  see."  "The  kingdom  of  heaven  comes  not  with  observa- 
tion." 


96  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON         [SER. 

4.  The  fourth  thing  proposed  was,  to  speak  a  little  to  the 
necessity  oif  these  breathings.  And  here  I  shall  show,  1.  That 
they  are  necessary.     2.  To  what  things  they  are  necessary. 

(1.)  That  they  are  necessary,  will  appear, 

\sl.  From  the  express  declaration  of  Christ,  John  xv.  5 : 
"  Without  me,  ye  can  do  nothing ; "  that  is,  without  the  aid 
and  influences  of  my  Spirit.  He  does  not  say.  Without  me, 
ye  cannot  do  many  things,  or  great  things ;  but, ''  Without  me, 
ye  can  do  nothing." 

^dly.  It  is  evident  from  the  express  acknowledgment  of  the 
saints  of  God  upon  this  head:  2  Cor.  iii.  5:  "We  are  not," 
says  the  apostle,  "  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  any  thing 
as  of  ourselves:  but  our  sufficiency  is  of  God."  It  is  he  that 
must  "  work  all  our  works  in  us  and  for  us." 

3f//y,  It  is  plain  from  the  earnest  prayers  of  the  saints  for 
the  breathings  of  this  wind:  Cant.  iv.  16:  "Awake,  O  north 
wind,  and  come,  thou  south;  and  blow  upon  my  garden."  Psal. 
Ixxxv.  6:  "Wilt  thou  not  revive  us  again ;  that  thy  people 
may  rejoice  in  thee?"  They  are  promised  in  the  covenant, 
and  therefore  necessary :  Is.  xliv.  3 :  "  I  will  pour  water  upon 
him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground ;  I  will 
pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed,"  &c.  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27 :  "I  will 
put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  sta- 
tutes." Now,  there  is  not  a  mercy  promised  in  the  covenant 
that  can  be  wanting.     But, 

(2.)  To  Vk'hat  are  these  breathings  necessary?  I  answer, 
they  are  necessary, 

Is/,  To  the  quickening  of  the  elect  of  God,  when  they  are 
stark  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  Can  ever  the  dry  bones  live, 
unless  this  omnipotent  wind  blow  upon  them?  It  is  strange, 
to  hear  some  men  that  profess  Cliristianity,  talking  of  the 
power  of  their  own  wills  to  quicken  and  convert  themselves. 
They  may  as  well  say,  that  a  dead  ntan  may  take  his  grave 
in  his  two  arms,  and  lay  death  by  him,  and  walk.  "  No  man," 
says  Christ,  "  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father,  which  hath 
sent  me,  draw  him."  Oh  !  what  a  dead  weight  is  the  sinner, 
that  a  whole  Trinity  must  draw  !  for  both  Father  and  Son 
draws  the  sinner  by  the  breathings  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

2(//?/,  These  influences  are  necessary  for  the  suitable  dis- 
charge of  every  duly  of  religion.  You  cannot  read,  you  can- 
not hear,  you  cannot  pray  or  praise,  you  cannot  communicate 
to  any  advantage,  unless  the  wind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  blow 
upon  you.  It  is  the  Lord  that  must  enlarge  our  steps  under  us, 
and  make  your  feet  like  hinds'  feet  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord. 

3r//y,  They  are  necessary  for  accomplishing  our  spiritual 
warfiire  against  sin,  Satan,  and  the  world.  We  will  never  be 
able  to  combat  with  our  spiritual  enemies,  if  he  do  not  help 


III.]  THE  DRY  BONES  IN  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  97 

us:  it  is  he  only  that  must  "  teach  our  hands  to  war,  and  our 
fingers  to  figlit,  so  as  hows  of  steel  may  be  broken  in  pieces 
by  us."  Without  the  Spirit,  we  will  fail  before  every  tempta- 
tion ;  like  Peter,  curse  and  swear,  that  we  never  knew  him. 

4thly,  They  are  necessary  to  the  exercise  of  grace  already 
implanted  in  the  soul.  As  we  cannot  work  grace  in  our  hearts, 
so  neither  can  we  exercise  it  without  the  renewed  influences 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Cant.  iv.  10:  When  this  wind  blows,  then, 
and  never  till  then,  do  the  spices  flow  out.  But  1  shall  not 
stand  on  this:  the  Spirit's  influences  are  necessary  to  all  the 
uses  mentioned  upon  the  second  head  :  for  conviction,  illu- 
mination, renovation,  consolation,  enlargement,  mortification  of 
sin,  for  assurance  of  our  adoption. 

5.  The  Jiflh  thing  that  I  proposed  upon  this  head,  was,  to 
give  you  some  of  the  seasons  of  these  influences  of  the  Spirit : 
for  the  wind,  you  know,  has  its  seasons  and  times  of  blowing 
and  breathing.     I  shall  only  name  a  few  of  them  to  you. 

(!.)  The  Spirit's  reviving  influences  blow,  very  ordinarily, 
in  a  day  of  conversion.  This,  as  you  were  hearing,  is  a  sea- 
son when  this  wind  breathes  on  the  soul,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26: 
when  God  "  takes  away  the  stony  heart,  and  gives  the  heart 
of  flesh."  He  puts  his  Spirit  witliirj  them,  when  the  soul  is 
first  espoused  unto  Christ.  So  Jer.  ii.  2  :  "  I  remember  thee, 
the  kindness  of  thy  youth,  the  love  of  thine  espousals,  when 
thou  wentest  after  me  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  land  that  was 
not  sown." 

(2,)  When  the  soul  has  been  deeply  humbled  under  a  sense 
of  sin  and  unworthiness.  When  Ephraim  is  brought  low,  and 
is  smiting  on  his  thigh,  acknowledging  his  sin  and  folly,  then 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  comes  with  a  reviving  gale  upon  his 
spirit.  "Is  Ephraim,"  says  the  Lord,  "my  dear  son?  is  he  a 
pleasant  child  ?  for  since  I  spake  against  him,  I  do  earnestly 
remember  him  still :  therefore  my  bowels  are  troubled  for 
him ;  I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon  him,  saith  the  Lord." 

(3.)  After  a  dark  night  of  desertion,  when  the  Lord  returns 
again,  it  is  a  time  of  sweet  influences.  After  Zion  had  been 
crying,  "  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  my  God  hath  forgotten 
me;"  upon  the  back  of  it  comes  a  sweet  gale  of  the  Spirit, 
"Can  a  woman  forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she  should  not 
have  compassion  on  the  son  of  her  womb  1  yea,  they  may  for- 
get, yet  will  not  1  forget  thee." 

(4.)  Times  of  earnest  prayer  and  wrestling;  for  he  gives 
his  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  it.  This  is  agreeable  to  the  pro- 
mise, Ezek.  xxxvi.  .'J7. 

(5.)  Times  of  serious  meditation  arc  times  of  sweet  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit :  Psal.  Ixiii.  .'3,  (5,  8 :  When  I  remember  thee 
upon  my  bed,  and  meditate  on  thee  in  the  night  watches,  my 

VOL.  I.  9 


98  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON  [SER. 

soul  is  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fatness,  and  my  soul  fol- 
loweth  hard  after  thee." 

(6.)  Communion-days  are  sometimes  days  of  sweet  influ- 
ences. Some  of  the  Lord's  people  can  attest  it  from  their  ex- 
perience, with  the  spouse,  that  "  while  the  King  sat  at  his 
table,  the  spikenard  sent  forth  the  smell  thereof;"  and  when 
they  "  sat  down  under  his  shadow,  they  found  his  fruit  sweet 
to  their  taste.  He  brought  me  to  the  banqueting-house,  and 
his  banner  over  me  was  love." 

(7.)  The  day  of  death  has  sometimes  been  found  to  be  a 
day  of  such  pleasant  gales  of  the  Spirit,  that  they  have  been 
made  to  enter  into  the  haven  of  glory  with  the  triumphant 
song  in  their  mouth,  saying,  "  Thanks  be  to  God,  which  giveth 
us  the  victory,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Thus  David, 
"  Although  my  house  be  not  so  with  God ;  yet  he  hath  made 
with  me  an  everlasting  covenant,  ordered  in  all  things,  and 
sure;  for  this  is  all  my  salvation,  and  all  my  desire."  Thus, 
Simeon,  thus  Paul,  &c. 

III.  The  third  thing  in  the  text  and  doctrine  to  be  spoken 
to,  is  the  life  that  is  effected  mid  uroi/gh/  in  the  souls  of  God^s 
elect  by  these  i7ifluences  and  breathings  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Your 
time  will  not  allow  me  to  enlarge  upon  this.  I  shall  only  tell 
you,  in  a  few  particulars,  what  sort  of  a  life  it  is. 

(1.)  It  is  a  life  of  faith.  The  apostle  calls  it  so,  Gal.  ii.  20. 
"  The  life  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me."  And 
the  just  is  said  to  live  by  faith.  The  man  is  ever  embracing 
,  a  Redeemer,  and  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  in  him;  always 
deriving  fresh  supplies  out  of  that  full  treasury  and  store- 
house. 

(2.)  It  is  a  life  of  justification.  The  law  pronounces  a 
curse  against  every  one  that  "  doth  not  continue  in  all  things 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  The  believer 
gets  this  sentence  of  death  cancelled:  Rom.  viii.  1:  "  There 
is  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  And 
not  only  so,  but  he  has  the  everlasting  righteousness  of  Im- 
manuel  God-man  imputed  to  him:  so  that  with  a  holy  bold- 
ness he  may  challenge  justice,  and  challenge  the  law,  what 
they  have  to  say  against  him,  as  the  apostle  does,  Rom.  viii. 
33:  "  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?" 
&c. 

(3.)  It  is  a  life  of  reconciliation  with  God;  God  and  they 
are  at  friendship;  which  follows  naturally  on  their  justifica- 
tion :  Rom.  v.  1 :  "  Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace 
with  God."  God  does  not  retain  the  least  grudge  in  his 
heart  against  them ;  and  he  and  they  walk  together,  because 
they  are  agreed :  that  is,  they  have  fellowship  one  with  ano* 


III.]  THE  DRY  BONES  IN  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  99 

ther,  according  to  that,  1  John   i.  3 :  "  Truly  our  fellowship 
is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ." 

(4.)  It  is  a  life  of  holiness  and  sanctification:  for  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  is  a  cleansing,  purifying,  and  renewing  Spirit : 
he  renews  the  soul  after  the  image  of  God ;  makes  the  heart, 
that  was  a  "  cage  of  unclean  birds,"  a  fit  temple  for  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  dwell  in;  he  garnishes  the  soul,  and  makes  it  like 
the  King's  daughter,  all  glorious  n-ithin.  They  that  had  lien 
among  the  pots,  become  "  like  the  wings  of  a  dove  covered 
with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold." 

(5.)  It  is  a  very  lightsome  and  comfortable  life :  and  no 
wonder;  for  his  name  is  The  Comforter.  His  consolations 
arc  so  strong,  that  they  furnish  the  soul  with  ground  of  joy 
in  the  blackest  and  cloudiest  day :  Hab.  iii.  17,  18 :  "  Although 
the  fig  tree  shall  not  blossom,  neither  shall  fruit  be  in  the  vines, 
the  labour  of  the  olive  shall  fail,  and  the  fields  shall  yield  no 
meat,  the  flock  shall  be  cut  off  from  the  fold,  and  there  shall 
be  no  herd  in  the  stalls:  yet  I  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  I  will 
joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation."  And  the  joy  that  he  gives 
is  deep:  "Your  heart  shall  rejoice."  And  it  is  abiding: 
"  Your  joy  shall  no  man  take  from  you."  And  it  is  such  as 
cannot  be  made  language  of:  "We  rejoice  with  joy  un- 
speakable, and  full  of  glory." 

(«.)  Jt  is  a  life  of  liberty ;  for  "  where  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  \s,  there  is  liberty."  He  brings  us  into  "  the  glorious 
liberty  of  the  sons  of  God."  Before  the  Spirit  comes  with 
his  saving  influences,  the  man  is  in  bondage ;  in  bondage  to 
sin,  to  Satan,  to  the  law,  and  to  the  curse  and  condemnation 
of  God:  but  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  frees  from  all  these. 
Christ,  by  his  Spirit,  sets  the  captives  of  the  mighty  at  liber- 
ty, and  "  delivers  the  prey  from  the  terrible." 

(7.)  It  is  a  hidden  life':  Cok  iii.  3:  "Your  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God."  And  believers  are  called  "  God's  hidden 
ones,"  Psal.  Ixxxiii.  3:  The  spring  and  fountain  of  this  life 
is  hid,  namely,  an  unseen  Christ;  for  idlh  hini  is  the  fountain 
of  life.  The  subject  of  this  life  is  hid,  even  the  hidden  man  of 
the  heart.  The  actings  of  this  life  arc  hid,  and  the  means  of 
its  support;  he  feeds  upon  "the  hidden  manna,  and  the  tree 
of  life  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God."  And 
thciT  the  beauty  and  glory  of  this  life  is  hid;  for  "  the  King's 
daughter  is  all  gkjrious  within."  The  beauty  of  the  hypo- 
crite's life  lies  all  in  the  outside,  painted  sepulchres. 

(8.)  It  is  a  heavenly  life;  they  are  made  to  live  above  the 
world :  "Our  conversation  is  in  heaven,"  says  the  apostle. 
They  look  on  themselves  as  pilgrims  and  strangers  on  the 
earth,  and,  therefore,  look  not  so  much  to  the  things  that  are 
seen,  as  to  the  things  that  are  not  seen.     With  Moses,  they 


100  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON  [SER. 

"  have  respect  unto  the  recompense  of  the  reward ;"  their 
eyes  are  set  upon  the  land  that  is  very  far  off,  and  the  King 
in  his  beauty. 

(9.)  It  is  a  royal  life:  for  they  are  "made  kings  and  priests 
unto  God,"  Rev.  i.  6:  They  have  a  royal  kingdom,  of  which 
they  are  heirs :  "  I  appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom,"  says  Christ ; 
a  royal  crown,  "  a  crown  of  glory  which  fadeth  not  away." 
They  shall  have  a  royal  throne  at  last.  Rev.  iii.  21.  Royal 
robes,  princely  attire,  "  the  garments  of  salvation  ;"  a  royal 
table  provided  for  them.  Is.  xxv.  6 :  "  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a 
feast  of  wines  on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of 
wines  on  the  lees  well  refined ;"  a  royal  guard  continually 
attending  them,  the  angels  of  God,  and  the  attributes  of  the 
divine  nature,  &c. 

(10.)  It  is  an  eternal  life:  John  xvii.  3:  "  This  is  life  eter- 
nal, that  they  might  know  thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent."  The  saving  knowledge  of  a 
God  in  Christ,  what  is  it  but  the  first  dawnings  of  eternal 
glory  in  the  soul?  And  where  he  once  dawns,  he  is  ever  in 
the  ascendant  until  the  mid-day  of  glory  come ;  for  "  his 
goings  forth  are  prepared  as  the  morning." 

IV.  The  fourth  thing  is  the  use  of  the  doctrine.  And 
waving  other  uses  that  might  be  made  of  this  doctrine,  I 
shall  only  improve  it  by  way  of  examinatio?i  and  of  exhorta- 
tion. 

The  Jirst  use  shall  be  of  trial  and  exami?mtion.  Oh  try, 
sirs,  whether  or  not  these  saving  influences  of  the  Spirit  did 
ever  breathe  upon  your  souls,  yea,  or  not.  For  your  trial  I 
shall  only  suggest  these  few  things: — 

1.  If'these  breathings  have  blown  upon  thy  soul,  man,  wo-, 
man,  then  he  has  blown  away  "  the  veil  and  face  of  the  co- 
vering "  that  was  naturally  upon  thy  mind  and  understand- 
ing. He  has  given  you  other  views  of  spiritual  and  divine 
things,  than  you  can  have  by  any  natural  or  acquired  know- 
ledge. The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  called  "  the  Spirit  of 
wisdom  and  revelation,"  Eph.  i.  17:  because  he  reveals  these 
things  to  the  soul  which  flesh  and  blood  is  not  able  to  receive 
or  understand.  So  then,  has  the  Spirit  testified  of  Christ 
unto  you?  has  he  "  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  shined  into  your  heart,  to  give  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  iface  of  Jesus  Christ  ?" 
And  as  a  fruit  and  consequence  of  this, 

2.  If  the  wind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  has  blown  upon  thy  soul, 
he  has  blown  away  some  of  the  filth  of  hell  that  did  cleave 
to  thy  soul,  and  has  transformed  thee  into  his  own  image:  2 
Cor.  iii.  18:  "  Beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
thou  art  changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory, 
even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord."     If  you  have  the  Spirit, 


III.]  THE  DRY  BONES  IN  THE   VALLEY  OF  VISION.  101 

the  "same  mind  will  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Je- 
sus :"  for  "  lie  that  is  joined  unto  the  Lord,  is  one  spirit."  You 
will  imitate  and  resemble  him  in  his  iinitable  perfections,  in 
his  holiness,  meekness,  self-denial,  patience.  He  is  a  holy 
God;  and  wherever  he  comes,  he  works  holiness,  and  makes 
the  soul  holy. 

3.  If  this  wind  has  blown  upon  your  souls,  then  it  has  dri- 
ven you  fiom  your  lying  refuges,  and  made  you  take  sanctu- 
ary in  Christ,  lie  has  driven  you  from  the  law,  and  made 
you  consent  to  the  method  of  salvation  through  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  Son  of  Cod :  "  I  through  the  law,"  (says  the  apos- 
tle,) "am  d(;ad  to  the  law,  that  I  might  live  unto  Cod." 
This  is  the  design  of  all  the  S[)irit*s  influences,  to  lead  sinners 
off  from  sin,  oil"  from  self,  oil'  from  the  law,  that  they  may 
rest  in  Christ  only. 

4.  If  ever  you  felt  any  of  the  reviving  gales  of  this  wind 
of  the  Spirit,  you  will  long  for  new  gales  and  breathings  of 
it:  and  when  these  breathings  are  suspended  and  withheld, 
your  souls  will  be  like  to  faint,  as  it  were,  like  a  man  that 
wants  breath.  You  will  pant  for  the  air  of  the  Spirit's  in- 
fluences, like  David,  Psal.  Ixiii.  1  :  "My  soul  longeth  for  thee 
in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is;"  and  Psal. 
Ixxxiv.  2  :  "My  soul  longeth,  yea,  even  fainteth  for  the  courts 
of  the  Lord:  my  heart  and  my  llesh  crieth  out  for  the  living 
God."    Oh  for  another  gale  of  his  Spirit  in  public  ordinances  ! 

5.  If  you  have  felt  the  breathings  of  this  wind  you  will  not 
snufFup  the  east  wind  of  sin  and  vanity:  John  iv.  14:  "Who- 
soever drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  never 
thirst."  You  will  not  thirst  immoderately  after  things  of  time; 
no,  no;  you  will  see  them  to  be  but  mere  trash  and  vanity. 
You  will  "choose  that  good  part  which  shall  not  betaken 
away  from  you."  You  will  "seek  those  things  which  are 
above,  where  Christ  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  oif  God." 

6.  If  this  wind  has  blown  upon  thy  soul,  then  you  will  fol- 
low the  motion  of  this  wind;  you  will  not  run  cross  to  this 
wind,  but  will  go  along  with  it.  I  mean,  you  will  yield  your- 
selves to  the  conduct  of  the  Spirit  s[)eaking  in  his  word;  for 
"as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  thev  are  the  sons 
of  God."* 

But,  say  you,  IIow  shall  I  know  if  I  be  led  by  the  Spirit  of 
(iod?     I  answer, 

1st,  If  you  follow  the  Spirit,  then  "you  will  not  fulfil  the 
lusts  of  the  fle>h,"  but,  on  the  contrary,  you  will  study^to 
"crucify  the  flesh,  with  the aflections  and  lusts."  You  will  be 
ready  to  cut  off  your  right  band,  and  to  pluck  out  the  right 
eye  sins  at  the  Lord's  connnaiul. 

2c////,  Then  the  way  wherein  you  walk  will  be  a  way  of 

9* 


102  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST  BLOWING  UPON  [SER. 

holiness,  for  he  is  a  Spirit  of  sa notification;  and  a  way  of 
truth;  for  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  a  Spirit  of  truth,  and 
he  leads  into  all  truth:  away  of  uprightness:  Psal.  cxliii.  10: 
"Thy  Spirit  is  good,  lead  me  into  the  land  of  uprightness." 

2dlij,  You  know  leading  imports  spontaneousness  and  wil- 
lingness. There  is  a  great  ditlerence  between  leading  and 
drawing;  between  being  driven  by  the  wind,  and  following 
the  motion  of  the  wind.  Sometimes,  indeed,  the  wicked,  a 
hypocrite,  a  natural  man,  by  a  strong  north  wind  of  convic- 
tion, may  be  driven  on  to  duty  through  the  force  of  terror. 
But  the  believer  is  a  volunteer ;  he  freely  yields  himself  to 
the  Spirit's  conduct;  he  rejoices  to  work  righteousness,  and 
to  remember  God  in  his  ways.  Whenever  he  hears  the 
Spirit  whispering  in  his  ears,  and  saying,  "This  is  the  way, 
walk  ye  in  it,"  presently,  he  complies.  When  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  says,  "  Come,"  he  immediately  echoes  back  again, 
and  says,  "  Behold,  I  come  unto  thee ;  for  thou  art  the  Lord 
my  God."     Now,  try  yourselves  by  these  things. 

The  second  use  shall  be  exhoi-lulion.  Is  it  so,  that  the  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit  are  so  necessary  in  order  to  our  revi- 
val? then  be  exhorted  to  look  up  to  Heaven,  and  cry  for  the 
breathings  of  the  Spirit.  O  sirs,  will  you  turn  the  words  of 
my  text  into  a  prayer;  and  say,  "Come  from  the  four  winds, 

0  breath  ;  and  breathe  upon  these  slain,  that  they  may  live?" 

1  might  enforce  this  exhortation  by  many  motives :  I  only 
name  them. 

Motive  1.  Consider,  that  spiritual  deadness  is  very  prevalent 
in  the  day  in  which  we  live.  There  is  a  great  multitude  of 
"dry  bones"  scattered  up  and  down  our  "valley  of  vision." 
There  are  many  that  carry  the  marks  of  a  deadly  leprosy  on 
their  foreheads:  their  atheism,  their  profanity,  irreligion,  and 
other  gross  abominations,  plainly  declare  to  the  world,  that 
they  are  "dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  And,  akis  !  may  it  not 
be  for  matter  of  lamentation,  that  even  many  of  those,  wlio, 
in  the  judgm.ent  of  charity,  have  "  the  root  of  the  matter," .the 
principles  of  spiritual  life,  are  yet  under  sad  deca3^s  of  the  life 
of  grace?  Alas!  it  is  not  with  Scotland's  ministers  and  pro- 
fessors as  once  it  has  been.  I  might  produce  many  melan- 
choly evidences  of  this,  if  time  would  allow.  Remember  those 
already  mentioned,  the  general  loathing  of  the  word,  &c. 

Mot.  2.  Consider  the  evil  and  danger  of  spiritual  deadness. 
The  evil  of  it  will  appear, 

\st.  If  you  consider  that  it  is  a  frame  of  spirit  directly  con- 
trary to  the  command  of  God.  God  commands  us  to  "  present 
ourselves  a  living  sacrifice  unto  him:"  and,  indeed,  this  "is 
our  reasonable  service,"  Rom.  xii.  1.  Yea,  it  is  contrary  to 
the  very  nature  of  God ;  for  God  is  a  Spirit ;  and  they  that 


HI.]  THE  DRY  BONES  IN  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  103 

worship  him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,"  1  John 
iv.  24. 

2c//y,  The  evil  and  danger  of  it  appears  farther  from  this ; 
that  it  unfits  the  soul  for  every  duty,  and  mars  our  commu- 
nion and  fellowship  with  God.  God  meets  the  lively  Christian 
in  the  way  of  duty:  "Thou  meetcst  him  that  rejoicelii,  and 
worketh  righteousness;  those  that  remember  thee  in  thy  ways." 
But,  for  the  man  that  comes  to  him  with  a  Laodicean,  dead, 
Ufelcss,  and  lukewarm  frame  of  soul,  he  will  not  hold  commu- 
nion with  that  man  ;  no,  he  "  will  spew  him  out  of  his  mouth." 

Sc////,  It  opens  a  door  for  all  other  sins,  and  renders  a  man 
an  easy  prey  to  every  temptation.  A  dead  man  can  make 
no  manner  of  resistance ;  he  is  carried  down  the  stream  with- 
out opposition.     Then, 

4thlij,  It  lays  a  foundation  for  sad  and  terrible  challenges 
from  conscience.  David's  spiritual  deadness  brought  him  to 
that  pass,  in  the  end,  that  he  is  made  to  cry  out  of  broken 
bones,  &c. 

J\Iut.  3.  Consider,  that  as  the  breathings  of  the  Spirit  are 
necessary  for  every  duty,  so  particularly  for  that  solemn  work 
which  you  have  before  your  hands  of  commemorating  the 
death  of  the  exalted  Iledecmer.  I  might  here  let  you  see, 
how  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  are  necessary  for  every  part 
of  your  work,  if  time  would  allow.  Without  the  Spirit's  in- 
fluences of  light,  you  can  never  examine  yourselves  to  pur- 
pose :  it  is  "  tile  Spirit  of  the  Almighty  that  giveth  understand- 
ing" how  to  search  out  "the  mystery  of  iniquity"  in  the  heart, 
which  is  "deceitful  above  a!!  things,  and  desperately  wicked." 
And  then,  without  the  Spirit  you  cannot  mourn  for  sin;  for 
it  is  the  kindly  influences  of  the  Spirit  that  thaws  the  heart 
into  evangelical  tears,  Zech.  xii.  10,  Without  the  Spirit  you 
cannot  discern  the  broken  body  of  a  Redeemer ;  for  it  is  the 
Spirit  that  testifies  of  Christ.  "I  will  pour  the  Spirit  of  grace 
upon  the  house  of  David,  and  itdiabitants  of  Jerusalem  ;"  and 
then  follows,  "They  shall  look  upon  me  wjiom  they  have 
pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn  for  him."  In  a  word,  you  can- 
not exercise  any  grace,  vou  cannot  wrestle  in  prayer,  you 
cannot  have  any  right  view  of  the  contrivance  of  redemp- 
tion, you  cannot  "  take  hold  of  (lod's  covenant,"  or  improve 
any  promise  of  the  covenant,  without  the  Spirit. 

Mut.  4.  Consider  the  excellency  of  these  influences  of  the 
Spirit. 

1st,  They  blow  from  an  excellent  quarter  and  original :  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  the  author  of  them  ;  and  you  know  he  "  pro- 
ceeds from  the  Father  and  the  Son."  So  that  a  whole  Trinity, 
as  it  were,  convey  themselves  with  these  breathings. 

2dty,  They  are  the  purchase  of  a  Redeemer's  blood,  and 


104  THE  WIND  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST  BLOWING  UPOX         [SER. 

therefore  excellent.  There  is  not  the  least  grace,  or  the 
least  gale  of  the  Spirit,  that  is  given  to  believers,  but  it  cost 
Christ  the  blood  of  his  heart.  He  purchased  grace  as  well  as 
glory. 

2dly,  These  influences  of  the  Spirit,  as  it  were,  supply 
Christ's  room  while  he  is  in  glory.  Arid  truly,  sirs,  I  may 
safely  say  it  upon  scripture-warrant,  that  the  presence  of  the 
Spirit  with  believers  upon  earth,  is  a  greater  blessing  than 
the  mere  bodily  presence  of  Christ :  and,  therefore,  Christ  tells 
his  disciples  by  way  of  comfort,  (John  xvi.  7 :)  "  If  I  go  not 
away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you  ;  but  if  I  depart, 
I  will  send  him  unto  you."  As  if  he  had  said,  "  When  I  am 
gone,  the  Spirit  will  be  poured  out  from  on  high,  which  is 
far  better  for  you  than  my  bodily  presence." 

4:lhly,  These  breathings  of  the  Spirit  are  pledges  of  glory, 
the  earnest-penny  of  the  inheritance:  Eph.  i.  13,  14:  "After 
that  yc  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  pro- 
mise, which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance." 

bthly,  Their  excellency  appears  from  the  excellent  effects 
that  they  produce  upon  the  soul.  They  beautify  the  soul  on 
whom  they  fall,  and  make  it  like  "  a  field  which  the  Lord 
hath  blessed."  They  render  the  soul  "  fruitful  in  every  good 
word  and  work  :"  Hos.  xiv.  5  :  "  I  will  be  as  the  dew  unto 
Israel:"  and  what  follows?  "he  shall  grow  as  the  lily,  and 
cast  forth  his  roots  as  Lebanon."  Is.  xliv.  3 :  "I  will  pour  wa- 
ter upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground: 
I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing  upon 
thine  offspring;"  and  then  follows,  (ver.  4,)  "They  shall  spring 
up  as  among  the  grass,  as  willows  by  the  water  courses." 

Quest.  What  advice  or  counsel  do  you  give,  in  order  to  our 
obtaining?  or  recoverinf]^  the  enliyihtcning  and  reviving  gales- 
of  the  Spirit! 

Jiris.  1.  Be  sensible  of  your  deadness,  and  mourn  over  it ;  for 
the  Lord  "  comforts  them  that  mourn  in  Zion."  He  will 
"  give  unto  them  beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourn- 
ing, the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness:"  and 
then  follows,  "  They  shall  be  called  trees  of  righteousness, 
the  planting  of  the  Lord,  that  he  might  be  glorified,"  Is.  Ixi. 

O      Q 

^,    O. 

2.  Be  much  upon  the  mount  of  divine  meditation ;  for  here 
it  is  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  breathes:  "While  I  was 
musing  the  fire  burned,"  says  David,  Psal.  xxxix.  3 ;  Psal. 
Ixiii.  5,  6 :  "  When  I  meditate  on  thee  in  the  night-watches, 
my  soul  shall  be  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fatness." 

3.  Cry  mightily  to  God  for  these  influences,  that  he  would 
pour  down  his  Spirit  from  on  high :  for  "  if  ye,  being  evil," 
says  Christ,  "  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  chil- 


III.]  THE  DRY  BONES  IST  THE  VALLEY  OF  VISION.  105 

drcn ;  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him?"  Luke  xi.  13.  Plead  the 
promises  of  the  new  covenant;  and,  particularly,  be  much  in 
pleading  this  absolute  promise  of  the  Spirit,  Is.  xliv.  3 :  "  I 
will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the 
dry  ground:  I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed,"  &c.  Ezek. 
xxxvi.  27 :  "I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you 
to  walk  in  my  statutes."  But  still  remember,  that  these  pro- 
mises are  to  be  managed  by  the  prayer  of  faith.  We  are  to 
turn  God's  promises  into  prayers;  for  it  is  added,  (ver.  37,) 
"  For  these  things  I  will  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel, 
to  do  it  for  them." 

4.  Make  conscience  of  waiting  on  him  in  all  the  duties  and 
ordinances  of  his  appointment,  particularly  the  preaching  of 
the  word.  And  beware  of  a  legal  frame  of  spirit  in  your  at- 
tending upon  these  ordinances,  as  if  thereby  you  could  merit 
any  thing  at  God's  hand,  or  as  if  God  were  obliged  to  you 
for  what  you  do  this  way ;  for  "  we  receive  the  Spirit,"  (says 
the  apostle,)  "  not  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  hearing 
of  faith."  Gospel  ordinances  are  the  usual  chariots  in 
which  the  Spirit  rides,  when  he  makes  his  entrance  at  first, 
or  when  he  returns  into  the  soul  after  absence. 

5.  Laslhj,  Study  to  have  union  with  Christ ;  for  it  is  upon 
them  that  are  in  Christ,  that  "  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  of  glory  " 
rests :  "  He  that  is  joined  unto  the  Lord  is  one  Spirit "  with 
him.  "  The  oil  of  gladness,"  that  was  poured  upon  the  head 
of  our  exalted  Aaron,  runs  down  upon  the  skirts  of  his  gar- 
ments, upon  every  member  of  his  mystical  body. 


SEKIflOIV   IV. 

THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.* 
Tlie  King  is  held  in  the  galleries. — Cant.  tii.  5. 

Our  blessed  Lord  Jesus,  who  is  represented  under  the  no- 
tion of  a  Bridegroom  in  this  book,  from  the  fourth  verse  of 
the  preceding  chapter,  breaks  out  in  commendation  of  his 

•  Preached  on  Sabbath  evening',  immediately  after  the  celebration  of  the 
Lord's  supper,  at  Dunfermline,  June  2,  1717. 


106  THE  KING  HELD  IN   THE  GALLERIES.  [SER. 

spouse  and  bride,  venting  the  love  of  his  heart  toward  her 
in  many  warm  and  pathetic  expressions ;  and  his  discourse 
is  continued  to  the  10th  verse  of  this  chapter ;  where  we  find 
him  running  out  in  commendation  of  his  church  in  seve- 
ral particulars.  He  commends  her  from  her  spiritual  birth 
and  pedigree,  calling  her  a  prince's  daughter,  ver.  1.  The 
saints  of  God  are  royally  descended ;  by  their  second  birth 
they  are  sprung  of  "the  Ancient  of  days;"  "born,  not  of  blood, 
nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of 
God."  Again ;  he  commends  her  for  the  beauty  of  holiness 
shining  in  her  walk  and  conversation :  "  How  beautiful  are 
thy  feet  with  shoes,  O  prince's  daughter !"  Holiness  is  the  at- 
tire of  the  bride  of  Christ ;  "  She  is  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean 
and  white,  which  is  the  righteousness  of  saints."  But  time 
will  not  allow  me  to  explain  the  several  particulars  of  her 
commendation.  The  words  of  my  text  are  an  abrupt  sen- 
tence ;  in  which  he  expresses  the  wonderful  complacency 
which  he  took  in  her  society,  and  the  overpowering  influence 
that  her  faith  and  his  faithfulness,  his  love,  and  her  loveli- 
ness, had  to  make  him  stay  and  abide  in  her  company :  Tlie 
King  is  held  in  the  galleries.  In  which  words  we  may  notice 
these  particulars : —         ,  ^ 

1.  Christ's  character  and  ofiice ;  he  is  a  person  of  royal  dig- 
nity, no  less  than  a  king,  and  the  King  by  way  of  eminency. 
The  church  of  God  owns  no  other  king  but  Christ ;  for  it  is 
he  whom  God  the  Father  has  set  to  rule  i/pon  the  holy  hill  of 
Zio?i :  and  it  is  a  manifest  invasion  of  Christ's  prerogative, 
for  pope,  prelate,  or  potentate,  to  usurp  a  sovereignty  and  head- 
ship over  the  church  of  Christ;  an  indignity  which  he  will 
not  sutfer  to  pass  without  suitable  resentment.  He  here  owns 
himself  to  be  the  King  of  Zion,  and  will  maintain  the  dignity 
of  his  crown  against  all  that  dare  invade  it.  2.  In  the  words 
we  have  the  place  of  converse  between  Christ  and  his  blessed 
spouse  and  bride  ;  it  is  in  the  galleries.  It  is  the  same  word 
in  the  original  which  we  have.  Cant.  i.  17 :  "  The  beams  of 
our  house  are  cedar,  and  our  rafters,  or  galleries,  of  fir." 
Where,  by  galleries,  in  both  places,  according  to  the  judicious 
Durham,  we  are  to  understand  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel, 
in  which  Christ  and  his  people  do  tryst  and  keep  company  one 
with  another.  Why  gospel  ordinances  are  thus  designed,  I 
may  show  more  particularly  afterwards.  3,  We  have  the 
sweet  constraint  that  this  royal  Bridegroom  was  under  to  tarry 
in  the  galleries  with  his  spouse :  he  here  owns  that  he  was 
held,  or  bound,  as  the  word  signifies,  in  the  galleries.  Her  faith 
and  love  laid  him  under  a  voluntary  arrest  to  tarry  with  her ; 
like  the  disciples  going  to  Emmaus,  Luke  xxiv.  29 :  "  She  con- 
strained him  to  abide  with  her."     An  expression  much  like 


IV.]  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  107 

this  we  have,  Cant.  iii.  4.  After  a  weary  night  of  desertion, 
and  much  tedious  inquiry,  she  at  length  meets  her  beloved, 
and  thereupon  she  cries  out,  "  1  held  him,  and  would  not  let 
him  go." 

Observe,  "  That  Christ,  the  blessed  King  of  Zion,  conde- 
scends sometimes  to  be  held  and  detained  by  his  people  in  the 
galleries  of  gospel  ordinances.    The  Khtg  is  held  in  the galleries.^^ 

I.  I  will  give  some  account  of  this  royal  King. 

II.  Of  the  galleries  of  the  King. 

III.  Of  this  holding  of  the  King  in  the  galleries. 

IV.  Apply. 

I.  The  Jirst  thing  proposed  is,  to  give  some  account  of~  this 
royal  King.  But  alas!  "Who  can  declare  his  generation?" 
All  I  sliall  do,  is  only,  1.  To  prove  that  he  is  a  King.  2.  That 
he  is  the  King  by  way  of  eminence  and  excellence. 

First,  That  he  is  a  King,  appears  from  these  particulars : — 

1.  From  the  Father's  designation  and  ordination.  From  all 
eternity  the  Father  designed  and  ordained  this  dignity  for  him 
as  our  Mediator:  for  I  do  not  now  speak  of  his  natural  and 
essential,  but  of  his  dispensatory  or  mediatory  kingdom :  "  I 
have  set  my  King  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion,"  Psal.  ii.  G;  and 
Psal.  Ixxxix.  27 :  "  i  will  make  him  my  first-born,  higher  than 
the  kings  of  the  earth." 

2.  It  appears  from  the  prophecies  that  went-of  him  before 
his  actual  manifestation  in  our  nature.  It  was  prophesied 
that  the  sceptre  of  Judah  should  terminate  in  him,  Gen.  xlix. 
10;  that  he  should  succeed  David,  and  sit  upon  the  throne, 
Luke  i.  32,  .33,  compared  with  Psal.  cxxxii.  11:  "The  Lord 
shall  give  unto  him  the  throne  of  his  father  David;  and  he 
shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  for  ever,  and  of  his  king- 
dom (here  shall  be  no  end;"  Is.  ix.  G;  and  "the  government 
shall  be  upon  his  shoulder." 

3.  It  appears  from  the  types  and  shadows  that  prefigured 
him.  He  was  typified  by  Mclchizedek,  who  is  called  "the 
King  of  righteousness,  and  the  King  of  peace."  He  was  typified 
by  David,  and  frequently  called  by  the  name  of  David  in  the 
psalms  and  prophets:  IIos.  iii.  .'5:  "The  children  of  Israel  shall 
return  and  seek  the  Lord  their  God,  and  David  their  king." 
He  was  typified  by  Solomon,  and  by  his  name  he  is  common- 
ly called  in  this  book  of  the  Song. 

4.  It  appears  from  the  princely  titles  that  are  given  him  in 
scripture.  He  is  called  "the  Prince  of  peace,  the  King  of 
righteousness,  aiid  the  King  of  kings  and  Lords  of  lords ;"  and 
it  is  God  the  Father's  will,  that  "  every  one  should  confess, 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord." 

T).  It  apj)ears  from  the  princely  prerosjatives  and  royalties_ 
that  arc  assigned  him  by  his  Father.     He  has  anointed  him 


108  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  [SER. 

to  be  King  with  an  incomparable  oil,  even  "  with  the  oil  of 
gladness;  I  have  found  David  my  servant;  with  my  holy  oil 
have  I  anointed  him,"  Psal.  Ixxxix.  20.  He  has  installed 
him  in  the  government  with  the  solemnity  of  an  open  pro- 
clamation from  heaven,  by  "  the  voice  which  came  from  the 
excellent  glory,  This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased;  hear  ye  him."  He  has  put  a  sceptre  of  righteous- 
ness, and  a  rod  of  iron,  in  his  hand,  by  which  he  is  enabled 
to  defend  his  subjects,  destroy  his  enemies,  and  "  break  them 
in  pieces  as  a  potter's  vessel."  He  has  given  him  ambassa- 
dors to  negotiate  the  affairs  of  his  kingdom:  "  He  gave  some, 
apostles:  and  some,  prophets:  and  some,  evangelists:  and 
some,  pastors  and  teachers :  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints, 
for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ."  He  has  given  him  vast  territories,  even  "  the  Hea- 
then for  his  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
for  his  possession  :  his  dominion  reaches  from  sea  to  sea,  and 
from  the  river  to  the  ends  of  the  earth."  It  extends  not  only 
to  the  outward,  but  likewise  to  the  inward  man.  He  has  a 
legislative  authority,  he  can  make  and  explain,  and  abrogate 
laws  at  his  pleasure.  And  when  his  laws  are  broken,  he  has 
the  power  of  acquitting  or  condemning  committed  to  him  : 
"  For  the  Father  judgeth  no  man ;  but  hath  committed  all 
judgment  unto  the  Son."     Thus,  you  see  he  is  a  King. 

Secondly,  As  he  is  a  King,  so  he  is  the  King  by  way  of 
eminence  and  excellence.  And  this  willbe  abundantly  clear, 
if  we  consider, 

1.  That  he  is  the  Kins;  eternal,  1  Tim.  i.  17:  "the  ever- 
lasting Father,"  or,  "  the  Father  of  eternity,"  Is.  ix.  6.  Other 
kings,  are  but  of  yesterday,  mere  upstarts,  and,  like  a  gourd, 
their  glory  withers  in  a  night.  But  here  is  a  King  that  is 
"  from  everlasting  to  everlasting,"  the  true  "  Alpha  and 
Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  ending."  Mic.  v.  2.  This 
"  ruler  in  Israel,  his  goings  forth  were  from  of  old,  from  ever- 
lasting." And  his  throne  is  so  firmly  established,  that  it  shall 
stand  through  all  periods  of  time,  yea,  through  the  endless 
years  of  eternity:  Psal.  xlv.  6:  "  Thy  throne,  O  God,  is  for 
ever  and  ever." 

2.  He  is  called  the  King  immortal,  1  Tim.  i.  17.  In  the 
last  chapter  of  the  same  epistle,  "  He  only  hath  immortality." 
The  potentates  of  the  earth  are  but  kings  of  clay ;  they  and 
their  thrones  have  their  "  foundations  in  the  dust,  and  to  dust 
they,  shall  return."  Death,  the  king  of  terrors,  has  raised 
his  trophies  of  victory  over  the  most  renowned  potentates : 
they  who  made  the  world  to  tremble  with  their  sword,  have 
been  at  last  vanquished  by  death.  But  here  is  a  King  that 
never  dies.     It  is  true,  death  did  once,  by  his  own  consent, 


IV.]  THE  KING  HELD  I\  THE  GALLERIES.  109 

obtain  a  seeming  victory  over  him ;  but  in  that  victory  death 
itself  was  plagued,  and  the  grave  destroyed,  Hos.  xiii.  14. 
Yea,  "  it  was  not  possible  that  he  should  be  held  in  the  bonds 
of  death :"  no,  he  vanquished  death  in  his  own  territories, 
and  returned  carrying  the  spoil  of  his  enemy  along  with  him, 
making  open  proclamation  of  the  victory  which  he  had 
gained  to  all  his  friends  for  their  encouragement  Rev.  i.  18: 
"  I  am  he  that  was  dead  ;  and  behold,  I  am  alive  for  ever- 
more ;  and  have  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death." 

3.  lie  is  the  Kitig  invisible.  Some  eastern  princes  were 
seldom  seen  by  their  subjects,  to  beget  the  greater  reverence 
and  estimation  among  their  subjects.  But  this  was  only  an 
atfcctation  of  grandeur,  Christ,  the  King  of  Zion,  is  indeed 
visible  to  the  eye  of  faith  by  the  saints  militant,  and  visible 
to  the  eye  of  sense  by  the  saints  triumphant ;  however,  the 
thousand  thousandth  part  of  his  divine  glory  can  never  be 
seen  or  searched  out  by  any  created  understanding ;  for  "  he 
dwells  in  the  light  which  no  man  can  approach  unto,  whom  no 
man  hath  seen  nor  call  see,"  1  Tim.  vi.  16.  He  is  an  unseen 
and  unknown  Christ  by  the  greatest  part  of  the  world,  as  to 
his  worth  and  excellency.  And  as  to  his  corporeal  presence, 
he  is  invisible  by  us  in  this  state  of  mortality :  for  the  heaven 
must  contain  him,  "  until  the  times  of  restitution  of  all  things ;" 
and  then,  indeed,  "  every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also 
which  pierced  him." 

4.  He  is  the  only  blessed  and  happy  King,  1  Tim.  vi.  15: 
"  the  blessed  and  only  Potentate."  The  crowns  of  other 
princes  have  their  thorns,  which  make  them  to  sit  uneasy 
upon  their  heads ;  and  the  toil  and  trouble  of  government  is 
sometimes  so  great,  that  the  very  beggar  on  the  dunghill  is 
happier  in  some  respects  than  the  king  upon  the  throne.  But 
Zirtn's  King  is  in  every  respect  happy  and  blessed.  He  is 
the  darling  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  delight  of  his  Father, 
and  "  the  Desire  of  all  nations."  His  crown  does  not  totter, 
his  subjects  do  not  rebel ;  he  is  happy  in  them,  and  they  in 
him:  "Men  shall  be  blessed  in  him;  and  all  nations  shall 
call  him  blessed." 

5.  He  is  the  absolute  and  universal  King.  His  kingdom  is 
universal  in  respect  of  all  persons;  the  highest  potentate,  as 
well  as  the  meanest  beggar,  are  the  subjects  of  his  empire. 
This  is  his  royal  "  name  written  on  his  vesture,  and  on  his 
thigh,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,"  Rev.  xix.  16. 
Whcncv^cr  he  will,  he  casts  the  mighty  out  of  their  seats,  and 
advances  them  of  low  degree  ;  sets  the  beggar  on  the  throne, 
and  causes  the  king  to  sit  on  the  dunghill:  "  He  cuts  off  the 
spirit  of  princes,  and  is  terrible  to  the  kings  of  the  earth." 
Again ;  his  government  is  universal  in  respect  of  all  places. 

VOL.  I.  10 


110  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  [sER. 

We  read  of  several  potentates  who  have  grasped  at  universal 
monarchy  :  but  never  any  of  them  attained  it,  though,  in- 
deed, they  extended  their  dominions  far  and  wide.  But 
here  is  a  King  whose  empire  reaches  to  heaven,  earth,  and 
hell.  Again ;  it  is  universal  in  respect  of  all  times :  "  He 
shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  for  ever,  and  of  his  king- 
dom there  shall  be  no  end." 

1  might  tell  you  farther,  to  illustrate  the  eminency  of  this 
King,  that  he  is  the  Kiiig  of  glory,  the  almighty  King,  the  King 
of  sai?its,  the  King  of  nations.  But  from  what  has  been  said, 
we  may  see  that  he  is  a  King  of  incomparable  excellence,  and 
what  an  honour  it  is  to  be  with  him,  and  to  hold  him  in  the  gal- 
leries.    But  I  go  on  to, 

II.  The  second  thing  proposed,  which  was  to  speak  a  little 
of  the  galleries  in  which  this  royal  King  trysts  and  keeps  company 
xvilh  his  people.  We  read,  Song  i.  4,  of  the  chambers  of  the 
King ;  and,  chap.  ii.  4,  of  the  King's  banqueting-hotise,  or  cellars 
of  wine,  into  which  the  spouse  had  been  brought :  the  same 
is  called  here  the  galleries  of  the  King,  viz :  these  ordinances 
in  which  the  Lord  Jesus  reveals  himself  to  his  people  in  the 
bouse  of  their  pilgrimage.  Here  I  will  only,  1.  Mention  a 
few  of  these  galleries.  2.  Inquire  why  ordinances  are  com- 
pared to  galleries. 

First,  1  will  only  mention  these  few  galleries. 

1.  There  is  the  secret  gallery  of  meditation,  in  which  David 
found  God's  "  loving  kindness  to  be  better  than  life,"  and  had 
his  "  soul  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fatness." 

2.  There  is  the  gallery  of  prayer,  in  which  Jacob  wrestled 
with  the  angel  of  the  covenant,  and,  like  a  prince,  prevailed 
for  the, blessing. 

3.  There  is  a  gallery  of  reading  of  the  scriptures,  in  which 
the  Ethiopian  eunuch  got  such  a  discovery  of  the  promised 
Messiah,  as  made  him  "  go  on  his  way  rejoicing." 

4.  There  is  a  gallery  of  Christian  converse  about  soul-mat- 
ters; in  which  the  disciples  going  to  Emmaus  had  such  a 
meeting  with  Christ,  as  made  "  their  hearts  burn  within  them." 

5.  There  is  the  gallery  of  preaching,  or  of  hearing  of  the 
word  preached;  "by  the  foolishness  of  which  God  savcth 
them  that  believed."  Here  it  was  that  Lydia's  heart  was 
opened.     And, 

6.  The  sacraments  of  the  New  Testament,  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  supper,  are  galleries  in  which  Zion's  King  displays  his 
glory  before  his  people.  The  last  of  these  is,  by  way  of  emi- 
nence, called  the  commimio?i ;  not  only  because  in  it  the  people 
of  God  have  communion  one  with  another,  but  because  in  it 
they  have  "  fellowship  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  son  Jesus 
Christ." 


IV.]  THE  KINO  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  Ill 

Secondly,  As  to  the  second  thing  here,  why  are  these  ordi- 
nances compared  to  galleries?     I  answer, 

1.  Galleries  are  magnificent  apartments  of  royal  and  stately 
buildings.  So  there  is  a  divine  magnificence  in  the  ordinances 
of  the  gospel,  when  countenanced  with  the  presence  of  the 
great  Master  of  assemblies.  It  is  true,  they  appear  mean  and 
contemptible  in  the  eyes  of  a  profane  world,  who  are  strangers 
to  the  power  of  godliness;  but  the  man  "who  has  his  senses 
spirUuully  exercised  to  discern  good  and  evil,"  sees  a  divine 
greatness  and  magnificence  in  them,  suitable  to  the  state  and 
royalty  of  "  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth."  And  when 
the  man  is  admitted  to  see  the  power  and  glory  of  God  in 
them,  he  cannot  but  join  issue  with  Jacob,  saying,  *'  This  is 
none  other  but  the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  hea- 
ven," Gen.  xxviii.  17.  .        . 

2.  Galleries  are  lightsome  and  pleasant  apartments.  O  how 
pleasant  and  lightsome  are  ordinances  to  a  gracious  soul !  Let 
a  child  of  God  be  where  he  will,  he  reckons  it  but  "  a  dry  and 
thirsty  land,  where  no  water  is,"  if  he  be  not  admitted  to  the 
galleries  of  ordinances,  Psal,  Ixiii.  1,  2.  Sec  how  the  same  holy 
man  expresses  his  delight  in  ordinances,  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  1:  "How 
amiable  are  thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  of  hosts !  "  I  am  sure 
this  will  be  the  language  of  every  soul  that  has  been  in  the 
galleries  with  the  King  this  day. 

3.  Galleries  are  places  of  walk  and  converse,  as  is  plain 
from  Ezek.  xli.  15.  When  a  king,  or  great  man  designs  to 
be  familiar  with  his  friend,  he  will  take  a  turn  with  him  in 
the  galleries.  So  it  is  in  gospel-ordinances  that  Christ  walks, 
and  converses  with  his  people.  Here  it  is  that  he  gives  them 
audience,  allows  them  to  be  free  and  familiar  with  him,  draws 
aside  the  veil,  communicates  the  secrets  of  his  covenant,  and 
mysteries  of  his  kingdom,  which  are  hid  from  the  wise  and 
prudent  of  the  world. 

4.  Galleries  are  places  of  public  feasting  and  entertainment 
of  friends.  So  it  is  in  the  motint  of  gospel-ordinances  that  the 
Lord  has  provided  for  his  people,  "  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast 
of  wines  on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on 
the  lees  well  refined."  Here  it  is  that  Christ  says  to  his  peo- 
ple, "  Jvit,  O  friends;  drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly,  O  beloved." 
Thus,  I  have  given  you  some  account  of  the  galleries  of  the 
King. 

HI.  The  third  thing  proposed  was,  to  apeak  of  the  holding 
of  tJie  King  in  the  (raUeries  ;  which  is  what  I  had  principally 
in  view.  And  here  I  will  show  what  this  holding  of  Christ 
supposes  and  implies,  both  on  the  believer's  part  and  on  Christ's 
part. 

First,  What  does  it  suppose  and  imply  on  the  believer's  part? 


11^  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  [SER. 

1.  It  necessai-ily  supposes  a  meeting  with  Christ  in  the  gal- 
leries; for  no  person  can  hold  that  which  they  never  had.  To 
you  that  never  knew  what  it  was  to  enjoy  connmunion  with 
Christ  in  his  ordinances,  this  doctrine  is  a  hidden  mystery. 

2.  It  supposes  a  high  esteem  of  Christ,  a  love  to,  and  Hking 
of  his  company.  We  are  at  no  pains  to  hold  those  for  whose 
company  we  care  not;  but  when  we  are  pressing  with  a  friend 
to  stay  with  us,  it  says  that  we  value  his  company.  Sirs, 
there  are  various  opinions  about  Christ  among  the  hearers  of 
the  gospel.  The  profane  world  look  upon  him  as  a  severe  and 
tyrannical  master,  and  therefore  "they  will  not  have  this  man 
to  reign  over  them.  They  say  unto  the  Almighty,  Depart  from 
us."  Again;  carnal,  lukewarm  professors,  "see  no  form  nor 
comeliness  in  him,  why  he  should  be  desired  :  "  and  therefore 
they  are  ready  to  say  with  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  "  What 
is  thy  beloved  more  than  another  beloved  ?  "  They  cannot  see 
any  engaging  excellency  in  the  King  of  Zion.  But  it  is  other- 
wise with  the  believer :  the  glory  and  beauty  of  Christ  darken 
all  created  excellency  in  his  eye;  his  language  is,  "  Whom 
have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth 
that  I  desire  besides  thee.  He  is  the  apple-tree  among  the 
trees  of  the  wood;  the  standard-bearer  among  ten  thou- 
sand." 

3.  On  the  believer's  part,  this  holding  of  Christ  supposes  a 
fear  of  losing  him,  or  of  being  deprived  of  his  company.  The 
soul  that  has  met  with  Christ,  is  afraid  of  a  parting.  It  is 
true,  the  believer  has  no  ground  to  fear  the  loss  of  Christ's  real 
and  gracious  presence ;  for  the  union  between  Christ  and  him 
is  indissoluble ;  that  promise  can  never  fail,  "  1  will  never 
leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee."  But  as  for  his  sensible  and  com- 
fortable presence,  they  both  may,  and  frequently  do  lose  it ; 
the  child  of  light  many  times  walks  in  darkness.  Now,  it  is 
the  loss  of  this  presence  of  Christ  that  the  soul  fears,  when  it 
is  concerned  to  hold  or  bind  the  King  in  the  galleries.  Neither 
is  this  a  fear  of  despondency,  but  a  fear  of  activity  and  dili- 
gence. 

4.  It  supposes  a  seeming  willingness  in  Christ  to  withdraw 
from  his  people  after  their  sweetest  enjoyments.  Many  times 
Christ's  carriage  in  his  dispensations  towards  his  people  seems 
to  have  a  language  much  like  that  to  Jacob,  when  he  said  to 
him,  Let  me  go ;  or  like  his  carriage  towards  the  two  disciples 
going  to  Emmaus,  he  made  as  if  he  would  leave  their  com- 
pany, and  go  on  in  his  way.  And  his  carnage  seems  to  have 
this  language,  especially  when  he  challenges  them  for  bad  en- 
tertainment they  have  formerly  given  him,  when  fie  lets  loose 
the  tempter  to  butfet  them  after  signal  manifestations,  or  when 
he  tries  them  with  sharp  troubles  and  afflictions.     In  all  these 


IV.]  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  113 

cases  he  seems  as  it  were  to  be  turning  about  the  face  of  his 
throne  from  them. 

5.  It  implies  a  holy  solicitude,  and  earnest  desire  of  soul, 
to  iiave  his  presence  continued.  When  Christ  is  hiding,  there 
is  nothing  the  believer  desires  more  than  his  return:  "  O  that 
I  knew  where  I  might  find  him !  "  And  when  they  have  found 
him,  there  is  nothing  they  desire  more  than  to  keep  his  com- 
pany, or  that  he  would  not  be  any  more  to  them  "as  a  stran- 
ger, or  way-faring  man."  O !  says  the  soul,  when  it  gets  a 
meeting  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  "  A  bundle  of  myrrh  is  my  well- 
beloved  unto  me;  he  shall  lie  all  night  betwixt  my  breasts," 
Cant.  i.  13.  As  if  she  had  said,  '  If  he  will  stay  with  me,  I  will 
deny  him  nothing  I  can  afford ;  I  will  entertain  him  with  the 
highest  evidences  of  cordial  affection.' 

6.  Jt  implies  an  ardent  breathing  of  soul  after  more  and 
more  nearness  to  Christ  and  farther  discoveries  of  him.  There 
is  not  such  a  high  disc(j|very  of  Christ  attainable  in  this  life, 
but  there  is  always  a  step  beyond  it.  The  believer  would 
always  have  more  of  Christ,  Cant.  ii.  5.  The  spouse  there  is 
brought  into  the  banqueting-house,  and  allowed  to  feast  and 
feed  liberally  upon  the  Redeemer's  love,  and  to  sit  down  under 
his  displayed  banner:  and  yet  at  that  very  instant  she  cries 
out,  "  Stay  me  with  flagons, comfort  me  with  apples;  for  lam 
sick  of  love."  As  if  she  had  said,  '  Let  me  lie  down  among 
these  comforts;  let  me  roll  myself  perpetually  among  the 
blessed  apples  of  the  tree  of  life.'  They  who  have  got  so 
much  of  Christ  as  to  be  tired  of  his  company,  never  knew 
what  his  presence  was. 

7.  It  implies  a  firm  resolution  not  to  part  with  his  company: 
"I  held  him,"  says  the  spouse,  "and  would  not  let  him  go," 
Song,  iii.  4.  The  like  we  see  in  Jacob,  "  I  will  not  let  thee 
go,  except  thou  bless  me ; "  that  is,  I  am  resolved,  that  thou 
and  I  shall  not  part,  cost  what  it  will. 

8.  It  implies  a  cleaving  or  adhering  to  Christ  with  the  whole 
strength  and  vigour  of  the  soul. 

Quest.  How,  or  in  what  docs  the  soul  put  forth  its  strength 
in  cleaving  to  Christ?  I  answer,  it  does  it  by  these  three  espe- 
cially. :  — 

l.v/.  By  the  lively  exercise  of  faith.  Hence  faith  is  called 
an  apprehending  of  Christ,  and  a  cleaving  to  him,  as  Barnabas 
exhorts  the  Christians  at  Antioch  to  "cleave  unto  the  Lord 
with  full  purpose  of  heart."  The  poor  soul  says  to  Christ  in 
this  case,  as  Ruth  did  to  Naomi,  "  Entreat  me  not  to  leave  thee, 
or  to  return  from  following  after  tlice :  for  whither  thou  goest, 
I  will  go;  and  where  thou  lodgest,  I  will  lodge:  thy  people 
shall  be  my  people,  and  thy  God  my  God."  An  instance  of 
this  cleaving  to  Christ  we  have  in  the  Canaanitlsh  woman ; 

10* 


114  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  [sER. 

she,  as  it  were,  clasps  about  him,  and  will  by  no  means  quit 
her  hold,  notwithstanding  all  repulses. 

2dly,  The  soul  binds  or  holds  Christ  in  the  galleries  by 
sincere  and  ardent  love.  Love  is  a  very  uniting  affection ; 
by  this  one  soul  cleaves  to  another.  As  Shechem's  soul  did 
cleave  to  Dinah,  and  Jonathan's  to  David ;  so  by  love  the 
soul  cleaves  to  Christ :  and  this  is  a  cord  that  cannot  be  easily 
broken ;  Cant.  viii.  7  :  "  Many  waters  cannot  quench  love, 
neither  can  the  floods  drown  it:  if  a  man  would  give  all  the 
substance  of  his  house  for  love,  it  vi'onld  utterly  be  contemned." 
See  for  this  also,  Rom.  viii.  35  :  "  Who  shall  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  Christ  ?"  &c. 

2dly,  The  soul  cleaves  to  Christ  by  fervent  and  ardent 
prayer,  Jacob  held  the  Angel  of  the  covenant,  and  would  not 
let  him  go:  Hos.  xii.  3,  4  :  "By  his  strength  he  had  power 
with  God:  yea,  he  had  power  over  the  angel,  and  prevailed: 
for  he  wept  and  made  supplication  unto  him. — The  effectual 
fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  "  has  a  strange  prevalence 
with  Christ ;  it  offers  a  holy  kind  of  violence  to  him  ;  and  so 
binds  him  in  the  galleries  that  he  cannot  depart.  Thus,  you 
see  what  it  implies  on  the  believer's  part. 

Secondly,  What  does  it  imply  on  Christ's  part.  The  King  is 
held  in  the  galleries? 

1.  It  implies  amazing  grace  and  condescension  toward  the 
work  of  his  own  hands  :  "  He  humbleth  himself,"  even  when 
he  "  beholds  the  things  that  are  in  heaven  :"  much  more  when 
he  bows  the  heavens,  and  walks  with  his  people  in  the  gal- 
leries of  ordinances ;  and  yet  more  when  he  is  held  by  them 
in  the  galleries.  This  is  such  strange  condescension,  that 
Solomon,  the  greatest  of  kings,  and  the  wisest  of  men,  won- 
dered at  it;  and  wise  men  do  not  wonder  at  trifles:  "Will 
God,"  saith  he,  "in  very  deed  dwell  with  men  on  the  earth?' 

2.  It  implies  Christ's  great  delight  in  the  society  of  iiis  peo- 
ple. He  loves  to  be  among  them;  where  two  or  three  of  them 
are  met  in  his  name,  he  will  be  in  the  midst  of  them  :  "  He 
rejoiced,"  from  all  eternity,  "  in  the  habitable  part  of  the  earth, 
and  his  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men,"  Prov.  viii.  31. 

3.  It  implies,  that  there  are  certain  cords  which  have  a 
constraining  power  to  retain  him  in  his  people's  company  : 
and  they  must  be  strong  cords,  indeed,  with  which  Omnipo- 
tence is  bound.     I  mention  two  or  three. 

\st,  He  is  bound  by  the  cord  of  his  own  faithfulness,  which 
he  has  pledged  in  the  promise.  He  has  promised, "  I  will 
never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee;"  and  he  will  not  deny  his 
word,  "  his  covenant  he  will  not  break."  This  was  the  pre- 
vailing argument  with  which  Moses  detained  him  in  the  camp 
of  Israel,  when  he  was   threatening  utterly  to  consume  that 


IV.]  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  115 

wicked  people,  Exod.  xxxii.  10,  13:  "  Let  me  alone,"  sailh 
the  Lord  to  Moses,  "  that  I  may  consume  them.  Remember 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Israel,  thy  servants,  to  whom  thou  swarest 
by  thine  own  self,  and  saidst  unto  them,  I  will  multiply  your 
seed  as  the  stars  of  heaven."  He  binds  him  with  his  own 
covenant,  ratified  with  the  solemnity  of  an  oath. 

2dly,  He  is  bound  in  the  galleries  by  the  cord  of  his  own 
love.  As  a  compassionate  mother  cannot  leave  her  child, 
when  it  cleaves  to  her,  and  clasps  about  her:  so  Christ's  com- 
passionate heart  will  not  let  him  leave  his  people ;  his  love 
to  them  surpasses  the  love  of  the  most  compassionate  mother 
or  tender-hearted  parent:  "Can  a  woman  forget  her  sucking 
child,  that  she  should  not  have  compassion  on  the  son  of  her 
womb '{  yea,  they  may  forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee. 
Behold,  I  have  graven  thee  upon  the  palms  of  my  hands,  thy 
walls  are  continually  before  me,"  Is,  xlix.  15,  16. 

3f//y,  He  is  bound  to  them  by  the  bond  of  marriage  :  "  Thy 
Maker  is  thine  husband,  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name:  he 
has  betrothed  them  to  himself  in  righteousness,  judgment, 
loving  kindness,  and  mercies;  and  he  rejoiceth  over  them, 
as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride:"  and  because 
of  this  he  will  not,  he  cannot  leave  them. 

IV.  ^hc fourth  thing  was,  the  applicatio?i  of  the  doctrine: 
and  the  Jirst  use  is  for  information.  Is  it  so  that  Zion's  King 
is  sometimes  held  in  the  galleries  of  gospel  ordinances  1  Then, 

1.  See  hence  the  happiness  and  dignity  of  the  saints  of 
God,  beyond  the  rest  of  the  world.  We  reckon  that  person 
highly  honoured,  who  is  admitted  to  the  King's  presence- 
chamber,  and  to  walk  with -him  in  his  galleries.  "This  ho- 
nour have  all  the  saints,"  either  in  a  greater  or  less  degree: 
"Truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son 
Jesus  Christ."  And  therefore  I  may  infer,  that  they  are  "  the 
excellent  ones  in  the  earth,  and  more  excellent  than  their 
neighbour. — Since  thou  wast  precious  in  my  sight,  thou  hast 
been  honourable." 

2.  See  hence  why  the  saints  put  such  a  value  and  estimate 
on  gospel-ordinances.  David  every  where  declares  his  esteem 
of  them ;  "I  have  loved  the  habitation  of  thy  house,  and  the 
place  where  thine  honour  dwellcth.  He  would  "rather  be 
a  door-keeper  in  the  house  of  his  God,  than  dwell  in  the  tents 
of  sin."  Why,  what  is  the  matter?  The  plain  matter  is 
this;  they  are  the  galleries  where  Zion's  King  doth  walk, 
and  manifest  his  glory  to  his  subjects:  P^al.  xxvii.  4:  "One 
thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek  after,  that 
I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life, 
to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  Lord."  I  pass  other  uses,  and  go 
to  a 


116  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  [sER. 

Second  use  of  this  doctrine,  and  that  is  by  way  of  trial  and 
examination.  My  friends,  you  have  been  in  the  galleries  of 
the  King  of  Zion ;  but  that  is  not  enough :  and  therefore  let 
me  ask,  Have  you  been  in  the  galleries  with  the  King  1  and 
have  you  been  holding  the  King  in  the  galleries  1  There  are 
many  poor  ignorant  creatures,  who,  if  they  get  a  token,  and 
win  to  a  communion-table,  think  all  is  right  and  clear  between 
God  and  them ;  like  the  harlot,  Prov.  vii.  14 :  "  Peace-offer- 
ings are  with  me ;  this  day  have  I  paid  my  vows."  But,  Oh, 
sirs,  remember,  folk  may  win  in  to  the  outer  galleries  of  ordi- 
nances, and  never  win  in  to  the  inner  gallery  of  communion 
with  the  Lord  Jesus.  For  your  trial  as  to  this  matter,  I  shall 
only  propose  a  few  questions  to  you. 

Quest.  1.  What  did  you  hear  in  the  galleries?  what  said 
the  King  to  you?  For,  as  I  told  you,  the  galleries  of  ordi- 
nances are  tlie  places  of  audience,  where  the  King  of  Zion 
converses  with  his  people.  And  readily,  if  he  has  spoken 
with  you,  you  will  remember  what  he  said;  for  he  "speaks 
as  never  man  spake;  he  has  the  tongue  of  the  learned,  and 
his  words  are  as  goads,  and  as  nails  fastened  in  a  sure  place." 
The  spouse,  we  (ind,  had  been  in  the  chamber  of  presence, 
and  in  the  banqueting-house;  she  tells  that  the  King  spake 
with  her,  and  she  remembers  what  he  said,  Cant.  ii.  10:  "My 
beloved  spake,  and  said  unto  me,  Rise  up,  my  love,  my  fair 
one,  and  come  away."  So  then,  did  the  King  speak  with  you 
in  the  galleries  ?  did  he  speak  a  word  of  conviction,  or  a  word 
of  comfort,  a  word  of  peace,  or  a  word  of  consolation?  or 
whatever  it  be.  Quest.  How  shall  I  know  that  it  was  his 
voice,  and  not  the  voice  of  a  strc^nger  ?  Answ.  The  sheep  of 
Christ  have  a  natural  instinct  by  which  they  know  his  voice ; 
it  has  a  different  sound  from  the  voice  of  a  stranger;  and  if 
you  be  the  sheep  of  Christ,  you  will  know  it  better  than  I 
can  tell  you  it  by  words.  When  he  speaks,  he  makes  the 
heart  to  burn ;  and  you  will  be  ready  to  say  with  the  disci- 
ples, "  Did  not  our  heart  burn  within  us,  while  he  talked  with 
us"  in  the  galleries?  His  words  have  kindled  a  flame  of  love 
that  "  many  waters  cannot  quench ;"  a  flame  of  zeal  for  his 
glory ;  a  flame  of  holy  joy,  so  that  you  will  be  ready  to  say 
with  David,  "  God  hath  spoken  in  his  holiness,  I  will  rejoice." 
When  he  speaks,  he  makes  the  soul  to  speak,  whose  lips  were 
formerly  closed ;  for  his  voice  "  makes  the  lips  of  those  that 
are  asleep,  to  speak."  If  he  has  said,  "Seek  ye  my  face;" 
your  souls  have  echoed,  "  Thy  face.  Lord,  will  I  seek."  If 
he  has  said,  "  Come ;"  thy  soul  has  answered,  "  Behold,  I 
come  unto  thee ;  for  thou  art  the  Lord  my  God."  If  he  has 
spoken  peace  to  you  this  day  in  the  galleries,  you  will  be 
concerned  not  to  return  again  to  folly ;  you  have  been  made 


IV.]  THE  KING  HELD  IN   THE  GALLERIES.  117 

to  say,  with  Ephraim,  "  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with 
idols'?" 

Quest.  2.  I  ask,  What  did  you  see  in  the  galleries'?  Many 
sights  are  to  he  seen  in  the  galleries  of  ordinances,  and  parti- 
cularly in  that  of  the  Lord's  supper.  Here  (he  Lamb  of  God 
is  to  be  seen,  "  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  ;"  and 
in  a  crucified  Christ,  who  is  evidently  set  forth  in  that  ordi- 
nance, all  the  divine  attributes  and  perfections  shine  with  a 
greater  lustre,  than  in  the  large  volume  of  the  creation.  Here 
we  might  see  the  seemingly  different  claims  of  mercy  and  jus- 
tice, with  respect  to  fallen  man,  sweetly  reconciled  :  the  heal- 
ing overture  is,  that  the  surety  shall  die  in  the  room  of  the 
sinner;  and  thus  justice  shall  be  satisfied,  and  mercy  for  ever 
magnified.  Here  you  might  see  the  holiness  and  equity  of 
God's  nature  sparkling  in  flames  of  wrath  against  him  who 
"was  made  sin"  for  you;  the  sword  awakened,  even  *'  against 
the  man  that  is  God's  fellow,"  wounds  and  bruises  him  for 
your  iniquities.  There  you  might  see  the  power  of  God  spoil- 
ing principalities  and  powers,  shaking  the  foundation  of  the 
devil's  kingdom,  and  laying  the  foundation  of  a  happy  eternity 
for  an  elect  world,  in  the  death  and  blood  of  the  eternal  Son. 
In  this  ordinance  you  might  have  seen  him  writing  his  love 
in  characters  of  blood ;  love  which  has  neither  brim,  bottom, 
nor  boundaries.  Here  he  was  to  be  seen  as  the  "  Amen,  the 
faithful  and  true  witness,"  girt  with  the  golden  girdle  of  faith- 
fulness, sealing  the  covenant,  and  confirming  it  with  many. 
Now,  I  say,  have  you  seen  any  thing  of  this?  Are  you  say- 
ing, "  We  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten 
of  the  Father?  Did  any  of  these  divine  rays  of  Zion's  King 
break  forth  upon  your  soul  ?  If  so,  then  I  am  sure  it  has 
had  something  of  a  transforming  efllicacy  with  it ;  according 
to  what  we  have,  2  Cor.  iii.  18 :  "  All  we  with  open  face,  be- 
holding as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into 
the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord."  Jacob's  cattle,  you  know,  by  the  very  working 
of  fancy  in  the  conception,  by  beholding  the  pilled  rods, 
brought  forth  their  young  speckled  and  spotted.  Now,  if 
fancy  could  work  such  a  resemblance,  what  must  the  eye  of 
faith  do,  when  it  beholds  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 
Christ,  who  is  "  the  express  image  of  his  person '?"  John  i.  14, 
16:  "The  word  was  made  flesh,  and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the 
glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and 
truth.  And  of  his  fulness  have  all  we  received,  and  grace 
for  grace."  It  is  remarkable,  that  by  beholding  his  glory,  wo 
receive  grace  for  grace.  As  the  wax  receives  letter  for  let- 
ter from  the  seal,  or  as  the  child  receives  limb  for  limb  from 
the  parent ;  so,  by  beholding  Christ,  we  receive  grace  for 


118  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  [sER. 

grace  from  him :  so  as  there  is  never  a  grace  in  Christ,  when 
it  is  seen  by  faith,  but  it  works  something  of  a  parallel  grace 
on  the  soul.  So  then,  try  yourselves  by  this,  and  you  may 
know  whether  you  have  been  indeed  in  the  galleries  with  the 
King. 

Quest.  3.  I  ask,  What  have  you  tasted  in  the  galleries  1 
for,  as  you  heard,  galleries  are  for  feasting  and  entertainment 
of  friends.  Now,  did  the  King  say  to  you,  or  is  he  yet  say- 
ing it,  "Eat,  O  friends,  drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly,  O  be- 
loved 1"  Did  he  make  you  to  "  eat  of  the  fatness  of  his  house," 
and  to  "  drink  of  the  rivers  of  his  pleasui'es  ?"  "  If  so  be  ye 
have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious,"  then  I  am  sure  you 
will,  "  as  new-born  babes,  desire  and  thirst  after  the  sincere 
milk  of  the  word:"  you  will  be  saying,  "  Stay  me  with  iiagons, 
comfort  me  with  apples ;"  let  me  have  more  and  more  of  this 
delicious  fare.  If  you  have  been  feasted  with  the  King  in 
the  galleries,  the  world,  and  all  the  pleasures  of  it,  will  be 
as  nothing  in  your  eye,  in  comparison  of  Christ  and  the  in- 
timations of  his  love.  O,  says  David,  when  his  soul  was 
"  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fatness,"  "  Thy  loving  kind- 
ness is  better  than  life,"  and  all  the  comforts  of  life ;  they  are 
but  loss  and  dung  when  laid  in  the  balance  with  him.  If 
you  have  been  feasting  in  the  galleries,  you  will  be  desirous 
that  others  may  share  of  the  meal  you  have  gotten ;  and, 
with  David,  be  ready  to  say,  "  O  taste  and  see  that  God  is 
good."  You  will  proclaim  the  praises  of  his  goodness,  as 
you  have  occasion,  to  them  that  fear  him :  "  Come,  and  hear, 
all  ye  that  fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  what  he  hath  done 
for  my  soul."  And  readily  it  will  be  the  desire  of  your  soul 
to  abide  in  his  presence,  and  to  dwell,  as  it  were,  in  the 
galleries  of  ordinances.  O  "  it  is  good  for  us  to  be  here  !  let 
us  build  tabernacles  here,"  said  Peter,  on  the  mount  of  trans- 
figuration. That  will  be  the  language  of  thy  soul,  Psal.  xxvii. 
4 :  "  One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek  af- 
ter, that  I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of 
my  life,  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in 
his  temple."     So  much  for  a  use  of  trial. 

Use  third  may  be  in  a  short  word  directed  to  two  or  three 
sorts  of  persons.  1,  To  you  who  know  nothing  of  this  doc- 
trine, never  met  with  the  King  in  the  galleries.  2.  To  you 
who  have  had  a  comfortable  meeting  with  him.  3.  To  those 
who  perhaps  are  complaining,  "  I  sought  him,  but  I  found 
him  not." 

First,  To  you  who  never  yet  knew  what  it  was  to  have 
a  meeting  with  Zion's  King  in  the  galleries  of  gospel-ordi- 
nances ;  and  perhaps,  Gallio-like,  you  "  care  for  none  of  these 
things."     To  you  I  shall  only  say, 


IV.]  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  119 

1.  Your  condition  is  truly  sad  and  lamentable,  beyond  ex- 
pression or  imagination.  Vou  are  "  aliens  to  Israel's  com- 
monwealth, strangers  to  the  covenant  of  promise,  without 
God,  without  Christ,  and  without  hope  in  the  world. — You 
are  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity ;" 
under  the  curse  of  God,  and  condemnation  of  the  law,  and 
absolute  power  of  Satan,  "  who  rules  in  the  children  of  dis- 
obedience." You  are  lying  within  the  sea-mark  of  God's 
wrath ;  and  if  you  die  in  this  condition,  you  will  drink  the 
dregs  of  the  cup  of  his  indignation  through  all  eternity. 

2.  If  you  have  in  this  case  adventured  to  the  galleries  of 
a  communion-table,  you  have  run  a  very  dreadful  risk.  You 
have  adventured  to  the  King's  presence  without  his  warrant, 
and  witiiout  the  wedding-garment  of  imputed  righteousness, 
or  of  inherent  holiness ;  and  therefore  have  run  the  risk  of 
being  bound,  hand  and  foot,  and  cast  into  outer  darkness : 
you  have  been  "  eating  and  drinking  judgment"  to  your  own 
souls,  and  are  "guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord." 
And  therefore, 

3.  For  the  Lord's  sake,  let  me  beseech  you  to  repent  of 
your  wickedness.  Flee  out  of  your  lost  and  miserable  condi- 
tion, flee  to  "  the  horns  of  the  altar."  We  declare  to  you, 
that  there  is  yet  "  hope  ill  Israel  concerning"  you.  *'  Let  the 
wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts; 
and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy 
upon  him,  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon," 
Is.  Iv.  T. 

Secondly,  A  second  sort  of  persons  are  those  who  have  this 
day  had  a  meeting  with  Zion's  King  in  the  galleries  of  ordi- 
nances. I  shall  only  offer  a  word  of  exhortation  to  you,  and 
of  advice. 

I.  A  word  of  exhortation.  Have  you  met  with  the  King 
in  the  galleries?  O  then  be  exhorted  to  hold  him,  and  bind 
him  in  the  galleries ;  take  him  with  you  from  the  more  open 
and  solemn  galleries  of  public  ordinances,  to  the  more  pri- 
vate and  secret  galleries  of  prayer,  meditation,  conference, 
and  the  like :  follow  the  spouse's  practice  when  she  found 
him  ;  "  she  held  him,  and  would  not  let  him  go,  until  she  had 
brought  him  into  her  mother's  house,  and  into  the  chamber 
of  her  that  conceived  her."  To  engage  you  to  hold  him, 
take  these  motives: 

Mot.  I.  Consider  his  invaluable  worth  and  excellency: 
The  tongues  of  angels,  let  be  of  men,  do  but  falter  and  stam- 
mer when  they  speak  of  him.  His  worth  is  best  known  by 
the  character  he  gives  of  himself  in  his  word.  View  him 
absolutely  in  himself;  he  is  "  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father, 
the  mighty  God,  the  Prince  of  peace."     View  him  compara- 


120  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  [sER. 

lively ;  he  is  "  fairer  than  the  children  of  men,  as  the  apple 
tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood ;  the  standard-bearer  among 
ten  thousand."  View  him  relatively ;  he  is  thy  Head,  thy 
Husband,  thy  Friend,  thy  Father,  thy  elder  Brother,  thy  Sure- 
ty, Shepherd,  and  Redeemer;  and,  in  a  word,  he  is  all  and  in 
all.     And  should  not  this  make  you  to  hold  him? 

Mot.  2.  Consider,  that  thy  happiness,  believer,  lies  in  the 
enjoyment  of  him.  What  is  it,  do  you  think,  that  constitutes 
the  happiness  of  heaven  through  eternity  1  It  is  Christ's  pre- 
sence, a  Mediator,  the  King  of  Zion,  manifesting  his  heart- 
charming  beauty  to  saints  and  angels  through  eternity.  And 
what  is  it  that  raises  the  poor  soul  to  the  very  suburbs  of 
glory  while  in  the  wilderness?  It  is  Christ  manifesting  him- 
self in  a  sensible  way  to  the  soul :  O  this,  this  it  is  that  fills 
the  soul  with  "joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory  !"  The  ad- 
vantages that  attend  his  presence  with  the  soul  are  great  and 
glorious.  A  cabinet  of  counsel  attends  his  presence :  he  brings 
light  with  him ;  and  no  wonder,  for  he  is  "  the  Sun  of  right- 
eousness:" "the  veil  and  face  of  the  covering"  is  rent  when 
Christ  comes,  and  darkness  is  turned  into  light.  His  presence 
has  a  mighty  influence  upon  the  believer's  work  in  the  wil- 
derness; the  believer  then  "  rides  upon  the  high  places  of  the 
earth,  and  is  fed  with  the  heritage  of  Jacob ;"  he  runs  swiftly 
"  like  the  chariots  of  Amminadib."  His  presence  inspires 
with  courage  and  strength ;  it  makes  "  the  feeble  soul  as  Da- 
vid, and  David  as  the  angel  of  God ;  it  gives  power  to  the 
faint,  and  increases  strength  to  them  that  have  no  might." — 
The  soldier  fights  with  courage  when  his  captain  is  at  hand. 
The  poor  believer  is  not  afraid  to  encounter  the  king  of  ter- 
rors himself,  vv'hen  he  is  holding  Christ  in  the  arms  of  faith: 
Psal.  xxiii.  4 :  "  Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of 
the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil :  for  thou  art  with 
me,  thy  rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me."  So,  let  this  en- 
courage you  to  hold  him. 

Mot.  3.  Consider  at  what  a  dear  rate  this  privilege  was 
purchased  for  thee.  Before  Christ  could  pay  thy  soul  a  visit 
in  the  galleries,  he  behooved  to  swim  a  river  and  ocean  of 
blood,  to  tread  the  wine-press  of  his  Father's  wrath.  Justice 
had  rolled  insuperable  mountains  in  his  way,  and  these  moun- 
tains he  must  pass,  and  make  as  a  plain,  before  he  could 
show  himself  in  the  galleries  to  thy  soul.  Does  not  this 
oblige  you  to  entertain  him,  and  give  him  welcome  when 
come  ? 

Mot.  4.  If  you  quit  your  holds  of  him,  and  suffer  him  to 
depart,  it  may  cost  you  very  dear  before  you  get  another 
meeting  with  him.  It  is  true,  "  his  kindness  shall  never  de- 
part from  thee,  the  covenant  of  his  peace  shall  never  be  re- 


IV.]  THE  KING   HELD  IS  THE  GALLERIES.  121 

moved."  His  gracious  presence  can  never  be  lost;  but  his 
quickening,  comforting,  strengthening,  and  upholding  presence 
may  be  lost :  and  even  this  may  be  of  very  dreadful  conse- 
quence. As  his  presence  is  a  heaven  upon  earth,  so  some- 
times a  hell  upon  earth  follows  his  absence.  Job,  through 
his  hiding,  is  made  to  "  go  mourning  without  the  sun  ;"  yea, 
to  such  a  pass  is  he  brought,  through  the  frowns  of  God's 
countenance,  that  he  is  made  to  cry,  "  The  arrows  of  the 
Almighty  are  within  me,  the  poison  whereof  drinketh  up  my 
spirit :  the  terrors  of  God  do  set  themselves  in  array  against 
me."  And  see  to  what  a  pass  Hcman  is  brought  under  de- 
sertion, Psal.  Ixxxviii.  6,  7  :  "  Thou  hast  laid  me  in  the  lowest 
pit,  in  darkness,  in  the  deeps.  Thy  wrath  lieth  hard  upon 
ine;  and  thou  hast  afflicted  me  with  all  thy  waves."  And 
again,  ver.  15:  "  While  I  suffer  thy  terrors  1  am  distracted." 
Let  all  these  considerations,  and  many  others  I  might  name, 
quicken  your  diligence  in  holding  the  King  in  the  galleries. 

2.  I  come  to  oiler  you  a  few  advices,  in  order  to  your  hold- 
ing the  King  in  the  galleries,  and  maintaining  his  presence 
with  you. 

Isl,  See  that  you  keep  his  lodging  clean,  and  beware  of 
every  thing  that  may  provoke  him  to  withdraw.  This  was 
the  practice  of  the  spouse  after  she  had  obtained  a  meeting 
with  Christ,  Cant.  iii.  5 :  "  I  charge  you,  O  ye  daughters  of 
Jerusalem,  by  the  rocs,  and  by  the  hinds  of  the  field,  that  ye 
stir  not  up,  nor  awake  my  love,  till  he  please."  Particularly, 
there  are  two  or  three  evils  that  you  would  carefully  guard 
against.  Beware  of  security.  If  you  were  paying  a  visit  to 
your  relation,  you  would  think  him  tired  of  your  company, 
if  he  would  fall  asleep  beside  you.  Has  Christ  paid  a  visit  to 
thy  soul,  and  wilt  thou  fall  asleep  in  his  very  presence 
and  company?  This  is  very  provoking  to  the  Lord  Jesus. 
Cant.  V.  3:  the  spouse  there  entertains  Christ's  visit  with 
sloth  ;  "  I  have  put  off  my  coat,  how  shall  I  put  it  on  ?  I  have 
washed  my  feet,  how  shall  I  defile  them?"  But  what  comes 
of  it  ?  Christ  withdrew,  ver.  6:  "I  opened  to  my  beloved, 
but  my  beloved  had  withdrawn  himself,  and  was  gone:  I 
sought  him,  but  I  could  not  find  him;  I  called  him,  but  he 
gave  me  no  answer."  Beware  of  turning  proud  of  your  at- 
tainments. Pride  of  gifts,  pride  of  grace,  pride  of  attainments, 
is  what  Christ  cannot  away  with:  he  "gives  grace  to  the 
humble,  but  he  resisteth  the  proud,  and  beholdeth  them  afar 
off."  Beware  of  worldly-mindcdncss,  or  suffering  your  hearts 
to  go  out  immoderately  after  the  things  of  time;  for  this  is 
displeasing  to  the  Lord,  and  intercepts  the  light  of  his  coun- 
tenance; Is.  Ivii.  17:  "For  the  iniquity  of  his  covetousness 
was  I  wroth,  and  smote  him :  I  hid  me  and  was  wroth.    The 

VOL.  1.  11 


122  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  [SER. 

friendship  of  this  world  is  enmity  with  God."  Beware  of 
unbelief,  the  root  of  all  other  evils,  and  particularly  the  root 
and  source  of  distance  and  estrangement  between  Christ  and 
the  soul;  for  "  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief  causes  to  depart  from 
the  living  God."  In  a  word,  keep  a  strict  watch  and  guard 
against  every  thing  that  may  defile  the  lodging  of  Christ  in 
thy  soul.  Under  the  law,  God  appointed  porters  to  keep 
watch  at  the  doors  of  the  temple,  that  nothing  might  enter 
in  to  defile  that  house  which  was  the  dwelling-place  of 
his  name.  Thy  soul  and  body  is  the  temple  in  which 
Christ  dwells  by  his  holy  Spirit :  and  therefore  guard  against 
every  thing  that  may  defile  it,  and  provoke  him  to  depart ; 
for  "  if  any  man  defile  the  temple  of  God,  him  shall  God  de- 
stroy; for  the  temple  of  God  is  holy,  which  temple  ye  ai'e," 
1  Cor.  iii.  17. 

2dly,  If  you  would  hold  the  King  in  the  galleries,  it  is  ne- 
cessary that  grace  be  kept  in  lively  exercise;  for  these  are 
the  spikenard  and  spices  that  send  forth  a  pleasant  smell  in 
his  nostrils.  Let  faith  be  kept  in  exercise;  let  this  eye  be 
continually  on  him :  he  is  exceedingly  taken  with  the  looks 
of  faith :  Cant.  iv.  9 :  "  Thou  hast  ravished  my  heart,  my 
sister,  my  spouse;  thou  hast  ravished  my  heart  with  one  of 
thine  eyes,  with  one  chain  of  thy  neck."  Keep  the  fire  of 
love  burning  upon  the  altar  of  thy  heart;  for  Christ  loves  to 
dwell  in  a  warm  heart:  1  John  iv.  16:  "  He  that  dwelleth  in 
love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him."  Maintain  a  holy 
and  evangelical  tenderness  and  melting  of  heart  for  sin;  for 
"  the  Lord  is  nigh  unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart,  and 
saveth  such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit."  And  let  hope  be  kept 
up  in  opposition  to  a  sinking  despondency.  Christ  does  not 
love  to  see  his  friends  drooping  in  his  company:  No,  no;  "  he 
takes  pleasure  in  them  that  fear  him,  in  those  that  hope  in 
his  mercy." 

Sdly,  If  you  would  have  Christ  staying  with  you  in  the 
galleries,  you  must  put  much  work  in  his  hand;  for  Christ 
does  not  love  to  stay  where  he  gets  no  employment.  Hast 
thou  any  strong  corruption  to  be  subdued?  Tell  him  of  it; 
for  this  is  one  part  of  his  work,  to  subdue  the  iniquities  of 
his  people.  Hast  thou  no  sin  to  be  pardoned,  the  guiU  of 
which  has  many  times  stared  thee  in  the  face  ?  Tell  him  of 
it;  for  "  his  name  is  Jesus,  because  he  saves  his  people  from 
their  sins."  Hast  thou  no  want  to  be  supplied?  Tell  him  of 
it;  for  there  is  all  fulness  in  him,  fulness  of  merit  and  Spirit, 
fulness  of  grace  and  truth :  he  has  a  liberal  heart,  and  he  de- 
vises liberal  things.  Hast  thou  no  doubts  or  ditliculties  to  be 
resolved :  Tell  him  your  doubts  ;  for  he  is  *'  an  Interpreter 
among  a  thousand."     Employ  him  not  only  for  yourselves, 


IV.]  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  123 

but  for  others.  Employ  him  for  your  mother  church ;  en- 
treat him  to  come  unto  your  "  mother's  house,  and  to  the  cham- 
bers of  her  that  conceived"  you;  that  he  woyld  break  these 
heavy  yokes  that  are  wreathed  about  her  neck  at  this  day ; 
that  he  may  "  build  up  the  wails  of  his  Jerusalem,  make  her  a 
peaceable  habitation,  and  the  praise  of  the  whole  earth ;"  that 
he  may  "  take  the  foxes,  the  little  foxes,  that  spoil  the  vines,"  I 
mean,  such  teachers  and  preachers  as  are  troubling  the  peace 
of  the  church,  and  obstructing  the  progress  of  the  gospel, 
with  their  new-fangled  opinions.     But  I  must  not  insist. 

Thirdly,  A  third  sort  of  persons  I  proposed  to  speak  to, 
were  these  who  are  perhaps  complaining,  that  they  have 
been  attending  in  the  galleries  of  ordinances,  and  particularly 
at  a  communion-table ;  yet  they  cannot  say,  dare  not  say,  that 
they  were  privileged  to  see  the  King's  face.  Alas  !  may  some 
poor  soul  be  saying,  I  thought  to  have  got  a  meeting  with 
Zion's  King,  but  hitherto  1  have  missed  my  errand :  "  The 
Comforter  that  should  relieve  my  soul,  is  far  from  me ;  and 
I,  whither  shall  I  go  ?'  Ansiv.  I  shall  only  suggest  a  word  of 
encouragement  and  advice  to  such  of  the  Lord's  people  as 
may  be  in  this  case. 

1.  A  word  of  encouragement. 

Is/,  Then,  do  not  think  thy  case  unprecedented.  Poor  soul, 
what  thinkest  thou  of  David,  Asaph,  Heman,  yea,  of  Christ 
himself  \ 

2dly,  Although  Zion's  King  may  hide  himself  for  a  little,  yet 
he  will  not  always  hide,  "lest  the  spirits  should  fail  before 
him  :"  Psal.  xxx.  4,  5  :  "  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  O  ye  saints  of 
his,  and  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  of  his  holiness.  For 
his  anger  endureth  but  a  moment :  in  his  favour  is  life:  weep- 
ing may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  comcth  in  the  morning." 
Is.  liv.  7,  8:  "For  a  small  moment  have  1  forsaken  thee,  but 
with  great  mercies  will  I  gather  thee.  In  a  little  wrath  1  hid 
my  face  from  thee  for  a  moment ;  but  willi  everlasting  kindness 
will  I  have  mercy  on  thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Redeemer. 

3dly,  Perhaps  the  King  lias  been  in  the  galleries  with  thy 
soul,  when  yet  thou  wast  not  aware  that  it  was  he.  He  was 
with  Jacob  at  Bethel,  and  he  "wist  it  not;  "  he  was  with  the 
disciples  going  to  Emmaus,  and  yet  they  mistook  him.  Quest. 
How  shall  I  know  whether  the  King  has  been  in  the  galleries 
with  my  soul  ?     For  answer, 

(L)  Art  thou  mourning  and  sorrowing  over  thy  apprehend- 
ed loss?  Does  it  grieve  thee  at  the  very  heart  to  think,  that 
thou  shouldst  be  at  Jerusalem,  and  not  see  the  King's  face;  at 
the  King's  table,  and  not  have  the  King's  company  ?  If  this 
be  real  matter  of  exercise  to  thee,  thou  dost  not  want  his  gra- 
cious presence,  though  thou  art  not  aware ;  for  "  he  is  ever 


124  THE  KING  HELD  IN  THE  GALLERIES.  [SER. 

nigh  unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart."  Christ  is  at 
Mary's  hand  when  she  is  drowned  in  tears  for  the  want  of  his 
company,  and  saying,  "They  have  taken  away  my  Lord,  and 
1  know  not  where  they  have  laid  him." 

(2.)  Hast  thou  got  a  farther  discovery  of  thine  own  empti- 
ness, poverty,  and  nakedness?  and  is  thy  soul  abased  and  laid 
in  the  dust  on  this  account?  This  says,  Christ  has  been  pre- 
sent; for  he  comes  in  a  work  of  humiliation,  as  well  as  in  a 
work  of  consolation.  Perhaps  the  devil  is  condemning,  the 
law  is  condemning,  conscience  is  condemning  thee,  and  thou 
art  condemning  thyself  as  fast  as  any :  be  not  discouraged, 
Christ  is  not  far  away,  Psal.  cix.  31 :  "  He  stands  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  poor,  to  save  him  from  those  that  condemn  his 
soul." 

(3.)  Art  thou  justifying  the  Lord,  and  laying  the  blame  of 
thy  punishment  upon  thyself,  as  David,  Psal.  xxii.  1,2,  3: 
"  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?  Why  art 
thou  so  far  from  helping  me,  and  from  the  words  of  my  roar- 
ing? O  my  God,  I  cry  in  the  day-time,  but  Ihou  hearest  me 
not?  and  in  the  night-season,  and  am  not  silent.  But  thou  art 
holy,  O  thou  that  inhabitest  the  praises  of  Israel." 

(4.)  Is  thy  hunger  and  thirst  after  Christ  increased  by  thy 
apprehended  want  of  his  gracious  presence  ?  This  says  that 
he  has  been  really  present,  for  his  blessing  is  upon  thee : 
Matth.  v.  6:  "Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst 
after  righteousness."  And  know  for  thy  comfort,  that  "  he 
satisfieth  the  longing  soul,  and  fiUeth  the  hungry  soul  with 
good  things." 

(5.)  Art  thou  resolved  to  wait  on  him  and  keep  his  way, 
although  he  hide  his  face  and  withdraw  his  sensible  presence? 
Christ  has  not  been  altogether  a  stranger ;  no,  "  he  is  good 
unto  them  that  wait  for  him,  to  the  soul  that  seeketh  him  ;  and 
is  really  nigh  unto  all  that  call  upon  him  in  truth." 

2.  A  word  of  advice,  and  only  in  so  many  words. 

\st,  Give  not  way  to  despondency;  argue  against  it,  as 
David,  Psal.  xlii.  5  :  "  Why  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul  ? 
and  why  are  thou  disquieted  in  me  ?  Hope  thou  in  God ;  for  I 
shall  yet  praise  him  for  the  help  of  his  countenance." 

2dly,  See  that  you  justify  God,  and  beware  of  charging  him 
foolishly.  See  what  was  David's  practice,  (and  herein  he  was 
a  type  of  Christ  himself,)  Psal.  xxii.  He  is  under  hidings, 
ver.  1  :  "  My  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me,"  &c.  What 
follows  ?  ver.  3 :  "  But  thou  art  holy,  O  thou  that  inhabitest 
the  praises  of  Israel." 

Mly,  Trust  in  a  hiding  God,  as  Job  did :  "  Though  he  slay 
me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him,"  Job  xiii.  15.  This  the  Lord  calls 
his  people  to  under  darkness,  Is,  1.  10 :  "  Who  is  among  you 


v.]         THE  GROANS  Or  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.        125 

that  fcareth  the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the  voice  of  his  servant, 
that  vvalkcth  in  darkness,  and  liath  no  light?  let  him  trust  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  upon  his  God." 

4lhlt/,  and  lastly,  Wait  on  him  in  the  galleries  of  ordinances ; 
hang  about  the  posts  of  his  door.  And  when  you  do  not  find 
him  in  public,  seek  him  in  private,  and  in  the  retired  galleries 
of  secret  prayer,  meditation,  and  conference  :  and  go  a  little 
farther,  like  the  spouse,  above  and  beyond  all  duties  and  ordi- 
nances, to  himself:  "  He  is  good  unto  them  that  wait  for  him, 
to  the  soul  that  seeketh  him. — They  that  wait  upon  the  Lord 
shall  renew  their  strength:  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings 
as  eagles,  they  shall  run  and  not  be  weary,  and  they  shall 
walk  and  not  faint."  The  spouse  did  so,  and  at  length  she 
found  him  whom  her  soul  loved :  Cant.  iii.  4 :  "It  was  but  a 
little  that  I  passed  from  them,  but  I  found  him  whom  my  soul 
loveth :  I  held  him,  and  would  not  let  him  go."  The  Lord 
bless  his  word. 


SERIVIOIV    V. 


THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.* 

Lord,  all  my  desire  is  before  thee;  and  my  groaning  is  not  hid  from  thee.— 
PsAL.  xxxvm.  9. 

The  Spirit  helpeth  our  infirmities;  and  maketh  intercession  for  us  with 
groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered. — Rom.  viii.  26. 


We  that  are  in  this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  burdened. — 2  Con.  v.  4. 

In  the  first  verse  of  this  chapter,  the  apostle  gives  a  rea- 
son, why  he,  and  others  of  the  saints  in  his  day,  endured  per- 
secution for  the  cause  of  Christ,  with  such  an  unshaken  con- 
stancy, and  holy  magnanimity :  he  tells  us,  that  they  had  the 
prospect  of  better  things,  the  solid  and  well-grounded  hope  of 
a  happy  immortality  to  follow  upon  the  dissolution  of  this 
clay  tabernacle  of  the  body.  Ye  need  not  wonder,  would  he 
say,  though  we  cheerfully  and  willingly  undergo  the  sharpest 
trials  for  religion :  "  for  we  know,  that  if  our  earthly  house 

•  Preached  in  the  Tolbooth-cluirch  of  Edinburgh,  on  a  fast-day  preceding 
the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  supper,  October,  27,  1720. 

u* 


126     THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.      [sER. 

of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God, 
a  house  not  made  with  hands,  etenial  in  the  heavens."  When 
the  poor  believer  can  say  with  David,  "  I  shall  dwell  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord  for  ever,"  he  will  be  ready  to  join  issue 
with  the  same  holy  man,  "  Though  I  walk  through  the  val- 
ley of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil."  Yea,  so  far 
is  the  apostle  from  being  damped  or  discouraged  at  the 
thoughts  of  death,  that  he  rather  invites  it  to  do  its  office,  by 
striking  down  this  clay  tabernacle,  that  his  soul  may  be  at  li- 
berty to  ascend  to  these  mansions  of  glory,  that  his  blessed 
Friend  and  Elder  Brother  has  prepared  for  him  above:  ver. 
2 :  "In  this  we  groan,  earnestly  desiring  to  be  clothed  upon 
with  our  house  which  is  from  heaven."  He  knew  very  well, 
that  when  he  should  be  stript  of  his  mortal  body,  he  should 
not  be  found  naked,  as  it  is  ver.  3 ;  but  clothed  with  a  robe  of 
glory  and  immortality.  And  in  the  verse  read,  he  gives  a 
reason  why  he  was  so  desirous  to  change  his  quarters ;  and 
it  is  drawn  from  the  uneasiness  and  inconvenience  of  his  pre- 
sent lodging,  while  cooped  up  in  this  clay  tabernacle:  fVe  that 
are  in  this  tabernacle,  says  he,  do  groan,  being  burdened. 

In  which  words  we  may  briefly  notice,  1.  The  believer's 
present  lodging  or  habitation ;  he  is  in  a  tabernacle.  2.  His 
melancholy  disposition;  he  is  groaning.  3.  The  cause  or 
reasons  of  his  groans ;  being  burdened. 

1.  I  say,  we  have  an  account  of  the  believer's  present 
lodging  or  habitation;  he  is  in  this  tabernacle.  By  the  taber- 
nacle, here,  we  are  to  understand  the  body ;  so  called,  be- 
cause it  is  a  weak,  moveable  sort  of  habitation ;  (as  we  may 
hear  more  fully  afterwards.)  The  indweller  of  this  lodging 
is  the  noble  soul,  which  is  said  to  be  in  this  tabernacle,  while 
it  is  in  an  imbodied  state.  So  that  the  meaning  is,  We  that 
are  in  this  tabernacle;  that  is,  we  that  are  living  in  the  body. 

2.  We  have  the  melancholy  disposition  of  the  poor  be- 
liever while  in  this  lodging ;  he  groans.  The  word  in  the 
original,  <itva.^«>,  rendered,  to  groan,  we  find  it  taken  in  a  three- 
fold sense  in  scripture.  1^^  It  is  an  expression  of  grief:  Heb. 
xiii.  17 :  "  Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you,  that  they 
may  give  their  account  of  you,  not  with  grief;"  or,  as  it  may 
be  rendered.  Not  ivith  groans.  It  is  the  same  word  that  is 
here  used.  There  is  nothing  more  ordinary,  when  a  person 
is  weighed  and  pressed  in  spirit,  than  to  give  vent  to  the 
heart  in  sobs  and  groans:  and  thus  stands  the  case  with  the 
Lord's  people  many  times,  while  in  the  tabernacle  of  the 
body.  2dly,  It  is  sometimes  an  expression  of  displeasure : 
James  v.  9 :  "  Grudge  not  one  against  another."  It  is  the 
same  word  that  is  here  rendered  to  groan.  And  so  it  imports, 
that  the  believer  is  dissatisfied  with,  or  disaffected  to,  his  pre- 


v.]         THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.        127 

sent  quarters ;  he  does  not  like  it,  in  comparison  of  the  bet- 
ter habitation  that  he  has  in  view.  3dly,  It  is  sometimes 
taken  as  an  expression  of  ardent,  passionate,  and  earnest  de- 
sire. Thus,  the  word  is  taken  in  the  second  verse  of  this 
chapter:  "  In  this  we  groan,  earnestly  desiring  to  be  clothed 
upon  with  our  house  which  is  from  heaven."  I  shall  not  ex- 
clude any  of  4hese  senses  from  the  apostle's  scope  in  these 
words. 

3.  In  the  words  we  have  the  cause  or  reason  of  the  be- 
liever's gi'oans ;  being  burdened.  Many  a  weary  weight  and 
heavy  load  has  the  believer  hanging  about  him,  while  pass- 
ing through  this  "  valley  of  Baca,"  which  make  him  to  go 
many  times  with  a  bowed-down  back.  What  these  weights 
and  burdens  are,  you  may  hear  more  fully  afterwards. 
The  observation  I  offer  from  the  words  is  this : 
DocT.  "That  believers  are  many  times  burdened,  even  to 
groaning,  while  in  the  clay  tabernacle  of  the  body."  We  that 
are  iti  this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  burdened." 

The  method  I  shall  observe,  in  handling  this  doctrine,  is, 
to  give  you  some  account, 

I.  Of  the  believer's  present  lodging ;  he  is  in  a  tabernacle. 

II.  Of  the  believer's  burdens  in  this  tabernacle. 

III.  Of  his  groans  under  these  burdens. 

IV.  G)nclude  with  some  improvement  of  the  whole. 

I.  The  first  thing  is,  to  give  you  some  account  o^  the  belieroer's 
present  lodging  while  in  the  body.  And  there  are  these  two  or 
three  things  that  I  remark  about  it,  which  I  find  in  the  text 
and  context. 

1.  Then,  I  find  it  is  called  a  house  in  the  first  verse  of  this 
chapter.  And  it  is  fitly  so  called,  because  of  its  rare  and  cu- 
rious structure  and  workmanship;  Psal.  cxxxix.  14,  15:  "I 
will  praise  thee,  for  I  am  fcaifully  and  wonderfully  made; 
marvellous  arc  thy  works,  and  that  my  soul  knovvcth  right 
well.  My  substance  was  not  hid  from  thee,  when  I  was  made 
in  secret;  and  curiously  wrought  in  the  lowest  parts  of  the 
earth."  The  body  of  man  is  a  wonderful  piece  of  architec- 
ture, and  the  skill  and  wisdom  of  the  great  Creator  are  won- 
derfully discovered  in  it:  it  is  set  up,  as  it  were,  by  line  and 
rule,  in  such  exact  order,  that  the  most  curious  piles  and 
edifices  in  the  world  arc  but  a  chaos  or  mass  of  confusion, 
when  compared  with  it.  Take  a  clod  of  dust,  and  compare 
it  with  the  flesh  of  man,  unless  we  were  instructed  of  it  be^ 
forehand,  we  would  not  imai^ine  it  to  be  one  and  the  same 
matter,  considering  the  beauty  and  excellency  of  the  one 
above  the  other ;  which  evidently  proclaims  the  being,  power, 


128      THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.      [SER. 

and  wisdom  of  the  great  Creator,  who  made  us,  and  not  we 
ourselves,  and  who  can  sublimate  matter  above  its  first  origi- 
nal. 

2.  I  remark  concerning  the  believer's  present  lodging,  that 
however  curious  its  structure  be,  yet  it  is  but  a  house  of  earth; 
therefore  called  in  the  first  verse,  an  earthly  house.  And  it  is 
so,  especially  in  a  threefold  respect. 

\st.  In  respect  of  its  original ;  it  is  made  of  earth.  It  is 
true,  all  the  elements  meet  in  the  body  of  man,  fire,  earth, 
water,  and  air ;  but  earth  is  the  predominant.  And  there- 
fore, from  thence  he  is  said  to  have  his  rise ;  Job  iv.  19  :  "  He 
dwells  in  houses  of  clay,  and  his  foundation  is  in  the  dust." 
Whatever  be  the  beauty,  strength,  structure,  or  high  pedigree 
of  men ;  yet  as  to  their  bodies,  they  claim  no  higher  extract 
than  the  dust  of  the  earth. 

2dly,  It  is  a  house  of  clay,  in  respect  of  the  means  that 
support  it;  it  stands  upon  pillars  of  dust;  for  the  corn,  wine, 
and  oil,  wherewith  the  body  of  man  is  maintained,  all  spring 
out  of  the  earth.  Hos.  ii.  21,  22  :  God  is  said  to  hear  the  hea- 
vens, the  heavens  to  hear  the  earth,  the  earth  to  hear  the  corn, 
zvine,  and  oil,  and  these  to  hear  Jezreel.  And  if  these  props 
be  withdrawn,  how  soon  will  the  clay  tabernacle  fall  to  the 
ground,  and  return  to  its  original  ? 

^dly,  It  is  a  house  of  earth  in  respect  of  its  end ;  it  returns 
thither  at  its  dissolution.  Accordingly,  see  what  God  said  to 
Adam,  Gen.  iii.  19 :  "■  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou 
return."  Perhaps  there  may  be  some  allusion  to  these 
three  in  that  passionate  exclamation  of  the  prophet  Jeremiah 
to  the  rebellious  Jews,  Jer.  xxii.  29 :  <'  O  earth,  earth,  earth, 
hear  the  word  of  the  Lord."  They  were  earth  in  their  ori- 
ginal, they  were  earth  as  to  their  support,  and  they  would  re- 
turn to  earth  in  the  end. 

3.  I  remark  concerning  the  believer's  present  lodging,  that 
it  is  at  best  but  a  tabernacle.  So  it  is  called,  ver.  1 :  "  If  our 
earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved ;"  and  again 
here.  We  that  are  i?i  this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  burdened." 
Now,  a  tabernacle  or  a  tent  is  a  moveable  or  portable  kind 
of  habitation,  and  is  peculiar  especially  to  two  sorts  of  men. 
1.  To  travellers  or  wayfaring  men.  2.  To  soldiers  or  war- 
faring  men. 

\st,  I  say,  tabernacles  or  tents  are  peculiar  to  strangers  or 
wayfaring  men.  Strangers,  especially  in  the  eastern  coun- 
tries, used  to  carry  these  portable  houses  about  with  them, 
because  of  the  inconveniences  to  which  they  were  exposed. 
Hence,  (Heb.  xi.  9,)  it  is  said  of  Abraham,  that  "  by  faith  he 
sojourned  in  the  land  of  promise,  as  in  a  strange  country, 
dwelling  in  tabernacles  with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  heirs  with 


v.]         THE  GROANS  OP  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.       129 

him  of  the  same  promise."  They  dwelt  in  tabernacles,  be- 
cause they  had  no  present  inheritance  ;  they  were  only  stran- 
gers and  passengers  in  the  country.  To  this  the  apostle  pro- 
bably alludes  here.  And  so  this  intimates  to  us,  that  the 
saints  of  God,  wiiile  in  the  body,  are  pilgrims  and  strangers, 
not  as  yet  arrived  at  their  own  country :  "  I  am  a  stranger 
in  the  earth,"  says  the  psalmist,  Psal.  cxix.  19;  and  it  is  said 
of  the  scripture-worthies,  (Hob.  xi.  J  3,)  that  they  "confessed 
that  they  were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth  ;  they  de- 
sired a  better  country,  that  is,  a  heavenly."  O  believer, 
thou  art  not  a  resident,  but  only  a  passenger  through  this 
valley  of  Baca ;  and  therefore  study  a  disposition  of  soul  suit- 
able to  thy  present  condition. 

2dlij,  Tabernacles  were  used  by  strangers  and  wayfaring 
men,  so  by  soldiers  and  warfaring  men,  who  are  obliged  fre- 
quently to  convey  their  camps  from  one  place  to  another. 
Believers,  while  they  are  in  the  tabernacle  of  the  body,  must 
act  the  part  of  soldiers,  fight  their  way  to  the  promised  land, 
through  the  very  armies  of  hell.  "  We  wrestle  not,"  says 
the  apostle,  "  against  fiesh  and  blood  ;  but  against  principali- 
ties, against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of 
this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places,"  Eph. 
vi.  12.  And  therefore,  as  the  apostle  exhorts,  it  concerns  us 
to  "  put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God,  the  shield  of  faith,  the 
helmet  of  salvation,  the  breastplate  of  righteousness,  the  gir- 
dle of  truth ;"  and  to  be  frequently  accustoming  ourselves  to 
a  holy  dexterity  in  wielding  and  managing  "the  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God,"  that  so  we  may  be  able  to 
make  a  courageous  stand  in  the  day  of  battle,  and  at  last 
eome  off  the  ticld  in  a  victorious  manner,  when  Christ  the 
Captain  of  our  salvation  shall  sound  the  retreat  at  death. 
Thus,  the  believer's  lodging  in  a  tabernacle,  shows  him  to  be 
both  a  traveller  and  a  soldier. 

4.  Another  thing  that  I  remark  concerning  the  believer's 
lodging,  is,  that  it  is  but  a  tottering  and  crazy  house,  that  is 
shortly  to  be  taken  down ;  for,  says  the  apostle,  ver.  1 :  "The 
earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  is  "  to  be  "  dissolved. — What 
man  is  he,"  says  the  psalmist,  "  that  liveth,  and  shall  not  see 
death?  shall  he  deliver  his  soul  from  the  hand  of  the  grave?" 
Psal.  Ixxxix.  48.  This  king  of  terrors  has  erected  his  tro- 
phies of  victory  over  all  that  ever  sprung  of  Adam.  The 
greatest  Caesars  and  Alexanders,  who  "  made  the  world  to 
tremble  "  with  their  swords,  were  all  forced  at  last  to  yield 
themselves  captives  to  this  grim  messenger  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts.  "There  is  no  discharge  of  this  warfare;"  the  taber- 
nacle of  the  body  must  dissolve.  However,  it  may  be  ground 
of  encouragement  to  the  believer,  that  death  is  not  a  destruc- 


130       THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.    [sER. 

tion  or  annihilation  :  no,  as  the  apostle  tells,  it  is  only  a  dis- 
solving, or  taking  down  of  the  tent  or  tabernacle ;  for  God 
designs  to  set  up  this  tabernacle  again  at  the  resurrection, 
more  glorious  than  ever.  It  v^^as  the  faith  of  this  that  com- 
forted and  encouraged  Job  under  his  affliction.  Job  xix.  25, 
26 :  "I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall 
stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth.  And  though  after 
my  skin  worms  destroy  this  body,  and  though  my  reins  be 
consumed  within  me,"  says  he,  "  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see 
God."     So  much  for  the  Jirst  thing  in  the  method. 

II.  The  second  thing  proposed  was,  to  speak  a  Utile  of  the 
believer's  burdens  while  in  this  tabernacle.  This  earthly  house 
lies  under  many  servitudes,  and  the  believer,  as  one  says, 
pays  a  dear  mail  or  rent  for  his  quarters.     For, 

1.  The  clay  tabernacle  itself  is  many  times  a  very  heavy 
burden  to  him.  The  crazy  cottage  of  the  body  is  liable  to 
innumerable  pains  and  distempers,  which  makes  it  lie  like  a 
dead  weight  upon  the  soul,  by  which  its  vivacity  and  activity 
are  exceedingly  marred.  When  the  poor  soul  would  mount 
up,  as  upon  eagles'  wings,  the  body  will  not  bear  part 
with  it.  So  that  the  believer  feels  the  truth  of  Christ's  apo- 
logy verified  in  his  sad  experience,  "  The  spirit  is  willing, 
but  the  flesh  is  weak." 

2.  Not  only  is  he  burdened  with  a  burden  of  clay,  but  also 
with  a  burden  of  sin;  I  mean  indwelling  corruption,  the  se- 
cret atheism,  enmity,  unbelief,  ignorance,  pride,  hypocrisy, 
and  other  abominations  of  his  heart.  O  but  this  is  a  heavy 
burden,  which  many  times  is  like  to  dispirit  the  poor  be- 
liever, and  press  him  through  the  very  ground.  David 
(though  a  man  according  to  God's  own  heart,)  yet  cries  out 
under  this  burden,  "  Who  can  understand  his  errors?  cleanse 
thou  me  from  secret  faults,"  Psal.  xix.  12.  And  the  apostle 
Paul  never  complained  so  much  of  any  burden  as  of  this, 
Rom.  vii.  24 :  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deli- 
ver me  from  the  body  of  this  death !"  To  be  rid  of  this 
burden,  the  poor  believer  many  times  would  be  content  that 
this  clay  tabernacle  were  broken  into  shivers. 

3.  He  is  burdened  many  times  with  a  sense  of  much  ac- 
tual guilt,  which  he  has  contracted  through  the  untenderness 
of  his  way  and  walk.  Conscience,  that  deputy  of  the  Lord 
of  hosts  (being  supported  by  the  authority  of  the  law,)  fre- 
quently brings  in  a  heavy  indictment  against  the  poor  soul, 
and  tells  it.  Thus  and  thus  thou  hast  sinned,  and  trampled 
upon  the  authority  of  God  the  great  Lawgiver.  Jn  this  case 
the  believer  cannot  but  take  with  the  charge,  and  own,  with 
David,  "  Mine  iniquities  are  gone  over  mine  head  :  as  a  heavy 
burden  they  are  too  heavy  for  me,"  Psal.  xxxviii.  4,  and 


v.]         THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.       131 

Psal.  xl.  12:  "  Innumerable  evils  have  compassed  me  about; 
mine  iniquities  have  taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I  am  not 
able  to  look  up:  they  are  more  than  the  hairs  of  mine  head, 
therefore  my  heart  faileth  me." 

4.  lie  is  sometimes  sadly  burdened  with  the  temptations 
of  Satan.  The  devil,  that  cunning  "  archer,  shoots  at  him, 
and  sore  wounds  and  grieves  him."  Sometimes  whole 
showers  of  fiery  darts,  dipt  in  hell,  are  made  to  fly  about  his 
ears.  God,  for  holy  and  wise  ends,  suffers  the  believer  to 
be  winnowed,  sifted,  and  bunbted  by  this  enemy.  And  O 
how  much  is  the  believer  burdened  in  this  case !  Sometimes 
he  is  ready  to  conclude  with  David,  One  day  or  other  I  shall 
fall  by  this  roaring  lion,  that  goes  about  seeking  to  devour 
me ;  sometimes  he  is  brought  to  his  wit's  end,  saying,  with 
Jehoshaphat  in  great  extremity,  when  surrounded  by  enemies, 
"  I  know  not  what  to  do,  but  mine  eyes  are  towards  thee." 
But  let  not  the  believer  think  strangely  of  this,  seeing  Christ 
himself  was  not  exempted  from  the  molestations  of  this  ene- 
my. 

5.  Sometimes  the  believer  is  burdened  with  the  burden  of 
ill  company.  The  society  of  the  wicked,  which  perhaps  is 
unavoidable,  is  a  great  incuml)rance  to  him,  and  tends  migh- 
tily to  mar  and  hinder  him  in  his  work  and  warfare.  Hence 
David  utters  that  mournful  and  melancholy  complaint,  Psal. 
cxx.  5,  6  :  "  Wo  is  me,  that  1  sojourn  in  Mesech,  that  I  dwell 
in  the  tents  of  Kedar,"  &c.  The  believer  is  of  Jacob's  dis- 
position, with  reference  to  the  wicked,  Gen.  xlix.  6:  "O  my 
soul,  come  not  thou  unto  their  secret ;  unto  their  assembly, 
mine  honour,  be  not  thou  united."  And  truly,  sirs,  if  the  com- 
pany and  society  of  the  wicked  be  not  your  burden,  it  is  a 
sign  you  are  of  their  society. 

G.  Sometimes  the  believer  is  sadly 'burdened,  not  only  with 
his  own  sins,  l)ut  with  the  abounding  sins  and  abominations 
of  the  day  and  place  in  which  he  lives.  "  I  beheld  the  trans- 
gressors," says  David,  "  and  was  grieved.  Rivers  of  waters  run 
down  mine  eyes:  because  they  keep  not  thy  law,"  Psal.  cxix. 
13G,  1.58.  O  what  a  heart-breaking  thing  is  it  to  the  poor 
soul,  to  see  sinners  dashing  themselves  to  pieces  upon  the  thick 
bosses  of  God's  buckler,  and,  as  it  were,  upon  the  rock  of  salva- 
tion, running  headlong  to  their  own  everlasting  ruin,  without 
ever  reflecting  upon  their  ways  !  His  very  bowels  yearn  with 
pity  towards  them,  who  will  not  pity  themselves.  Upon  this 
account  believers  are  frequently  desi<jnated  the  "mourners  in 
Zion  :  they  sigh  and  cry  for  all  the  abominations  that  be  done 
in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem,"  Ezek.  ix.  4. 

7.  The  believer  is  many  times,  while  in  this  tabernacle, 
burdened  with  the  public  concerns  of  Christ.     He  is  a  person 


132       THE  GROANS  OP  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.     [SER. 

of  a  very  grateful  and  public  spirit.  Christ  took  a  lift  of  him 
while  he  was  in  a  low  state ;  and  therefore  he  cannot  but  be 
concerned  for  the  concerns  of  his  kingdom  and  glory,  espe- 
cially when  he  sees  them  suffering  in  the  world.  When  he 
beholds  the  boar  out  of  the  wood,  or  the  wild  beast  of  the 
forest,  open  and  avowed  enemies,  wasting  and  devouring  the 
church  of  God ;  when  he  sees  the  foxes  spoiling  the  tender 
vines,  and  the  watchmen  wounding,  smiting,  or  taking  away 
the  veil  of  the  spouse  of  Christ,  Song  v.  7  ;  when  he  sees  the 
privileges  of  the  church  of  Christ  invaded,  her  doctrine  and 
worfehip  corrupted,  her  ordinary  meals  retrenched  by  the 
stewards  of  the  house :  these  things,  I  say,  are  sinking  and 
oppressing  to  his  spirit ;  he  then  hangs  his  harp  upon  the  wil- 
lows, when  he  remembers  Zion.  In  this  case  he  is  "  sorrow- 
ful for  the  solemn  assembly,  and  the  reproach  of  it  is  his  bur- 
den," Zeph.  iii.  18. 

8.  The  poor  believer  has  many  times  the  burden  of  great 
crosses  and  afflictions  lying  upon  him,  and  these  both  of  a  bo- 
dily and  spiritual  nature,  and  deep  many  times  calleth  unto 
deep ;  the  deep  of  external  trouble  calls  to  the  deep  of  inward 
distress;  and  these,  like  two  seas  meeting  together,  break 
upon  him  with  such  violence,  that  the  waters  are  like  to  come 
in  unto  his  very  soul.  Sometimes,  I  say,  he  has  a  burden  of 
outward  troubles  upon  him  ;  perhaps  a  burden  of  sickness  and 
pain  upon  his  body,  by  which  the  crazy  tabernacle  of  clay  is 
sorely  shattered  :  "  There  is  no  soundness  in  my  flesh,"  says 
David,  "  becauf^e  of  my  sin,"  Psal.  xxxviii.  3.  Sometimes  he 
is  burdened  with  poverty,  and  want  of  the  external  necessaries 
of  life,  which  needs  be  no  strange  thing,  considering  that  the 
Son  of  God,  the  heir  of  all  things,  became  poor;  and  so  poor, 
that,  as  he  himself  declares,  "  The  foxes  have  holes,  and  the 
birds  of  the  air  have  nests  ;  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where 
to  lay  his  head."  Sometimes  he  is  burdened  with  infamy  and 
reproach,  malice  and  envy  striking  at  his  reputation,  and 
wounding  his  name.  "  False  witnesses,"  says  David,  "  rose  up 
against  me  ;  they  laid  to  my  charge  things  that  I  knew  not," 
Psal.  XXXV.  11.  Sometimes  he  is  burdened  in  his  relations,  as 
by  their  miscarriages.  It  was  a  grief  of  heart  to  Rebekah, 
when  Esau  married  the  daughter  of  Beeri  the  Hittite,  Gen. 
xxvi.  34,  35.  And  no  doubt  David  had  many  a  sad  heart  for 
the  miscarriages  of  his  children,  particularly  of  Amnon  and 
Absalom.  Sometimes  he  is  burdened  with  the  death  of  near 
relations.  It  is  breaking  to  him  when  the  Lord  takes  away 
the  desire  of  his  eyes  with  a  stroke.  I  might  here  tell  you 
also  of  many  trials  and  distresses  of  a  more  spiritual  nature, 
that  the  believer  is  exercised  with,  besides  those  already  named. 
Sometimes  he  has  the  burden  of  much  weighty  work  lying 


v.]        THE  GROAVS  Or  BELIEVERS  UNDFR  THEIR  BURDENS.        133 

on  his  hand,  and  his  heart  is  like  to  faint  at  the  prospect 
of  it,  through  the  sense  of  his  own  utter  inability  to  nrianage 
it,  either  to  God's  j^lory,  or  his  own  comfort,  or  the  edification 
of  others  ;  such  as,  the  work  of  his  station,  relation,  and  ge- 
neration, and  the  }j;reat  work  of  his  salvation.  This  lies  heavy 
upon  him,  till  the  Lord  say  to  him,  as  he  said  to  Paul  in  another 
case,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."  Sometimes  the  be- 
liever in  this  tabernacle  is  under  the  burden  of  much  dark- 
ness. Sometimes  he  is  in  darkness  as  to  his  slate  ;  he  "  walks 
in  darkness,  and  has  no  light,"  insomuch  that  he  is  ready  to 
raze  the  foundation,  and  lo  cry,  "  I  am  cast  out  of  thy  sight: 
the  Lord  hath  forsaken  mc,  and  my  Lord  hath  forgotten  me," 
Is.  xlix.  14.  Sometimes  he  is  in  darkness  as  to  his  duty,  whe- 
ther he  should  do  or  forliear  ;  many  a  perplexing  thought  rolls 
in  his  breast,  till  the  Lord,  by  his  word  and  Spirit,  say  to  him, 
"This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it,"  Is.  xxx.  21.  Sometimes  he 
is  burdened  with  distance  from  his  God,  who  seems  to  have 
withdrawn  fiom  him  behind  the  mountains;  and  in  this  case 
he  cries,  with  the  church,  "For  these  things  I  weep,  mine 
eye,  mine  eye.  runneth  down  with  water,  because  the  Com- 
forter that  should  relieve  my  soul,  is  far  from  me,"  Lam.  i.  ItJ. 
And  sometimes  it  is  a  burden  to  him  to  think,  that  he  is  at  such 
a  distance  from  his  own  country  and  itdieritance;  and  in  this 
case  he  longs  to  be  over  Jordan,  at  the  promised  land,  saying, 
"1  desire  lo  be  dissolved,  and  to  be  with  Christ;  which  is  best 
of  all,"  Phil.  i.  23.  Sometintes,  again,  he  is  under  the  burden 
of  fear,  particularly  the  fear  of  death.  Ileb.  ii.  15,  we  read 
of  some  who  are  held  in  bondage  all  their  life  through  fear  of 
death:  and  yet,  glory  to  God,  such  have  had  a  safe  landing 
at  last. 

Thus  I  have  told  you  of  some  of  these  things  with  which 
the  believer  is  burdened,  while  in  the  tabernacle  of  this  body. 

III.  The  third  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  speak  of  the  be- 
liever's groaning  under  his  burden:  for  (says  the  apostle,)  We 
that  are  in  this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  hardened.  Upon  this 
head  I  shall  only  suggest  two  or  three  considerations. 

1.  Consider,  that  the  working  of  the  believer's  heart,  under 
the  pressures  of  these  burdens,  vents  itself  variously.  Some- 
times he  is  said  to  be  in  heaviness:  1  Pet.  i.  G:  "If  need  be, 
ye  arc  in  heaviness  throui^h  manifold  temptations."  Some- 
times he  is  said  to  sigh  under  his  burdens,  and  to  sigh  to  the 
breaking  of  his  loins:  he  is  said  to  fetch  his  sighs  from  the 
bottom  of  his  heart:  "My  sighing  cometh  before  I  eat,"  says 
Job.  Sometimes  his  l)urdens  make  him  to  crv.  Sometimes 
he  cries  to  his  God,  Psal.  cxxx.  1  :  "Out  of  the  depths  have 
I  cried  unto  thee,  ()  Lord."  Sometimes  he  cries  to  by-standers 
and  on-lookers,  as  Job  did  to  his  friends,  "  Have  pity  upon  me, 

VOL.  I.  12 


134      THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.     [SER. 

O  ye  my  friends;  for  the  hand  of  God  hath  touched  me,"  Job 
xix.  21  ;  or,  with  the  church,  Lam.  i,  12:  "Is  it  nothing  to 
you,  all  ye  that  pass  by  ?  behold  and  see,  if  there  be  any 
sorrow  like  unto  my  sorrow,  wherewith  the  Lord  hath  afflicted 
me,  in  the  day  of  his  fierce  anger."  Sometimes  he  is  j«aid  to 
roar  under  his  burden:  "My  roarings," says  Job,  "are  poured 
out  like  the  water."  "  1  have  roared  all  the  day  long,"  says 
David,  "  by  reason  of  the  disquietness  of  my  heart."  Some- 
times he  is  at  the  very  point  of  fainting  under  his  burden: 
"I  had  fainted,  unless  I  had  believed  to  see  the  good^^ess  of  the 
Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living."  Sometimes  his  spirits  are 
quite  overset  and  overwhelmed:  Psal.  Ixi.  2:  "From  the  end 
of  the  earth  will  I  cry  unto  thee,  when  my  heart  is  over- 
whelmed :  lead  me  to  the  rock  that  is  higher  than  I."  Some- 
times again  he  is  as  it  were  distracted,  distracted  and  put  out 
of  his  wits,  through  the  weight  of  his  burdens,  especially  when 
under  the  weight  of  divine  terrors.  Thus  it  was  with  holy 
Heman,  Psal.  Ixxxviii.  15:  "While  I  suffer  thy  terrors,  I  am 
distracted. "  Yea,  sometimes  the  matter  is  carried  so  far,  that 
it  goes  to  the  drinking  up  of  the  very  spirits,  and  a  drying  and 
withering  of  the  bones;  as  you  see  in  the  case  of  Job;  "The 
arrows  of  the  Almighty  are  within  me,  the  poison  whereof 
drinketh  up  my  spirit."  O  the  heavy  tossings  of  the  believer's 
heart  under  his  btirdens!  the  apostle  here  expresses  it  by  a 
groan'wg :  We  that  are  in  this  faber?iacle  do  groan,  being  bur- 
dened. 

2.  For  clearing  this,  you  would  know,  that  there  are  three 
sorts  of  groans  that  we  read  of  in  scripture:  \sl.  Groans  of 
niiture.     2dlij,  Groans  of  reason.     3f//y,  Groans  of  grace. 

I5/,  I  say,  we  read  of  groans  of  nature,  Rom.  viii.  22:  "  We 
know,"  says  the  apostle,  "  that  the  whole  creation  groaneth, 
and  travaiieth  in  pain  together  until  now."  Man,  by  his  sin, 
brought  a  curse  upon  the  good  creatures  of  God  ;  "Cursed  is 
the  ground  for  thy  sake,"  Gen.  iii.  17.  And  the  very  earth 
upon  which  we  tread  groans,  like  a  woman  in  travail,  under 
the  weight  of  that  curse  and  vanity,  that  it  is  subjected  to 
through  the  sin  of  man  ;  and  it  longs,  as  it  were,  to  be  de- 
livered from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  and  to  share  the  glo- 
rious liberty  of  the  sons  of  God,  at  the  day  of  their  manifesta- 
tion. 

2dly,  We  read  of  groans  of  reason,  or  of  the  reasonable 
creatures  under  their  affliction.  Thus,  we  are  told,  that  the 
children  of  Israel  groaned  under  the  weight  of  their  affliction) 
in  Egypt,  by  reason  of  the  heavy  tasks  that  were  imposed 
upon  them  :  Exod.  vi.  5 :  "  I  have  heard,"  says  the  Lord,  "  the 
groaning  of  the  children  of  Israel,  whom  the  Egyptians  keep 
in  bondage." 


v.]        THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.       135 

Zdly,  We  read  of  groans  of  grace,  or  of  spiritual  groans, 
Rom.  viii.  26  :  Tlie  Spirit  helpelh  our  infirmities :  and  maketh 
ifitercession  for  us  zvilk  groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered.  And 
of  this  kind,  \vc  conceive,  arc  these  groans  which  the  apostle 
speaks  of  in  our  text;  they  are  not  natural,  neither  are  they 
merely  rational  groans,  though  even  these  are  not  to  he  ex- 
cluded, but  they  arc  gracious  and  supernatural,  being  the 
fruit  of  some  saving  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  the  soul. 
And,  therefore, 

3.  A  third  remark  I  offer  is  this,  that  these  groans  of  the 
gracious  soul  here  spoken  of,  seem  to  imply,  as  was  hinted  at 
in  the  explication  of  the  words,  (1.)  Agi'eat  deal  of  grief  and 
sorrow  of  spirit  on  account  of  sin,  and  the  sad  and  melan- 
choly etFects  of  it  on  the  believer,  while  in  thisimbodied  state. 
(2.)  It  implies  a  displeasure,  or  dissatisfaction  in  the  believer, 
with  his  present  burdened  state;  he  cannot  find  rest  for  the 
sole  of  his  foot  here  ;  he  finds  that  this  is  not  his  resting  place. 
And,  (3.)  It  implies  a  breathing  and  panting  of  soul  after  a 
better  state,  even  the  immediate  enjoyment  of  God  in  glory, 
(ver.  1,)  he  groans  with  an  "earnest  desii'e  to  be  clothed 
upon  with  his  house  which  is  from  heaven." 

IV''.  But  I  proceed  to  the  fourth  thing  in  the  method,  which 
was  the  application  of  the  doctrine.  And  the  first  use  shall 
be  of  information. 

1.  Hence  we  may  sec  the  vast  difference  between  heaven 
and  earth.  O  what  vast  odds  is  there  betwixt  the  present 
and  future  state  of  the  believer!  between  his  present  earthly 
lodgini;,  a.nd  his  heavenly  mansion!  This  world  is  but  at  best 
a  "weary  land:"  but  there  is  no  wearying  in  heaven:  no; 
"They  shall  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  holy  temple." 
This  world  is  a  land  of  darkness,  where  thou  gocst  many  a 
time  "  mourning  without  the  sun;"  but  when  once  thou  comest 
to  thine  own  country,  "  the  Lord  shall  be  thine  everla-ting 
light,  and  thy  God  thy  glory."  This  world  is  a  land  of  dis- 
tance; but  in  heaven  thou  shalt  be  at  home:  when  "absent 
from  the  body,"  thou  shalt  be  "  present  with  the  Lord."  This 
world  is  a  "  den  of  lions,"  and  a  "  mountain  of  leopards;"  but 
there  is  no  lioti  or  leopard  there:  "  they  shall  not  hurt  nor  de- 
stroy in  all  God's  holy  mountain  "  above.  This  world  is  a  land 
of  thorns:  many  pricking  briers  of  atlliction  grow  here;  but 
no  pricking  brier  or  grieving  thorn  is  to  be  found  in  all  that 
country  above.  This  world  is  a  polluted  land,  it  is  defiled 
with  sin;  but  "  there  can  in  no  wise  enter  into"  the  land  of 
glory  "any  thir)g  that  detileth,  or  worketh  abomination,  or 
maketh  a  lie."  In  a  word,  there  is  nothing  but  matter  of 
groaning,  for  the  most  part,  here;  but  all  ground  of  groaning 
ceases  for  ever  there. 


136       THE  GROANS  OF  BELIRVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.    [SER. 

2.  See  hence,  a  consideration  that  may  contribute  to  stay 
or  allay  our  griefs,  sobs,  and  groans,  for  the  death  of  godly 
relatives;  for  while  in  this  tabernacle  they  "groan,  being  bur- 
dened:" but  now  their  groans  are  turned  into  songs,  and  their 
mourning  into  hallelujahs;  for  "the  ransomed  of  the  Lord," 
when  they  "  return,"  or  "  come  to  Zion,"  at  death  or  the  re- 
surrection, it  is  "with  songs,  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their 
heads:  they  obtain  joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing 
flee  away,"  Is,  xxxv.  10.  And  therefore,  let  us  "  not  sorrow 
as  them  that  have  no  hope."  If  our  godly  friends  that  are 
departed,  could  entertain  converse  with  us,  they  would  be 
ready  to  say  to  us,  as  Christ  said  to  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem, 
O  "  weep  not  for  us,  but  weep  for  yourselves;"  for  we  would 
not  exchange  conditions  with  you  for  ten  thousand  worlds : 
ye  are  yet  groaning  in  your  clay  tabernacle,  oppressed  with 
your  many  burdens  ;  but  as  for  us,  the  day  of  our  complete 
redemption  is  come,  our  heads  are  lifted  up  above  all  our 
burdens,  under  which,  once  in  a  day,  we  groaned  while  we 
were  with  you. 

3.  See  hence,  that  they  are  not  always  the  happiest  who 
have  the  merriest  life  of  it  in  the  world.  Indeed,  if  we  look 
only  to  things  present,  the  wicked  would  seem  to  have  the 
best  of  it,  for,  instead  of  groaning,  "  they  take  the  timbrel 
and  harp,  and  rejoice  at  the  sound  of  the  organ  ;  they  spend 
their  days  in  wealth"  and  ease,  .lob  xxi.  12, 13.  But,  O,  sirs,, 
remember,  that  it  is  the  evening  that  crowns  the  day.  "  The 
triumphing  of  the  wicked  is  short,  and  the  joy  of  the  hypo- 
crite but  for  a  moment:"  whereas  the  groanina;s  of  the  right- 
eous are  but  short,  and  their  jubilee  and  triumph  shall  be 
everlasting.  "Mark  the  perfect  man,"  says,David,  "  and  be- 
hold the  upright:  for  the  end  of  that  man  i4' peace.  But  the 
transgressors  shall  be  destroyed  together,  the  end  of  the  wicked 
shall  be  cut  off,"  Psal.  xxxvii.  37.  I  will  read  you  a  word  that 
will  show  the  vast  difference  betwixt  the  godly  and  the  wicked, 
and  discover  the  strange  alteration  of  the  scene  betwixt  them 
in  the  life  to  come:  Is.  Ixv.  13, 14:  "Thus  saith  the  Lord  God, 
Behold,  my  servants  shall  eat,  but  ye  shall  be  hungry:  behold, 
my  servants  shall  drink,  but  ye  shall  be  thirsty  :  behold,  my 
servants  shall  rejoice,  but  ye  shall  be  ashamed  :  behold,  my 
servants  shall  sing  for  joy  of  heart,  but  ye  shall  cry  for  sor- 
row of  heart,  and  shall  howl  for  vexation  of  spirit." 

4.  See  hence,  that  death  needs  not  to  be  a  terror  to  the 
believer.  Why?  Because,  by  taking  down  this  tabernacle  it 
takes  off"  all  his  burdens,  and  puts  a  final  period  to  all  his 
groans.  Death,  to  a  believer,  is  like  the  fiery  chariot  to  Eli- 
jah ;  it  makes  him  drop  the  mantle  of  his  body  with  all  its 
filthiness  :  but  it  transports  his  soul,  his  better  part,  into  the 


v.]        THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDEB  THEIR  BURDENS.       137 

mansions  of  glory,  "  the  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal 
in  the  heavens." 

The  second  use  of  the  doctrine  may  be  of  reproof  to  two 
sorts  of  persons. 

1.  It  r(>provcs  those  who  are  at  home  while  in  this  taber- 
nacle. TluMr  great  concern  is  about  this  clay  tabernacle, 
how  to  gratify  it,  how  to  beautify  and  adorn  it;  their  lan- 
guage is,  "Who  will  show  us  any  good? — What  shall  we 
eat  I  what  shall  we  drink  '.  wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed?" 
But  they  have  no  thought  or  concern  about  the  inunortal 
soul  which  irdiabits  the  tabernacle,  which  must  be  happy  or 
miserable  for  ever.  O,  sirs!  remember,  that  whatever  care 
you  take  about  this  clay  tabernacle,  it  will  drop  down  to  dust 
ere  long,  and  the  noisonie  grave  will  be  its  habitation,  where 
worms  and  corruption  will  prey  upon  the  fairest  face,  and 
purest  complexion.  Where  will  be  your  beauty,  strength, 
or  fine  attire,  when  the  curtains  of  the  grave  are  drawn  about 
you? 

2.  This  doctrine  serves  to  reprove  those  who  add  to  the 
burdens  and  groans  of  the  Lord's  people,  as  if  they  were  not 
burdened  enough  already.  Remember  that  it  is  a  dreadful 
thing  to  vex  or  occasion  the  grief  of  those  whom  the  Lord 
lias  wounded  :  they  that  do  so,  counteract  the  commission  of 
Christ  from  the  Father,  who  was  "sent  to  comfort  them  that 
mourn  in  Zion,  to  give  them  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  the 
garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness."  But,  on  the 
contrary,  they  study  to  give  a  heavy  spirit,  and  to  strip  and 
rob  Ihern  of  tlieir  garments  of  praise.  Remember  that  Christ 
is  very  tender  of  his  burdened  saints;  and  if  any  ofTer  to  lay 
a  load  above  their  burden,  by  grieving  or  offending  them,  the 
Lord  Jesus  will  not  pass  it  without  a  severe  resentment;  and 
"it  were  better  for  suck  that  n  millstone  were  hanged  about 
their  neck,  and  that  they  were  drowned  in  the  depth  of  the 
sea." 

A  third  use  shall  be  of  lamentation  and  humiliation.  Let 
us  lament,  that  the  Lord's  saints  and  people  should  have  so 
much  matter  of  groaning  at  this  day  and  time  wherein  we  live. 
And  here  I  will  tell  you  of  several  thin-^s  that  are  a  burden 
to  the  spirits  of  the  Lord's  people,  and  help  on  their  groaning, 
and  make  them  sad  hearts, 

L  The  abounding  profanity  and  immorality  of  all  sorts  that 
are  to  be  fointd  among  us  O  how  rampant  is  atheism  and 
profanity;  and  impiety,  like  an  impetuous  torrent,  carrying 
all  before  it !  It  is  become  fashionable  among  some  to  be 
impious  and  profane.  Religion,  which  is  the  ornament  of  a 
nation,  is  faced  down  by  bold  and  petulant  wits:  It  is  rec- 
koned, by  some,  a  genteel  accomplishment  to  break  a  jest 

Vi* 


138       THE  GROANS  Or  BELIEVERS  UXDER  THEIR  BURDENS.    [SER. 

upon  the  Bible,  and  to  play  upon  things  religious  and  sacred. 
O  what  cursing  and  swearing!  O  wliat  lying  and  cheating! 
what  abominable  drunkenness,  murders,  and  uncleanness ! 
with  what  perjury  and  blasphemy  is  the  land  defiled  !  We 
may  apply  that  word,  Hos.  iv.  3 :  "  For  these  things  the  land 
mourns."  The  land  groans  at  this  day  under  these  and  the 
hke  abominations.  And,  therefore,  no  wonder  that  the  hearts 
of  those  that  regard  the  glory  of  God  do  groan  under  them 
also,  and  cry  with  the  prophet,  Jer.  ix.  1,  2:  "Oh,  that  my 
head  were  waters,  and  mine  eyes  a  fountain  of  tears,  that  I 
might  weep  day  and  night  for  the  slain  of  the  daughter  of 
my  people.  Oh,  that  1  had  in  the  wilderness  a  lodging-place 
of  wayfaring  men,  that  I  might  leave  my  people,  and  go  from 
them  :  for  they  be  all  adulterers,  an  assembly  of  treacherous 
men." 

2.  The  universal  barrenness  that  is  to  be  found  among  us 
at  this  day,  is  matter  of  ejroaning  to  the  Lord's  people. — 
God  has  been  at  great  pains  with  us  both  by  ordinances  and 
providences:  he  has  planted  us  in  a  fruitful  soil ;  he  has  given 
us  a  standing  under  the  means  of  grace;  he  has  given  us 
"line  upon  line,  precept  upon  precept:"  and  yet,  alas!  may 
not  the  Lord  say  of  us,  as  he  said  of  his  vineyard,  Is.  v.  2: 
"I  looked  that  it  should  bring  forth  grapes,  and  it  brought 
forth  wild  grapes."  And,  as  for  the  fruit  of  providences, 
alas!  where  isjt?  Mercies  are  lost  on  us;  for  when  God 
feeds  us  to  the  full,  when  he  gives  peace  and  plenty,  then, 
Jeshurun  like,  we  u-ax/af,  atnl  kick  against  him,  Deut.  xxxii. 
15.  And  as  mercies,  so  rods  and  afflictions  are  lost  upon  us 
likewise:  God  has  "stricken  us,  but  we  have  not  grieved;" 
he  has  "  consumed  us,  but  we  have  refused  to  receive  correc- 
tion," Jer.  V.  3. 

3.  The  lamentable  divisions  that  are  in  our  Reuben,  occa- 
sion great  thoughts  of  heart,  and  heaviness  to  the  Lord'^s  peo- 
ple at  this  day.  Court  and  country,  church  and  state,  are 
divided:  ministers  divided  from  their  people,  and  people  from 
their  ministers;  and  both  ministers  and  people  are  div^ided 
among  themselves;  and  every  party  and  faction  turning  over 
the  blame  upon  the  other:  than  which  there  cannot  be  a 
greater  evidence  o/  God's  anger,  or  of  approaching  ruin  and 
desolation;  for  "a  city  or  kingdom  divided  against  itself  can- 
not stand,"  Matth.  xii".  2,5. 

4.  The  innumerable  defections  and  backslidings  of  our  day 
are  a  great  burden  to  the  Lord's  people,  and  make  their 
hearts  to  groan  within  them.  The  charge  which  the  Lord 
advances  against  the  church  of  Ephesus,  may  too  justly  be 
laid  to  our  door,  that  we  tire  fallen  from  our  first  lore.  There 
is  but  little  love  to  God  or  his  people,  little  zeal  for  his  way 


v.]         THE  GROANS  OT  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.      139 

and  work,  to  be  found  among  us;  the  power  of  godliness,  and 
life  of  religion,  are  dwindled  away  into  an  empty  form  with  the 
most  part. 

I  might  here  take  occasion  to  tell  you  of  many  public  de- 
fections and  backslidings  that  we  stand  guilty  of  before  the 
Lord;  particularly,  of  the  breach  of  our  solemn  national  en- 
gagements. It  was  once  the  glory  of  our  land  to  be  "  married 
unto  the  Lord,"  by  solemn  covenant,  in  a  national  capacity ; 
but,  to  our  eternal  infamy  and  reproach,  it  has  been  both 
broken  and  burnt  by  public  authority  in  this  very  city.  Per- 
haps, indeed,  some  may  ridicule  me  for  making  mention  of 
the  breach  of  our  solemn  engagements;  but  I  must  blow  the 
trumpet,  as  God's  herald,  "  whether  ye  will  hear  or  forbear." 
And  you  who  ridi(  ulc  these  things  now,  will  perhaps  laugh 
at  leisure,  if  God  shall  send  a  bloody  sword,  or  raging  pes- 
tilence, to  "  avenge  the  quarrel  of  his  covenant." 

But  some  may  say,  Yc  talk  of  breach  of  solemn  national 
engagements;  but  wherein  does  the  truth  of  such  a  charge 
appear  1 

For  answer,  I  shall  instance  in  a  few  particulars.  It  is  fit 
that  we  not  only  know  wherein  our  fathers  have  broken  this 
covenant ;  but  wherein  ourselves,  this  present  generation, 
stands  guilty. 

1.  Then,  in  our  national  covenant  we  swear,  that  we  will 
endeavour  to  be  humbled  for  our  own  sins,  and  for  the  sins  of 
the  kingdom.  But,  alas!  public  days  of  fasting  and  humilia- 
tion for  the  sins  of  the  land  are  but  rare,  and  thinly  sown  at 
this  day.  Where  are  the  mourners  of  our  Zion?  How  few 
are  they  whose  hearts  are  bleeding  for  the  abounding  wicked- 
ness of  the  day!  If  God  should  give  a  commission  to  the  men 
with  the  slaughter  weapons  to  go  through  Scotland,  and 
"  slay  utterly  old  and  young,  only  come  not  near  any  that 
sigh  and  cry;"  O  what  a  depopulated  country  would  it  be! 
how  few  inhabitants  would  be  left  in  the  land! 

2.  In  that  covenant  we  are  bound  to  go  before  one  ano- 
ther in  the  exam{)lc  of  a  real  reformation.  But,  alas!  who 
makes  conscience  of  this  part  of  the  oath  of  God  ?  How  little 

{)ersonal  reformation  is  there!  how  little  care  to  have  the 
leart  purified  from  lusts  and  uncleanness!  so  that  the  Lord 
may  well  say  to  us,  as  he  said  to  Jerusalem,  "O  Jerusalem, 
wash  thine  heart  from  wickedness:  how  long  shall  vain 
thoughts  lodge  within  thee?"  How  little  reformation  of  life! 
what  a  scandalous  latitude  do  many  professors  of  religion 
take  to  themselves,  cursing,  swearing,  lying,  drinking,  cheat- 
ing, and  over-reaching  others  in  their  dealings,  whereby  the 
way  of  religion  comes  to  be  evil  spoken  of? 

3.  By  the  covenant  we  engage,  not  only  to  reform  our- 


140       THE  GROANS  OV  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.    [SER. 

selves,  but  our  families.  But  alas !  how  little  of  this  is  to 
be  found?  How  little  care  is  taken  by  many  parents  and 
masters,  to  have  their  children  and  servants)  after  the  example 
of  Abraham,  instructed  in  the  good  ways  of  the  Lord!  Every 
head  of  a  family  should  be  a  priest  in  his  family,  foi"  mairi* 
taining  the  worship  of  God  in  it :  but,  alas !  how  many  are 
there  who  either  perform  the  duty  in  a  superficial  manner,  or 
else  live  in  the  total  neglect  of  it !  Go  through  many  noble- 
men and  gentlemen's  families  in  the  kingdom,  and  you  shall 
find  as  little  of  the  worship  of  God  in  them,  as  if  they  were 
Turks  and  Pagans,  and  perhaps,  less.  ^  ea,  atheism  is  be- 
come so  common  among  people  of  higher  rank,  that,  with 
some,  he  is  not  reckoned  a  man  of  any  spirit,  that  will  bow 
a  knee  to  God  in  his  family. 

4.  In  our  national  covenant  we  swear  to  endeavour  the  re- 
formation of  England  and  Ireland  from  the  remains  of  Ro- 
man hierarchy,  and  ceremonies  of  man's  invention  in  the 
worship  of  God,  But  how  is  this  article  performed,  when, 
by  solemn  treaty,  the  representatives  of  the  nation,  in  a  par- 
liamentary capacity,  have  consented,  that  episcopacy  should 
continue  as  the  form  of  worship  and  government  in  our 
neighbouring  nation  1  Again,  by  the  covenant  we  swear  to  en- 
deavour the  extirpation  of  popery:  and  yet  how  many  masses 
are  kept  openly  in  the  land,  particularly  in  the  northern  parts 
of  the  kingdom!  how  many  trafKcking  priests  and  Jesuits 
are  swarming  among  us !  and  how  many  professed  Protestants 
are  there,  who  have  of  late  shown  their  good  will  to  sacrifice 
a  protestant  interest  to  the  will  of  a  popish  Pretender  1  Again, 
in  our  national  covenant,  we  abjure  prelacy  and  tyranny  in 
our  church-government :  but  though  prelatic  tyranny  be  not 
established,  yet  there  is  too  much  of  a  prelatic  spirit  venting 
itself  among  us  at  this  day,  while  many  are  laying  claim  to 
a  negative  voice  in  radical  judicatories,  over  those  whose 
offices  give  them  equal  interest  in  the  government  of  the 
church  with  themselves.  And  there  is  but  too  much  ty- 
ranny exercised  over  the  Lord's  people  by  many  judicatories 
of  the  church,  while  men  are  thrust  in  upon  thein,  to  take  the 
charge  of  their  souls,  contrary  to  their  own  free  choice  and 
election.  Christ's  little  ones  are  but  too  little  regarded,  if 
the  world's  great  ones  be  gratified.  On  which  account  many 
of  the  Lord's  people  are  crying  at  this  day  with  the  church, 
Cant.  V.  7  :  "  The  watchmen  that  went  about  the  city,  found 
me,  they  smote  me,  they  took  away  my  veil  from  me." 
Again;  in  our  covenant,  we  abjure  superstition  in  worship; 
and  yet,  to  the  scandal  of  our  holy  religion,  it  is  not  only  to- 
lerated by  public  authority,  but  greedily  gone  after  by  many 
in  our  land.    Heresy  and  error  are  abjui'ed  by  the  covenant, 


v.]         THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.       141 

every  doctrine  inconsistent  with  the  word  of  God,  and  our 
Confession  of  Faith;  and  yet  all  sorts  of  errors  are  tolerated, 
except  rank  popery,  and  blasphemy  against  the  Trinity.  It 
is  true,  the  standard  of  our  doctrine  (blessed  be  God)  remains 
pure;  but  it  is  to  be  lamented,  there  is  not  so  much  zeal  dis- 
covered in  curbing  error,  as  our  covenant  vows  do  engage  us 
to.  Again  ;  in  our  covenant,  we  abjure  malignants ;  thai  is  to 
say,  enemies  to  a  covenanted  work  of  reformation,  as  being 
no  members  of  our  church,  and,  consequently,  as  having  no 
right  to  the  privileges  of  it;  and  yet  malignant  lords  and 
lairds  are  the  men  who  are  generally  gratified  in  the  alfairof 
planting  churches,  in  opposition  to  them  that  fear  God,  and 
who,  on  all  occasions,  discover  their  love  and  regard  for  a  co- 
venanted work  of  reformation.  Again  ;  in  the  covenant,  we 
swear  against  a  detestable  neutrality  and  indiflerence  in  the 
cause  of  God  and  religion;  and  yet  how  many  Gallios  are 
there  among  us,  who  are  indifferent  whether  the  interest  of 
Christ  sink  or  swim?  And  does  it  not  discover  too  much  of  a 
lamentable  lukewarmness  and  indifference  of  spirit  about  the 
way  and  work  of  God,  when  we  are  beginning  to  abridge  the 
ordinary  number  of  our  sermons  at  our  solemn  gospel-festi- 
vals, and  to  diminish  the  solemnity  of  it,  which  has  been  so 
remarkably  owned  of  God  ?  What  else  is  this,  but  a  snuffing 
at  his  ordinances,  and  saying,  practically,  Hhal  a  ueariness  is 
it  ?  Mai.  i.  13.  Whatever  some  may  think  of  the  matter,  yet 
I  know  that  the  hearts  of  many  of  the  Lord's  people  are 
sorrozif III,  even  unto  groaning, /or  the  solemn  assembli/.  1  shall 
not  say,  that  what  is  now  transacted  of  late,  with  relation  to 
this  matter,  is  a  breach  of  our  national  covenant ;  but  1  say, 
it  seems  to  be  a  sad  evidence  of  the  lukewarmness  of  our 
spirits  about  the  way  and  work  of  God.  And  I  find,  that  a 
"  changing  of  the  ordinances,  and  a  breaking  of  the  everlast- 
ing covenant,"  go  together  in  scripture.  Is.  xxiv.  5. 

I  might  have  told  you  of  many  other  things  that  break 
and  burden  the  spirits  of  the  Lord's  people  at  this  day ;  par- 
ticularly, of  the  removing  of  the  righteous  by  death;  which, 
as  it  is  a  great  and  heavy  judgment  in  itself,  so  it  is  an  ordi- 
nary forerunner  of  some  heavy  calamity  approaching:  Is. 
Ivii.  1 :  "  Merciful  men  are  taken  away,  none  considering 
that  the  righteous  is  taken  away  from  the  evil  to  come." 
And  I  suppose  there  may  be  many  hearing  me,  whose  hearts 
are  inwardly  groaning  to  this  day,  for  the  removal  of  that 
eminent  light  (Mr.  James  Webster,)  which  shined  with  such 
a  refreshing  lustre  from  this  pulpit  among  you  so  many 
years.  It  bodes  ill  to  our  Zion,  when  such  watchmen  are 
called  off'  from  her  walls,  as,  on  all  occasions,  were  ready  to 


142     THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.      [SER. 

blow  the  trumpet  upon  the  approach  of  any  danger  from 
earth  or  hell.     But  I  pass  this  use,  and  go  on  to 

A  fonrlh  use  of  the  doctrine,  which  shall  be  in  a  word  to 
two  sorts  of  persons. 

First,  A  word  to  you  who  are  not  burdened  in  this  taber- 
nacle. You  never  knew  what  it  was  to  groan,  either  for 
your  own  sins,  or  for  the  sins  of  the  land  in  which  you  live, 
or  the  tokens  of  God's  anger,  which  are  to  be  found  among 
us;  these  are  things  of  no  account  with  them,  they  can  go 
very  lightly  and  easily  under  them.  All  I  shall  say  to  you, 
shall  be  comprised  in  these  two  or  three  words : 

1.  It  seems  the  adamant  and  nether- millstone  you  carry 
in  your  breast,  was  never  to  this  day  broken  by  the  power 
of  regenerating  grace.  And,  therefore,  I  may  say  to  'you, 
as  Peter  said  to  Simon  Magus,  "  Ye  are  yet  in  the  gall  of  bit- 
terness and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity,"  Acts  viii.  23.  You  are 
under  the  slavery  of  Satan,  and  the  curse  of  the  law,  and 
wrath  of  God ;  and  these  are  heavy  burdens,  whether  you 
feel  them  or  not. 

2.  Know  it  for  a  certainty,  that,  except  mercy  and  repen- 
tance interpose,  your  groaning  time  is  coming.  However 
you  make  light  of  sin  now,  and  of  things  serious  and  sacred; 
yet  you  will  find  them  to  be  sad  and  weighty  things  when 
death  is  sitting  down  upon  your  eye-lids,  when  your  eye- 
strings  are  breaking,  and  your  souls  taking  their  flight  into 
another  world.  O  "  what  will  ye  do  in  the  day  of  visitation? 
to  whom  will  ye  flee  for  help?  and  where  will  ye  leave  your 
glory?"  Is.  X.  3.  When  you  are  standing  trembling  pands 
before  the  awful  bac  of  the  great  Jehovah,  will  you  make 
light  of  sin  then?  Or  will  you  make  light  of  it,  when,  with 
Dives,  you  are  weltering  among  the  flames  of  hell?  O 
"  consider  this,  ye  that  forget  God,  lest  he  tear  you  in  pieces, 
and  there  be  none  (o  deliver.  Be  afflicted,  and  mourn,  and 
weep :  let  your  laughter  be  turned  to  mourning,  and  your  joy 
to  heaviness."  Whether  do  ye  think  it  is  better  to  groan 
awhile  in  this  tabernacle  under  the  burden  of  sin,  or  to  groaA 
for  ever  under  the  weight  of  God's  vengeance,  while  an  end- 
less eternity  endures? 

Secondly,  A  second  sort  I  would  speak  a  word  to,  are  poor, 
broken,  and  burdened  believers,  who  are  groaning  under  the 
weight  of  these  burdens  I  mentioned.  I  only  oflfer  two  or 
three  things  for  your  encouragement,  with  which  I  shall 
close ;  for  we  are  to  "  comfort  them  that  mourn  in  Zion." 

1.  Know,  for  thy  comfort,  poor  believer,  that  thy  tender- 
hearted Father  is  privy  to  all  thy  secret  groans;  though  the 
world  know  nothing  about  them,  he  hears  them.     '•  Lord," 


v.]  THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.      143 

says  David,  "  all  my  desire  is  before  thee;  and  my  groaning 
is  not  hid  from  thee,"  Psal.  xxxviii.  9,  As  he  puts  thy  tears 
in  his  bottle,  so  he  marks  down  thy  groans  in  the  book  of  his 
remembrance. 

2.  As  the  Lord  hears  thy  groans,  so  he  groans  with  thee 
under  all  thy  burdens :  for  "  he  is  touched  with  the  leeling 
of  our  infirmities;  and  in  all  our  afflictions  he  is  afflicted." 
He  has  the  bowels  of  a  father  to  his  children:  Psal.  ciii.  13: 
"As  a  father  piticth  his  children:  so  the  Lord  piticlh  them 
that  fear  him."  Yea,  his  heart  is  so  tender  toward  thee, 
that  it  is  compared  to  the  tender  affection  of  a  mother  to  her 
sucking  child.     And,  therefore, 

3.  Know,  for  thy  encouragement,  that  thou  art  not  alone 
under  thy  burdens.  No :  "  The  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge, 
and  underneath  arc  the  everlasting  arms."  He  bears  thee 
and  thy  burdens  both :  and,  therefore,  though  you  may  "  pass 
through  the  fire  and  water;  yet  the  fire  shall  not  burn  thee, 
the  waters  of  adversity  shall  not  overwhelm  thee." 

4.  Know,  for  thy  comfort,  that  whatever  be  thy  burden, 
and  however  heavy  thy  groanings  be,  there  is  abundant 
consolation  provided  for  thee  in  God's  covenant.  And  here 
I  might  go  through  the  several  burdens  of  the  Lord's  people, 
and  ofl'er  a  word  of  encouragement  to  you  under  each.  1 
shall  only  touch  them  passingly. 

li/.  Art  thou  burdened  with  the  body  of  clay?  Perhaps 
thy  clay  cottage  is  always  like  to  drop  down  every  day  ;  and 
this  fills  thee  with  heaviness.  Well,  believer,  know,  for  thy 
comfort,  that,  "  if  the  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were 
dissolved,  thou  hast  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not  made 
with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  There  are  mansions  of 
glory  prc|)ared  for  thee  there,  where  thou  "  shalt  be  for  ever 
with'  the  Lord." 

2(flj/,  Art  thou  burdened  with  a  burden  of  sin,  crying,  "O 
wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body 
of  this  death?"  Well,  here  is  comfort,  believer ;  thy  "  old 
man  is  crucified  with  ('hrist,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be 
destroyed."  Ere  long  he  will  present  thee  to  his  Father, 
"without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing." 

3dly,  Art  thou  burdened  with  the  sense  of  much  actual 
guilt?  Art  thou  crying,  with  David,  "Mine  iniquities  are 
gone  over  mine  head:  as  a  heavy  burden  they  are  too  heavy 
forme?"  Well,  but  consider,  believer,  "  God  is  faithful  to 
forgive  thee:"  for  he  has  said,  "  I  will  be  mercifiil  to  their 
unrighteousness,  and  their  sins  and  their  iniquities  will  I  re- 
member no  more." 

Uhlij,  Art  thou  burdened  with  the  temptations  and  fiery 


144       THE  GROANS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.     [SER. 

darts  of  Satan  ?  Well,  but  consider,  believer,  Christ,  thy  glo- 
rious head,  the  true  need  of  the  woman,  has  bruised  the  head 
of  the  old  serpent ;  "  through  death  he  has  destroyed  him 
that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil."  And,  as  he 
overcame  him  in  his  own  person,  so  he  will  make  thee  to 
overcome  him  in  thy  person  ere  long:  "  The  God  of  peace 
shall  bruise  Satan  under  your  feet  shortly." 

bllily,  Is  the  society  of  the  wricked  thy  burden?  Art  thou 
crying,  "  Wo  is  me,  that  I  sojourn  in  Mesech?  Why,  con- 
sider, that  thou  shalt  get  other  company  ere  long;  when  thou 
puttest  oft'  this  clay  tabernacle,  thou  shalt  enter  in  among 
"  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect."  Only  stand  thy 
ground,  and  be  not  conformed  to  the  world. 

Qthly,  Art  thou  burdened  with  the  abounding  sins  and 
backslidings  of  the  day  and  generation  wherein  thou  livest  ? 
Well,  be  comforted,  God's  mark  is  upon  thee  as  one  of  the 
mourners  in  Zion ;  and,  in  the  day  when  the  man  with  the 
slaughter-weapon  shall  go  through,  God  will  give  a  charge 
not  to  come  near  any  upon  whom  his  mark  is  found  :  "  Thou 
shalt  be  hid  in  the  day  of  the  Lord's  anger." 

Ithly,  Art  thou  burdened  with  the  concerns  of  Christ,  with 
the  interests  of  his  kingdom  and  glory?  Is  thy  heart,  with 
Eli's,  "  trembling  for  fear  of  the  ark  of  the  Lord,"  lest  it  get 
a  wrong  touch  ?  Know,  for  thy  encouragement,  that  "  the 
Lord  shall  reign  for  ever,  even  thy  God,  O  Zion,  unto  all  ge- 
nerations ;"  and  that,  though  "  clouds  and  darkness  be  round 
about  him,"  yet  justice  and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of 
his  throne,  and  mercy  and  truth  shall  go  before  his  face." 
Though  his  2oay  be  i?i  the  lohirhv'aiH,  and  his  footsteps  in  the 
great  roaters,  yet  he  carries  on  the  designs  of  his  glory,  and 
his  church's  good.  And  as  for  thee  that  art  "  sorrowful  for 
the  solemn  assembly,  to  whom  the  reproach  of  it  is  a  bur- 
den," God  will  gather  thee  unto  himself;  he  will  gather  thee 
unto  the  "  genera!  assembly,  and  church  of  the  first-born." 

8thly,  Art  thou  burdened  with  manifold  afflictions  in  thy 
body,  in  thy  estate,  in  thy  name,  in  thy  relations?  Know, 
for  thy  comfort,  God  is  carrying  on  a  design  of  love  to  thee 
in  all  these  things:  "  Thy  light  afflictions,  which  are  but  for 
a  moment,  will  work  for  thee  a  far  more  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory."  See  a  sweet  prophecy  for  thy 
comfort.  Is.  liv.  11,  12. 

Qthly,  Art  thou  burdened  with  much  weighty  work?  Per- 
haps thou  knowest  not  how  to  manage  this  and  the  odur  duty; 
how  to  adventure  to  a  communion-table,  or  the  like.  Well, 
for  thy  encouragement,  poor  soul,  the  Lord  "sends  none  a 
warfare  upon  their  own  charges."     And,  therefore,  look  to 


v.]         THE  GROAJTS  OF  BELIEVERS  UNDER  THEIR  BURDENS.        145 

him,  that  he  may  bear  thy  charges  out  of  the  stock  that  is  in 
thy  Elder  Brother's  hand ;  and  "  go  in  his  strength,  making 
mention  of  his  righteousness." 

lOlhli/,  Art  Ihou,  under  the  burden  of  much  darkness,  cry- 
ing, witli  Job,  "  Beiiold,  I  go  forward,  but  he  is  not  there ;  and 
backward,  but  I  cannot  perceive  him?"  &.c.  Job.  xxiii.  8. — 
AVell,  be  comforted ;  for  "  unto  the  upright  there  ariseth  hght 
in  the  darkness.  Unto  you  that  fear  my  name,  shall  the  sun 
of  righteousness  arise  with  healing  in  his  wings."  And  there- 
fore say  thou  with  the  church,  Mic.  vii.  9 :  "  He  will  bring 
me  forth  to  the  light,  and  1  shall  behold  his  righteousness." — 
Again ; 

ll/A/y,  Art  thou  burdened  with  tlie  Lord's  distance  from 
thy  soul,  "  because  the  Comforter  that  should  relieve  thy  soul, 
is  far  from  thee?"  Lam.  i.  IG:  Well,  be  comforted,  "  He  will 
not  contend  for  ever,"  he  has  promised  to  return.  Is.  liv.  7, 8. 
The  Lord  cannot  keep  up  himself  long  from  the  poor  soul  that 
is  weeping  and  groaning  after  him ;  as  we  see  in  Ephraim, 
Jer.  xxxi.  18,  &c.     Again; 

\2tJibj,  Art  thou  burdened  with  the  fear  of  death?  Know, 
for  thy  comfort,  the  sting  of  death  is  gone,  and  it  cannot  hurt 
thee:  Hos.  xiii.  14:  "1  will  ransom  them  from  the  power  of 
the  grave:  I  will  redeem  them  from  death:  O  death,  I  will 
be  thy  plague ;  O  grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction." 

Lastly,  Art  thou  burdened  with  the  death  of  the  righteous, 
particularly  with  the  loss  of  faithful  ministers?  Well,  be  en- 
couraged, that  though  the  Lord  take  away  an  Elijah,  yet  the 
Lord  God  of  Elijah  lives,  and  the  residue  of  the  Spirit  is  still 
with  him.  And  therefore  take  up  David's  song,  and  sing, 
"  The  Lord  liveth,  and  blessed  be  my  rock ;  and  let  the  God 
of  my  salvation  be  exalted." 


VOL.  I. 


13 


146 


SERHION  VI. 

THE  BELIEVER  EXALTED  IN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS.* 


Surely,  shall  one  say.  In  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength:  even 
to  him  shall  men  come;  and  all  that  are  incensed  against  him  shall  be 
ashamed.  In  the  Lord  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel  be  jiistific-d,  and  shall 
glory. — Is.  XLV.  24,  25. 


[The  Bubject  of  the  following  discourse  is  hi<,'h,  noble,  and  excellent. — 
But  my  design  at  tiiat  lime,  being  only  to  preface  a  liltle  before  the 
action-sermon,  by  tliat  eminent  and  worthy  servant  of  Christ,  Mr. 
William  Moncrief,  1  took  care  to  abridge  my  thoughts  upon  it  as  much 
as  possible.  I  iiave  since  handled  the  same  text,  in  my  ordinary,  at 
far  greater  length.  But  the  discourse  having  been  quarrelled  with, 
as  was  hinted  in  the  preface  to  that  on  Rev.  iii.  4,  I  judged  it  fit  to 
send  it  abroad,  in  the  very  same  dress  m  which,  to  the  best  of  my  re- 
membrance, it  was  delivered.  It  is  not  accuratvy  of  style  or  metliod 
I  set  up  for,  but  Iho  edifieation  of  the  poor,  to  whom  the  gospel  is 
preached;  and  therefore  shall  contend  with  nolle  upon  those  heads. 
But  as  fur  the  doctrines  here  delivered,  if  I  durst  nut  liazard  my  own 
salvation  upon  tlie  truth  of  tluiri,  I  had  never  adventured  to  preach 
them  as  the  truths  of  God  to  others.  I  am  fully  persuaded,  tiiat  one 
great  reason  why  the  gospel  has  so  little  success  in  our  day,  is,  be- 
cause our  discourses  generally  are  so  little  calculat  d  for  pulling  down 
our  own,  and  exalting  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  as  the  alone  foun- 
dation which  God  hath  laid  in  Zion.  Our  sernmns  lose  their  savour 
and  efficacy  for  salvation,  if  this  be  wanting:  and  I  humbly  think  the 
great  apostle  Paul  was  of  this  mind,  Rom.  i.  16,  17:  "I  am  not 
ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ :  f  )r  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  sal- 
vation, to  every  one  that  believeth."  And  if  any  ask.  Whence 
comes  the  gospel  to  have  such  power  to  salvation?  He  immediately 
answers,  "For  therein  is  the  righteousness  of  Gud  revealed  from  faith 
to  faith."] 


In  thy  name  shall  they  rejoice  all  tlie  day;  and  in  thy  righteousness  shall 
they  be  exulted. —  Psal.  Lxxxix.  16. 

The  psalmist,  in  the  beginning  of  this  psalm,  having  run 
out  at  great  length  in  the  praise  and  commendation  of  the 
God  of  Israel,  proceeds,  from  the  15th  verse  of  the  psalm,  to 
declare  the  happiness  of  his  Israel,  or  of  true  believers,  of 
whom  Israel  according  to  the  flesh  were  a  type. 

•  Preached  at  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  supper,  at  Largo,  Sabbath 
morning,  June  4,  1721. 


VI.]     THE  BELIEVER  EXALTED  IN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS.     147 

Now,  God's  Israel  arc  a  liappy  people  upon  several  ac- 
counts. 1.  Because  they  arc  privileged  to  know  the  joyful 
sound,  in  the  begirmitig  of  (he  15(h  verse.  Tlie  gospel  has  a 
joyful  sound;  a  sound  of  peace,  a  sound  of  life,  a  sound  of  li- 
berty and  .salvation.  You  are  all  privileged  to  hear  this 
sound  with  your  bodily  tars;  but  the  great  question  is,  do  you 
know  it,  understand  it,  and  give  failh'.s  entertainment  to  it? 
Alas!  l.saiah's  lamentation  may  but  too  justly  be  continued, 
with  respect  to  the  greatest  part  of  the  hearers  of  the  gospel, 
"  Who  hath  believed  our  report  I"  2.  God's  Israel  are  a  hap- 
py people,  because  they  "  walk  in  the  light  of  his  counte- 
nance," in  the  close  of  the  15lh  verse.  '^I'liey  are  privileged 
with  the  s[)ccial  intimations  of  his  love,  which  puts  more  glad- 
ness in  their  hearts,  than  when  corn,  wine  and  oil  abound. — 
3.  Whatever  discouragement  they  may  meet  with  from  the 
world,  yet  still  they  have  ground  of  rtjoicint;  in  their  God: 
"In  thy  name  shall  they  rejoice  all  the  day ;"  and,  "Thanks 
be  unto  God,"  says  the  apostle,  "who  always  causeth  us  to 
trium[)h  in  Christ."  4.  Their  happiness  is  evident  from  this, 
that  they  are  dignified  and  exalted  above  others,  by  the  im- 
maculate robe  of  a  Surety's  righteousness;  as  you  see  in  the 
words  of  my  text,  ///  fhif  righteousness  shall  ihcy  he  exalted. 

Jn  which  words  l)rieny  we  may  notice,  1.  The  believer's 
promotion;  he  is  exalted.  In  the  first  Adam  we  were  de- 
based to  the  lowest  hell,  the  crown  having  fallen  from  our 
heads:  but  in  Christ,  the  second  Adam,  we  are  again  exalt- 
ed ;  yea,  exalted  as  high  as  heaven,  for  we  "sit  together  with 
him  in  heavenly  places,"  says  the  aj)ostle.  This  is  an  incre- 
dible paradox  to  a  blind  world,  that  the  believer,  who  is  sit- 
ting at  this  moment  upon  the  dunghill  of  this  earth,  should  at 
the  same  time  be  sitting  in  heaven  in  Christ,  his  glorious  head 
and  representative;  and  yet  it  is  indisputably  true,  that  we 
"sit  together  with  him  in  heavenly  places,"  Eph.  ii.  6.  Yea, 
in  him  he  "rules  the  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron,"  and  tri- 
umphs over,  and  treadeth  upon  all  the  powers  of  hell.  2.  We 
have  the  ground  of  the  believer's  preferment  and  exaltation; 
It  is  in  thy  righteousness.  It  is  not  in  any  righteousness  of  his 
own  ;  no;  this  he  utterly  disclaims,  reckoning  it  but  dung  and 
loss,  filthi/  rags,  dogs'  meat:  but  it  is  in  thy  righteousness;  that 
is,  the  righteousness  of  (Jud,  as  the  apostle  calls  it,  Rom.  i,  17  : 
"The  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith,"  Phil.  iii.  0. 
The  righteousness  of  God  is  variously  taken  in  scripture. — 
Sometimes  for  the  infinite  rectitude  and  equity  of  his  nature: 
Psal.  xi.  7:  "The  righteous  Lord  loveth  righteousness." — 
Sometimes  for  his  rectoral  equity,  or  distributive  justice, 
which  he  exercises  in  the  government  of  the  world,  reward- 
ing the  good,  and  puniahing  evil-doers ;  Psal.  xcvii.  2 :  "  Jus- 


148  THE  BELIEVER  EXALTED  [sER. 

•tice  and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of  his  throne."  Some- 
times it  is  put  for  his  veracity  and  faithfulness  in  accomplish- 
ing his  word  of  promise,  or  in  executing  his  word  of  threaten- 
ing ;  Psal.  xxxvi.  5,  6 :  "  Thy  faithfulness  reacheth  unto  the 
clouds :  thy  righteousness  is  like  the  great  mountains."  Some- 
times it  is  put  for  the  perfect  righteousness  which  Christ,  the 
Son  of  God  as  our  Surety  and  Mediator,  brought  in,  by  his 
obedience  to  the  law,  and  death  on  the  cross,  for  the  justifi- 
cation of  guilty  sinners;  and  this,  as  I  said,  is  frequently 
called  the  righteousness  of  God:  and  in  this  sense  I  under- 
stand it  here  in  the  text.  In  iky  righteousness  shall  they  be  ex- 
alted. 

The  observation  is  much  the  same  with  the  words  them- 
selves ;  namely,  Thai  in,  or  by,  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  be- 
lievers are  exalted.  Or  thus.  To  whatever  honour  or  happi?iess 
believers  are  exalted,  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  the  grot/ 7id  and 
foundation  of  it.  It  is  all  owing  to  the  complete  obedience, 
and  meritorious  death  of  the  ever-blessed  Surety.  This  is 
"  the  foundation  which  God  hath  laid  in  Zion,"  upon  which 
all  our  happiness  in  time  and  through  eternity  is  built. 

I  have  not  time  now  to  adduce  parallel  texts  of  scripture 
for  the  confirmation  of  this  doctrine,  neither  can  I  stand  upon 
a  long  prosecution  of  it,  considering  what  great  work  you 
have  before  you  through  the  day.  All  I  shall  do,  shall  be 
only, 

I.  To  offer  a  few  propositions  concerning  this  righteous- 
ness, that  you  may  undei-stand  both  the  nature  and  necessity 
of  it. 

II.  Give  you  a  few  of  its  properties,  to  clear  its  excel- 
lency. 

III.  Speak  a  little  of  the  believer's  exaltation  by  virtue  of 
this  righteousness. 

IV.  Apply. 

I.  For  the  frst  thing,  to  ofer  a  few  propositions  respecting 
this  righteousness  for  clearing  its  ?iature  and  necessity. 

1.  Then,  you  would  know,  that  God  having  made  man  a 
rational  creature,  capable  of  moral  government,  gave  him  a 
law  suited  to  his  nature,  by  which  he  was  to  govern  himself 
in  the  duties  he  owed  to  God  his  great  Creator.  This  law 
was  delivered  to  man  in  the  form  of  a  covenant,  with  a  pro- 
mise of  life  upon  the  condition  of  perfect  obedience,  and  a 
threatening  of  death  in  case  of  disobedience,  Gen.  ii.  17. — 
Thus  stood  matters  between  God  and  man  in  a  state  of  inno- 
cence. 

2.  Adam,  and   all  his  posterity  in  him,  and   with   him, 


VI.]  Itt  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSXESS,  149 

having  broken  the  covenant,  are  become  liable  to  the  curse, 
and  penalty  of  it;  so  that  our  siiivation  is  become  absolutely 
impossible,  until  justice  be  satisfied,  and  the  honour  of  the 
broken  law  repaired.  The  law  and  justice  of  God  are  very 
peremptory,  and  stand  upon  a  full  satisfaction  and  reparation, 
otherwise  heaven's  gates  shall  be  shut,  and  eternally  barred 
against  man  and  all  his  posterity.  The  flaming  sword  of  jus- 
tice turns  every  way,  to  keep  us  from  access  to  the  paradise 
that  is  above. 

3.  Wliile  man  in  these  circumstances,  was  expecting  no- 
thing but  to  fall  an  eternal  sacrifice  to  divine  justice,  the  eter- 
nal Son  of  God,  in  his  infinite  love  and  pity  to  perishing  sin- 
ners, steps  in  as  a  Mediator  and  Surety  ;  olFering  not  only  to 
take  our  nature,  but  to  take  our  law-place,  to  stand  in  our 
room  and  stead  :  by  which  the  whole  obligation  of  the  law, 
both  penal  and  preceptive,  diil  fall  upon  him;  that  is,  he  be- 
comes liable  and  obliged  both  to  fullil  the  command,  and  to 
endure  the  curse  of  the  covenant  of  works,  which  we  had  vio- 
lated. And  here,  by  the  way,  it  is  fit  to  advertise  you,  that 
it  was  an  act  of  amazing  grace  in  the  Lord  Jehovah,  to  ad- 
mit a  Surety  in  our  room;  for  had  he  stood  to  the  rigour  and 
severity  of  the  law,  he  would  have  demanded  a  personal  satis- 
faction, without  admitting  of  the  satisfactior)  of  a  Surely: 
in  which  case  Adam,  and  all  his  pos.teri(\%  had  fallen  under 
the  stroke  of  avenging  justice  through  eternity.  But  "glory 
to  God  in  the  highest,"  who  not  only  admitted  of  a  Surety, 
but  provided  one,  and  "  laid  hel[)  upon  one  that  is  mighty." 

4.  Christ,  the  eternal  Son  of  God,  being  in  "  the  fulness  of 
time,  made  of  a  woman,  and  made  under  the  law,"  as  our 
Surety,  he  actually,  in  our  room  and  stead,  fulfilled  the  whole 
terms  of  the  covenant  of  works;  that  is,  in  a  word,  he  obeyed 
all  the  conmiands  of  the  law,  and  endured  the  curse  of  it,  and 
thus  brings  in  a  complete  law-righteousness;  by  which  guilty 
sinners  are  justified  before  God.  And  this  is  the  righteous- 
ness by  which  we  arc  exalted.  I5y  his  active  and  passive 
obedience,  he  magnifies  l/ic  Imv,  and  rnakrs  it  honouruble,  and 
the  Jjord  declares  himself  to  be  u-ell  ptcascd  J'or  Ins  righteous- 
ness' sake. 

Although  Christ  obeyed  the  law,  and  satisfied  justice,  and 
thus  brought  in  an  everlasting  law-righteousness  for  a  whole 
elect  world;  yet  the  eleet  of  God  are  never  exalted  by  vir- 
tue of  this  righteousness,  till,  in  a  day  of  power,  they  be 
brought  to  receive  it  bv  faith,  and  submit  to  it  for  justifica- 
tion before  God.  We  disclaim  that  Antinomian  error,  of  an 
actual  justilication  from  eternity,  or  yet  of  a  formal  justifica- 
tion, bearing  date  fiom  the  death  of  Christ.  We  own,  in- 
deed, with  all  sound  Protestant  divines,  that  it  was  the  pur- 

13* 


150  THE  BELIEVER  EXALTED  [sER. 

pose  of  God  to  justify  his  elect  from  eternity,  and  that  all 
the  elect  were  represented  by  Christ  in  his  obedience  unto 
the  death ;  but  that  they  are  actually  justified  before  conver- 
sion, or  before  their  application  by  faith  to  the  blood  of  Je- 
sus, is  impossible;  because  the  sentence  of  the  broken  law 
stands  always  in  force  against  them,  till  they  actually  beheve 
in  the  Son  of  God ;  for  he  thai  believelh  not,  is  condemned  al- 
ready. And  how  can  they  be  both  justified  and  condemned 
at  the  same  time?  Till  then,  they  are  children  ofuralh  even 
as  others. 

6.  This  righteousness  of  the  Surety  is  conveyed  to  us  by 
imputation  ;  as  is  abundantly  plain  from  many  places  of  scrip- 
ture, particularly,  Rom.  iv.  6,  11,  12,  23,  24.  God  reckons 
what  the  Surety  did  in  our  room  to  us ;  so  that  his  righteous- 
ness becomes  as  much  ours  for  justification  before  God,  as 
though  we  had  obeyed  the  law,  and  satisfied  justice  in  our 
own  person.  Now,  this  imputation  of  the  Surety's  righteous- 
ness runs  principally  upon  these  two  or  three  things:  (1.) 
Upon  the  eternal  transaction  between  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  in  which  the  Son  of  God  was  chosen  and  sustained  as 
the  Surety  of  an  elect  world.  Then  it  was  that  he  gave  bond 
to  the  Father,  to  pay  their  debt  in  the  red  gold  of  his  blood, 
saying,  "  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  didst  not  desire  : — l^o,  I 
come: — I  delight  to  do  thy  will."  (2.)  It  is  grounded  upon 
the  actual  imputation  of  our  sins  to  him:  "The  Lord  laid  on 
him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."  There  is  a  blessed  exchange  of 
places  between  Christ  and  his  people:  he  takes  on  our  sin 
and  unrighteousness,  that  we  may  be  clothed  with  the  white 
robe  of  his  righteousness:  2  Cor.  v.  21  :  "Pie  was  made  sin 
for  us,  who  knew  no  sin :  that  we  might  be  made  the  right- 
eousness of  God  in  him."  (3.)  This  imputation  goes  upon  the 
ground  of  the  mystical  union  between  Christ  and  the  believer. 
When  the  poor  soul  is  determined  in  a  "day  of  power"  to 
embrace  the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  arms  of  faith,  Christ  and  he 
in  that  very  moment  coalesce  into  one  body.  He  becomes  a 
branch  of  the  noble  vine;  a  member  of  that  body  of  which 
Christ  is  the  glorious  Head  of  eminence,  influence,  and  govern- 
ment. And  being  thus  united  to  Christ,  the  long  and  white 
robe  of  the  Mediator's  righteousness  is  spread  over  him;  by 
which  he  is  not  only  freed  from  condemnation,  but  for  ever 
sustained  as  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God ;  1  Cor.  i.  30:  "  But 
of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made  unto  us 
wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and  redemp- 
tion." 

n.  The  second  general  head  was,  to  offer  afevi  properties  of 
this  righteousness  in  which  believers  are  exalted^from  zvheJice  its 
excellency  will  appear. 


VI.]  IN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  151 

1.  Then,  it  is  an  every  way  perfect  and  spotless  righteous- 
ness: and  how  can  it  be  otherwise,  seeing  it  is  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  ?  So  perfect  is  it,  that  the  holy  law  is  not  only 
fulfilled,  but  magnified  and  made  honourable  thereby,  Is.  xlii. 
21.  So  perfect  is  this  righteousness,  that  the  piercing  eye  of 
infinite  justice  cannot  find  the  least  flaw  in  it:  yea,  justice  is 
so  fully  satisfied  that  God  speaks  of  the  soul  who  is  clothed 
with  it,  as  though  it  were  in  a  state  of  innocence,  and  per- 
fectly freed  from  sin :  "  Thou  art  all  fair,  my  love,  there  is 
no  spot  in  thee.  He  hath  not  beheld  iniquity  in  Jacob,  nei- 
ther hath  he  seen  perverseness  in  Israel."  Indeed,  he  be- 
holds many  spots  in  the  believer,  considered  in  himself;  but 
not  a  spot  is  in  him,  considered  as  under  the  covert  of  this 
spotless  righteousness. 

2.  It  is  a  meritorious  righteousness.  Tlie  redemption  of  the 
soul  is  so  precious,  that  it  would  have  ceased  for  ever,  unless  it 
had  been  redeemed  by  this  righteousness ;  for  silver  and  gold, 
and  such  corruptible  things,  could  never  do  it.  Lay  hea- 
ven, and  all  the  glories  of  it,  in  the  balance  with  this  righ- 
teousness, they  w'ould  be  all  light  as  a  feather,  compared,  with 
it.  Heaven  is  called  a  purchased  inherilatice,  and  this  righ- 
teousness is  the  price  that  bought  it.  There  is  such  merit  in 
it,  that  it  expiates  sins  of  the  blackest  hue,  and  redeems  a 
whole  elect  world  from  wrath  and  ruin.  Such  is  the  in- 
trinsic value  of  it,  that,  had  it  been  so  designed,  it  was  suffi- 
cient to  have  redeemed  the  whole  posterity  of  Adam,  yea,  ten 
thousand  worlds  of  angels  and  men,  upon  a  supposition  of 
their  existence  and  fall.  O  with  what  confidence,  then,  may 
a  poor  soul  venture  its  eternal  salvation  upon  this  founda- 
tion! 

3.  It  is  an  incomparable  righteousness.  There  is  no  righ- 
teousness among  the  creatures  that  can  be  compared  with  it. 
Compare  it  with  our  own  righteousness  by  the  law%  and  the 
apostle  Paul  will  tell  us,  that  he  reckoned  his  Pharisaical 
righteousness  before  conversion,  yea,  his  own  obedience  af- 
ter conversion,  but  as  dung,  when  laid  in  the  balance  with 
it,  Phil.  iii.  8.  Compare  it  with  Adam's  righteousness  in  a 
state  of  innocence,  or  with  the  righteousness  of  the  spotless 
angels,  they  are  but  like  glow-worms,  when  compared  with 
this  sun:  the  one  is  but  the  righteousness  of  a  creature,  but 
here  is  "  the  righteousness  of  (Jod." 

4.  It  is  a  soul-hcautifying  and  adorning  righteousness  :  Is. 
Ixi.  10:  "I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  my  soul  shall  be 
joyful  in  my  God;  tor  he  hath  clothed  me  with  the  garments 
of  salvation,  he  hath  covered  me  with  the  robe  of  righteous- 
ness, as  a  bridegroom  decketh  himself  with  ornaments,  and 
as  a  bride  adorneth  herself  with  her  jewels."     The  poor  soul, 


152  THE  BELIEVER  EXALTED  [SER. 

that  was  black,  by  lying  among  the  pots,  when  clothed  with 
this  robe,  shines  "  as  the  wings  of  a  dove,  covered  with  silver, 
and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold." 

5.  It  is  an  everlasting  righteousness,  as  the  prophet  Daniel 
calls  it,  chap.  ix.  24.  Indeed,  this  righteousness  had  no  be- 
ing, save  in  the  purpose  and  promise  of  God,  till  Christ  ac- 
tually appeared  in  our  nature,  and  satisfied  the  commands  of 
the  law,  and  demands  of  justice :  however,  upon  that  very  be- 
ing that  it  had  in  the  purpose  and  promise  of  God,  it  became 
effectual  for  the  justification  of  all  the  Old  Testament  saints. 
This  righteousness,  then,  I  say,  is  an  everlasting  righteousness, 
both  as  to  the  contrivance  and  duration  of  it.  The  contri- 
vance of  it  bears  date  from  the  council  of  peace  in  the  ancient 
years  of  eternity;  for  the  Surety  was  set  up  from  everlasting. 
And,  as  it  is  everlasting  in  its  root,  so  also  in  its  fruit;  for  upon 
this  righteousness  the  saints  will  stand,  and  be  acquitted  at  the 
day  of  judgment;  and  upon  this  bottom  they  will  have  their 
standing  in  heaven  through  eternity.  The  song  of  the  re- 
deemed for  ever  will  be,  "  He  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from 
our  sins  in  his  own  blood." 

6.  It  is  a  so?//-c/t^?»"/jrt//^  and  exo//<w,o- righteousness.  Solo- 
mon, (Prov.  xiv.  34,)  speaking  of  equity  in  the  administration 
of  justice,  says,  that  even  that  kind  of  righteousness  exaltelh 
a  nation.  I  am  sure  this  holds  true  of  the  imputed  righteous- 
ness of  the  Lord  Jesus,  as  you  see  in  my  text.  In  thy  righte- 
ousness shall  they  be  exalted.     But  this  leads  to 

III.  The  third  thing  in  the  method,  which  was  to  speak  of 
'  the  believer'' s  exaltation  by  virtue  of  this  righteousness.     A  nd 
here  I  will  very  briefly  show,  1.  What  evils  it  exalts  him 
above.     2.  What  happiness  and  dignity  it  exalts  him  to. 

First,  What  evils  it  exalts  him  above. 

1.  It  exalts  him  above  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works; 
yea,  above  both  the  commanding  and  the  condemning  power 
of  that  covenant.  "  Ye  are  not  under  the  law,"  says  the 
apostle,  "  but  under  grace,"  Rom.  vi.  14.  And  if  they  be  not 
under  it,  it  follows  that  they  are  exalted  above  it.  Indeed, 
they  are  not,  and  cannot  be  above  it  as  a  rule  of  duty ;  no 
creature  can  be  dispensed  from  the  obligation  of  yielding  obe- 
dience to  the  laws  of  the  great  Creator ;  and  the  believer,  in 
a  peculiar  manner,  is  bound  to  obey  the  law  of  the  Creator,  in 
the  hand  of  a  Mediator.  But  considering  the  law  as  a  cove- 
nant of  works,  demanding  the  debt  of  obedience  as  a  condi- 
tion of  life,  or  threatening  eternal  wrath  in  case  of  disobe- 
dience, the  believer  is  indeed  exalted  above  it  by  the  righte- 
ousness of  Christ.  And  if  the  law  at  any  time  attempt  to 
bring  the  believer  in  bondage  to  it,  he  is  to  "  stand  fast  in  the 
liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  made  him  free."     The  bond 


VI.]  IN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  153 

woman  Hagar,  with  her  offspring  of  legal  fears  and  terrors, 
are  cast  out  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Gal.  iv.  30. 
If  a  believer  in  Christ  shall  hear  the  thunderings  and  curses 
of  mount  Ebal,  or  Sinai,  he  has  no  reason  to  be  affrighted; 
for  "  Christ,"  by  his  righteousness,  "  hatli  redeemed  from  the 
curse  of  the  law."  "  Thou  art  not  come  unto  the  mount  that 
might  be  touched,  and  that  burned  with  fire,  nor  unto  black- 
ness, and  darkness,  and  tempest : — but  tiiou  art  come  unto 
mount  Sion, — and  to  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  cove- 
nant, and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better 
things  than  that  of  Abel."  The  believer  is  "  dead  to  the  law 
by  the  body  of  Christ,"  being  married  to  a  better  husband, 
even  him  that  is  raised  from  the  dead. 

2.  By  this  righteousness  the  believer  is  exalted  above  the 
world.  Rev.  xii.  1,  the  "  woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  has  the 
moon  under  her  feet;"  which  may  not  only  point  at  the  be- 
jicvci's  duty  to  soar  heavenward  in  his  atlcctions,  but  also  his 
privilege  in  Christ,  to  trample  both  upon  the  frowns  and  flat- 
teries of  this  lower  world ;  according  to  that  [declaration]  of 
the  apostle,  "This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world, 
even  our  faith." 

3.  By  this  righteousness  he  is  exalted  above  the  power  and 
malice  of  Satan,  indeed,  as  long  as  the  believer  is  on  this  side 
of  Jordan,  the  devil  will  be  harassing  him  with  his  fiery  darts, 
and  do  his  utmost  to  make  him  go  halting  to  heaven;  but  by 
virtue  of  this  righteousness,  namely,  the  doing  and  dying  of  our 
ever-blessed  Surety,  the  devil  is  both  disarmed  and  destroyed. 
The  head  of  the  old  serpent  is  bruised;  for  "through  death 
he  destroyed  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the 
devil.  And  by  faith  in  the  blood  and  obedience  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  the  believer  treads  Satan  under  his  feet ;  they  overcome 
him  6y  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

4.  By  this  righteousness  the  believer  is  exalted  above  death. 
Perhaps  thou  art  in  bondage  through  fear  of  death  ;  thy  heart 
is  like  to  faint  and  fail  thee,  when  thou  lookest  to  the  swellings 
of  this  Jordan.  But  take  a  view  of  this  righteousness,  and 
thou  shall  be  exalted  above  the  fears  of  it;  for  although  thou 
be  liable  to  the  stroke  of  death,  vet  by  this  righteousness  thou 
art  freed  from  the  sting  of  it.  What  is  the  sting  of  death?  It 
is  sin.  Now,  Christ  has  "  finished  transgicssion,  and  made  an 
end  of  sin,"  by  bringing  in  "  everlasting  righteousness."  And 
therefore  thou  mavest  roll  that  word  like  a  sweet  morsel  under 
thy  tongue,  Hos.  xiii.  14 :  "I  will  ransom  them  from  the  power 
of  the  grave;  I  will  redeem  them  from  death.  O  death,  1 
will  be  tliy  plagues;  O  tirave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction." 

5.  By  this  righteousness  the  believer  isexalted  above  all  accu- 
sations, from  whatever  quarter  they  may  come,  Rom.  viii.  33. 


154  THE  BELIRVER  EXALTED  [i^ER. 

There  the  apostle  gives  a  bold  challenge,  "Who  shall  lay  any 
thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?"  The  challenge  is  universal 
in  every  respect  of  all  accusers:  as  if  he  had  said.  Is  there 
any  in  heaven,  earth,  or  hell  that  can  accuse  them?  It  is 
universal  in  respect  of  all  the  accused;  for  the  whole  elect  of 
God  arecom(trehended,amonu;  whom  there  have  been  as  great 
sinners  as  ever  breathed  ou  God's  earth.  And  it  is  universal 
in  respect  of  all  crimes:  it  is  not  said.  Who  shall  lay  this,  or 
that,  or  the  other  crime  lo  their  charge?  but  any  thing?  and 
what  can  be  more  comprehensive?  Now,  what  is  the  ground 
of  this  bold  challenge?  It  is  grounded  on  the  righteousness  of 
Christ:  for,  says  the  apostle,  "It  is  God  that  juslihelh :  who 
is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather  that 
is  risen  again,  &c." 

Secondly,  1  come  to  show  what  happiness  or  digni(y  the 
believer  is  exalted  to  by  virtue  of  this  righteousness.  And,  in 
so  many  words,  I  only  name  these  two  or  three  particulars: — 

1.  He  is  exalted  by  it  lo  a  state  of  peace  and  reconciliation 
with  God  :  Rom.  v.  1 :  "  Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace 
with  God."  God  for  ever  lays  aside  every  grudge  in  his  heart 
against  the  soul  that  is  clothed  with  it. 

2.  They  are  exalted  by  this  righteousness  to  a  state  of  son- 
ship.  Christ  was  "  made  imder  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that 
were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of 
sons,"  Gal.  iv.  4,  5. 

3.  To  a  state  of  fellowship  and  familiarity  with  God,  and 
access  to  him  with  holy  confidence  and  boldness:  Heb.  x.  19 — 
22:  "Having  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the 
holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  way  vi'hich 
he  hath  consecrated  for  us,  through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say,  his 
flesh;  and  having  a  high  priest  over  the  house  of  God:  let 
us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith." 
Heb.  iv.  14,  16:  "Seeing,  then,  that  we  have  a  great  high 
priest,  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens.  Jesus  the  Son  of  God, 
let  us  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace."  The  believer 
may  come,  under  the  covert  of  this  rit;hteousness,  with  as 
great  freedom  to  God  as  his  Father  in  Christ,  as  ever  Adam 
could  have  done  in  a  state  of  innocence. 

4.  At  last  thou  shall  be  exalted  to  a  state  of  endless  glory. 
For  heaven  (as  I  intimated  before)  is  the  purchase  of  the 
obedience  and  death  of  Christ;  and  faith  acted  on  this  right- 
eousness and  satisfaction,  is  the  path  of  life,  by  which  we  en- 
ter into  these  rivers  of  pleasures,  and  i{\?ii  fulness  of  joy  which 
is  al  God's  right  hand  for  evermore. 

IV.  The  fourth  thing  was  the  application  of  the  doctrine. 
And  my  first  use  shall  be  of  information,  in  these  few  parti- 
culars:— 


VI.]  IN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  156 

1.  Is  it  so,  that  in  a  Surety's  righteousness  believers  are 
exalted  ]  then  see  hence,  that  whatever  account  the  world 
may  make  of  them,  as  the  dross  and  oil-scouring  of  the  earth, 
yet  they  are  dignified  persons  in  God's  reckoning:  "Since 
thou  wast  precious  in  my  sight,  thou  hast  been  honourable." 

2.  See,  hence,  that  the  heliever  has  no  ground  of  boasting. 
Whv?  Because  it  is  not  in  his  own,  but  in  Christ's  righteous- 
ness, that  he  is  exalted:  *•  Boasting  is  excluded,"  says  the 
apostle.  "By  what  law?  of  works!  Nay;  but  by  the  law  of 
faith,"  Rom.  iii.  27.  If  it  were  by  our  own  doings  or  obe- 
dience that  we  were  exalted,  we  would  have  something  to 
boast  of:  but  since  it  is  in  his  righteousness  that  we  are  exalted, 
we  have  nothing  whereof  to  glory  in  ourselves.  There  are 
three  questions  that  the  apostle  asks,  which  may  silence  all 
flesh,  and  put  all  boasters  to  an  eternal  blush,  1  Cor.  iv.  7 : 
"  Who  maketh  thee  to  differ?  What  hast  thou  that  thou 
didst  not  receive  ?  Why  dost  thou  glory  as  if  thou  hadst 
not  received  it  ?"  Let  believers  themsblves  ask  their  souls 
these,  or  the  like  inquiries,  when  pride  begins  to  rise  in  their 
breasts. 

3.  See,  hence,  what  obligation  we  lie  under  to  the  Lord 
Jesus;  who,  although  he  was  the  great  Lawgiver,  yet  was 
content  to  be  made  under  the  law ;  though  he  was  the  Lord 
of  life,  yet  humbled  himself  unto  the  death,  to  bring  in  that 
righteousness  by  which  we  are  exalted.  He  was  content  to 
be  "  numbered  among  the  transgressors,"  that  we  might  be 
counted  among  the  righteous;  he  was  content  to  become 
sin,  "  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God ;" 
content  to  become  "  a  curse  for  us,  that  the  blessing  of  Abra- 
ham might  rest  upon  us."  O  admire  this  love,  which  passelh 
knorvledire. 

4.  See,  hence,  a  noble  antidote  against  a  spirit  of  bondage 
to  fear/  What  is  it  that  thou  fearest,  O  believer?  Indeed,  if 
thou  sin,  thou  mayest  fear  the  rod  of  a  Father;  for  he  "  will 
visit  thy  transgression  with  (he  rod,  and  thine  iniquity  with 
stripes."  But  art  thou  afraid  of  vindictive  wrath  ?  There 
is  no  ground  for  this,  (Luke  i.  71:)  he  has  "  delivered  us  out 
of  the  hands  of  our  enemies,  that  we  might  serve  him  with- 
out fear;"  that  is,  without  all  servile  or  slavish  fear  of  wrath. 
Art  thou  afraid  of  the  tempests  of  mount  Sinai  ?  There  is 
no  ground  for  that,  for  the  storm  broke  u[)on  the  head  of  thy 
Surety ;  and,  therefore,  thou  mayst  sing  and  say,  as  Is.  xii.  1, 
"  Though  thou  wast  angry  with  me,  thine  anger  is  tin-ned 
away."  Art  thou  afraid,  lost  thou  be  refused  access  to  the 
presence-chamber  ?  Iinprove  this  righteousness  by  faith,  and 
thou  shalt  see  that  the  way  to  the  holy  of  holiest  is  opened, 
and  get  the  banner  of  love  displayed  over  thee.     Whenever 


156  THE  BKLIEVER  EXALTED  [sER. 

the  poor  believer  lakes  the  righteousness  of  the  Surety  in  the 
hand  of  faith,  and  holds  it  up  to  God  as  a  ransom  of  his  own 
finding,  he  is  so  well  pleased  with  it,  that  his  frowns  are 
turned  into  smiles.  In  a  word,  you  shall  never  get  rid  of  a 
spirit  of  bondage,  till  you  learn  by  faith  to  improve  this  law- 
biding  righteousness ;  and  then,  indeed,  legal  fears  and  ter- 
rors vanish,  like  the  darkness  of  the  night  before  the  rising 
of  the  sun. 

Use  second,  oi  reproof  io  all  those  who  are  seeking  to  exalt 
themselves  by  a  righteousness  of  their  own,  like  the  Jews, 
Rom.  X.  3 ;  who  "  went  about  to  establish  their  own  right- 
eousness, and  would  not  submit  themselves  unto  the  right- 
eousness of  God."  There  are  some  of  the  hearers  of  the 
gospel,  who  exalt  themselves  in  a  negative  righteousness : 
they  are  not  so  bad  as  others:- they  are  free  of  gross  out- 
breakings,  being  no  common  drunkards,  swearers,  or  Sab- 
bath-breakers;  and,  therefore,  conclude  that  all  is  right  with 
them.  But,  sirs,  the  Pharisee  could  make  this  boast :  and 
Paul  before  conversion  could  say,  that /o?/c/«V?^  thelazo  he  was 
blameless;  and  yet,  when  God  opened  his  eyes,  he  found  himself 
lying  under  the  arrest  of  justice ;  for,  "  when  the  command- 
ment came,  sin  revived,  and  he  died."  Others  are  exalting 
themselves  m  a  moral  kind  of  righteousness ;  they  not  only 
"  cease  to  do  evil,"  but  do  many  things  that  are  materially 
good :  they  ai-e  sober,  temperate,  just  in  their  dealings,  liberal 
to  the  poor,  good  peaceable  neighbours  ;  they  love  every  body, 
and  every  body  loves  them  ;  they  keep  the  commandment^  as 
well  as  they  can:  and  this  is  the  ground  they  are  standing  upon. 
But  I  may  say  to  you,  as  Christ  said  to  the  young  man,  who 
told  him,  "  All  these  things  have  I  kept  from  my  youth  up, 
Yet  lackest  thou  one  thing."  O  what  is  that  ?  say  you.  I  an- 
swer, it  is  to  be  brought  off  from  the  rotten  bottom  of  a  cove- 
nant of  works,  that  you  are  standing  upon.  You  want  to  see 
that  you  are  spiritually  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  that 
you  are  legally  dead,  condemned  already,  and  the  wrath  of 
God  abiding  on  you.  You  want  to  see,  that  "all  your  own 
righteousness  is  as  filthy  rags,"  and  to  be  made  to  say,  with 
the  church,  "  Surely  in  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and 
strength."  Others  will  go  farther  than  bare  morality  :  they 
will  abound  in  the  duties  of  religion,  read,  hear,  pray,  commu- 
nicate, run  from  sermon  to  seimon,  from  sacrament  to  sacra- 
ment; and  upon  these  things  they  rest.  All  these  things  are 
good  in  their  proper  places  ;  but  if  you  build  your  hope  of 
acceptance  here,  you  are  still  upon  a  covenant  of  works  bot- 
tom, seeking  righteousness,  "  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the 
law ;"  and  while  you  do  so,  you  do  but  seek  the  living  among 
the  dead.     All  your  works  are  but  dead  works,  till  you  are 


VI.]  IN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  157 

in  Christ ;  and  they  will  but  stand  for  ciphers  in  God's  rec- 
koning, till  you  be  brought  to  submit  to  this  righteousness,  by 
which  alone  guilty  sinners  can  be  exalted.  Others  rely  upon 
a  mixed  kind  of  righteousness:  they  will  freely  own,  that  their 
duties  and  performances  will  never  exalt  them  into  favour 
and  acceptance  with  God ;  but,  O,  say  they,  it  is  Christ  and 
our  duties,  Christ  and  our  prayers,  he  and  our  tears  and  re- 
pentance, that  must  do  it.  But  believe  it,  sirs,  Christ  and  the 
idol  of  self  will  never  cement;  these  old  rotten  rags  will  never 
piece  in  with  the  white  and  new  robe  of  the  righteousness  of 
the  Son  of  God  :  and  if  you  adventure  to  mingle  them  toge- 
ther, "Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing,"  Gal.  v.  2 — 4.  Others, 
again,  will  pretend  to  renounce  all  their  works  and  duties, 
and  own,  with  their  mouths,  that  it  is  by  faith  in  Christ  only 
that  they  hope  to  be  accepted  :  but  though  they  own  this  with 
their  mouth,  yet  still  their  hearts  cleave  fast  to  a  covenant 
of  works;  they  were  never  "through  the  law,  dead  to  the 
law;"  and  when  nothing  else  will  do,  they  will  make  their 
own  act  of  believing  the  righteousness  on  which  they  lean  for 
acceptance;  which  is  still  a  seeking  righteousness  in  them- 
selves: whereas,  if  ever  we  be  justified  before  God,  we  must 
have  it  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  saying,  "  In  him"  will  we  "  be  justi- 
fied," and  "  in  him  alone  "  will  we  "glory."  Faith  carries  the 
soul  quite  out  of  itself;  yea,  faith  renounces  its  own  act  in  the 
point  of  justitication.  All  these,  and  many  other  rooms  and 
lying  refuges,  have  the  devil  and  our  own  hearts  devised,  to 
lead  us  off  from  Christ.  But,  O  sirs,  believe  it,  these  are  but 
im?  ijary  sanctuaries,  and  the  hail  will  sweep  them  away. 
Njjpj.ng  but  the  doing  and  dying  of  the  Surety,  apprehended 
by  faith,  will  ever  exalt  you  into  favour  and  fellowship  with 
God,  or  acquit  you  from  the  curse  and  condemnation  of  the 
broken  law.  And  unless  you  betake  yourselves  to  the  horns 
of  this  blessed  altar,  to  this  refuge  of  God's  appointing,  you 
are  undone;  and  you  may  read  your  doom,  Is.  1.  11 :  "  Behold, 
all  ye  that  kindle  a  fire,  that  compass  yourselves  about  with 
sparks;  walk  in  the  light  of  your  Cue,  and  in  the  sparks  that 
ye  have  kindled.  This  shall  ye  have  of  mine  hand  ;  ye  shall 
lie  down  in  sorrow." 

Use  third,  of  trial.  aJs  it  so,  that  in  Christ's  righteousness 
wc  are  exalted?  O  then,  sirs,  try  if  you  be  really  exalted  by 
this  righteousness.  ^ 

There  is  the  more  need  to  try  this  now,  that  you  are  to 
pioach  the  table  of  the  Lord.  This  righteousness  is  the 
»g-^arment,  without  which  you  caiuiot  be  welcome 
1  .  And  if  you  adventure  to  meddle  with  the  symbols 
ol  Christ's  body  and  blood  without  it,  you  may  expect  that 
the  master  of  the  feast  will  say  to  you,  "  Friend,  how  earnest 

VOL.  I.  14 


appioac 


158  THE  BELIEVER  EXALTED  [sER. 

thou  in  hither,  not  having  a  wedding-garment?'  For  your 
trial,  I  offer  these  two  or  three  things: — 

1.  Hast  thou  seen  thyself  condemned  hy  the  law  or  cove- 
nantor works?  Every  man,  by  nature, "  is  condemned  already," 
while  out  of  Christ.  Now,  the  ordinary  way  that  God  takes 
of  bringing  an  elect  soul  into  Christ,  and  under  the  covering 
of  his  righteousness,  is  by  discovering  to  him  the  sentence  of 
condemnation  that  he  is  under  by  virtue  of  the  broken  law  ; 
and  thus  paves  the  way  toward  his  acceptance  of  Christ  as 
"  the  Lord  our  righteousness;"  for  thus  it  is  that  "  the  law  is 
our  schoolmaster,  to  lead  us  unto  Christ,  that  we  may  be  jus- 
tified by  faith."  The  Lord  leads  the  sinner  to  mount  Zion  by 
the  foot  of  Sinai :  the  Spirit's  way  is,  first,  to  "  convince  of 
sin,"  and  then  "  of  righteousness." 

2.  Has  the  Lord  discovered  the  Surety  and  his  righteous- 
ness to  thee  ?  and  has  thy  soul  found  rest  here  1  Perhaps  the 
law,  and  its  curses,  justice  and  wrath,  were  pursuing  thee; 
and  thou  couldst  not  find  a  hole  in  which  to  hide  thy  head, 
"  all  refuge  failed."  At  length  the  Lord  drew  by  the  veil, 
and  discovered  his  righteousness  as  a  sufficient  shelter,  say- 
ing, "  Turn  ye  to  the  strong  hold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope."  And 
thither  thou  fledst,  as  to  a  city  of  refuge,  saying,  "  This  is 
my  rest,  here  will  I  dwell."  Readily,  when  it  comes  to  this, 
there  is  a  little  heaven  of  serenity  and  joy  enters  into  the  soul; 
so  that,  if  it  were  possible,  it  would  make  heaven  and  earth 

^to  ring  with  hallehijahs  of  praise  to  God  for  "his  unspeak- 
able gift."  Dost  thou  not  know,  O  believer,  something  of  this, 
to  thy  sweet  experience  ?  This  says,  that  in  his  righteousness 
thou  art  exalted. 

3.  When  an  arrow  of  conviction  is  at  any  time  shot  by  the 
hand  of  God  into  thy  conscience,  by  which  thy  peace  and 
quiet  is  disturbed,  whither  dost  thou  run  for  ease  and  relief? 
The  man  that  is  "married  to  the  law,"  runs  to  the  law  for 
relief  and  ease :  the  law  is  the  thing  that  heals  him  ;  his 
prayers,  his  tears,  his  reformation,  is  that  which  stops  the 
mouth  of  his  conscience.  But,  as  for  the  believer,  he  can  ne- 
ver find  rest  on  this  side  of  "  the  blood  of  sprinkling,"  he  gets 
his  healing  only  from  under  the  wings  of  the  Sun  of  right- 
eousness. No  other  balm  will  give  him  ease,  but  the  balm 
of  Gilead;  and  no  other  hand  can  apply  it,  but  the  P/tijsician 
there. 

4.  If  you  be  exalted  by  imputed  righteousness,  you  will  be 
the  real  students  of  gospel-holiness.  It  is  a  gross  perversion 
of  the  gospel,  and  a  turning  of  the  grace  of  our  God  into  wan- 
tonness, for  any  to  pretend  that  they  are  justified  by  the  merit 
of  Christ,  while  they  are  not  at  the  same  time  concerned  to 
be  sanctified  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ.     Sanctification,  or  free- 


VI.]  IN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  159 

dom  from  the  power  and  dominioti  of  sin,  is  a  part,  and  no 
small  part,  of  that  salvation  which  Christ  has  purchased  by 
his  obedience  and  death  ;  Tit.  ii.  14  :  "  Who  gave  himself  for 
us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  to 
himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works."  Justilica- 
tion  and  sanclification  go  always  hand  in  hand.  He  who  is 
made  of  God  unto  us  righteousness,  is  also  made  safictificulion ; 
we  are  justified  and  satidijied  i«  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  bij  the  Spirit  of  our  God.  Try  yourselves,  then,  by  this, 
whether  you  be  exalted  by  this  righteousness.  Are  you  de- 
hvered  from  the  reigning  power  of  sin?  at  least,  is  it  so  far 
broken,  that  it  is  become  your  burden,  under  which  you  groan, 
saying,  with  the  apostle,  "  Wretched  man  that  I  am,  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death?" 

Vi^c  fourth  shall  be  of  consolation  and  encouragement  to  be- 
lievers who  are  exalted  in  this  righteousness.  By  virtue  of 
it,  O  believer,  thou  art  entitled  to  every  thing  that  possibly 
thou  canst  stand  in  need  of  Whatever  grace  or  mercy  thou 
wantest,  thou  shalt  have  it,  if  thou  do  but  improve  this  law- 
biding  righteousness.  Dost  thou  want  pardoning  grace  to 
take  away  the  guilt  of  sin?  That  is  one  of  the  gifts  of  God, 
through  the  righteousness  of  Christ  apprehended  by  faith;  for 
"  he  is  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  through  faith  in  his  blood, 
to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the"  remission  of  sins."  Uost 
thou  want  to  have  thy  peace  with  God  confirmed  ?  Improve 
this  righteousness  by  faith ;  for  "  being  justified  by  faith,  we 
have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Dost 
thou  want  "  access  unto  the  holiest  ?"  By  faith  in  the  blood 
of  Jesus  have  we  access  with  boldness.  Dost  thou  want  medi- 
cinal grace  for  healing  of  soul  plagues?  Improve  this  right- 
eousness by  faith  ;  for  bij  his  stripes  we  are  healed.  Out  of  the 
side  of  our  gospel-altar  comes  forth  living  water,  that  healeth 
the  corrupt  and  dead  sea  of  indwelling  corruption,  Ezck.  xlvii. 
9.  This  is  "the  tree  of  life,  whose  leaves  are  for  the  heal- 
ing of  the  nations."  Dost  thou  want  a  shadow  or  covering, 
to  shelter  thy  weary  soul  horn  the  scorching  heat  of  divine 
anger,  or  of  temptation  from  Satan  or  tribulation  from  the 
world  ?  Improve  this  righteousness,  and  sit  down  under  the 
shadow  of  it ;  it  is  "  as  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary 
land."  Dost  thou  want  courage  to  look  the  law  or  justice 
of  God  in  the  face?  Here  is  a  fund  for  it;  for  under  this 
covering  thou  mayst  look  out  with  confidence,  and  say,  JFho 
can  lay  any  thing  to  my  charge?  Dost  thou  want  to  have  the 
new  covenant  confirmed  to  thy  soul  ?  Improve  this  righteous- 
ness by  faith ;  for  Christ,  by  his  obedience  and  death,  con- 
firmcd  the  covenant  with  many.  His  blood  is  tlie  blood  of  the 
JVew  Testament ;  and  when  the  soul  by  faith  takes  hold  of  it, 


160  THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  [SER. 

the  covenant  of  grace  is  that  moment  confirmed  to  it  for  ever- 
In  a  word,  by  virtue  of  this  righteousness  thou  mayst  come 
to  a  communion-table,  and  to  a  throne  of  grace,  and  ask  what 
thou  wilt;  our  heavenly  Father  can  refuse  nothing  to  the 
younger  brethren,  who  come  to  him  in  their  Elder  Brother's 
garment.  By  virtue  of  this  righteousness,  thou  mayst  lay 
claim  to  every  thing,  to  all  the  blessings  of  heaven  and  eter- 
nity. Thou  didst,  indeed,  forfeit  thy  right  in  the  first  Adam ; 
but  the  forfeiture  is  recovered,  and  the  right  restored  to  thee 
upon  a  better  ground,  namely,  upon  the  obedience  and  death 
of  the  second  Adam  ;  and  thou  comest  in  upon  his  right.  May 
not  all  this  then  revive  thy  drooping  spirit,  and  make  thee 
take  up  that  song  in  the  text.  In  thy  name  will  I  rejoice  all 
the  day ;  and  in  thy  righteous?iess  will  I  be  exalted. 


ISERHOIV    VII. 


THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  THE  PECULIAR  FAVOURITE  OF  HEAVE^.* 

When  men  are  cast  down,  then  thou  shall  say,  There  is  lifting  up;  and  he 
shall  save  the  humble  person. — Job  xxii.  29. 

Be  ye  clothed  with  humility^  for  God  resisteth  the  proud,  and  giveth  grace 
to  the  humble.  Humble  yourselves,  therefore,  under  the  mighty  hand 
of  God,  that  he  may  exalt  you  in  due  time. — 1  Pet.  t.  5,  6. 


Though  the  Lord  be  high,  yet  hath  he  respect  unto  the  lowly:  but  the 
proud  he  kuoweth  afar  off. — Psal.  cxxxviii.  6. 

It  is  not  material  to  inquire  when,  or  upon  what  occasion, 
this  psalm  was  penned.  In  the  beginning  of  the  psalm,  the 
psalmist  enters  upon  a  firni  resolution  to  praise  the  Lord ;  and 
he  lays  down  several  excellent  grounds  of  praise  and  thanks- 
giving through  the  body  of  the  psalm.     As, 

1.  He  resolves  to  praise  God  for  the  experience  he  had  of 
his  love  and  faithfulness,  in  the  accomplishment  of  his  gra- 
cious word  of  promise  to  him,  ver.  2 :  "I  will  praise  thy  name 
for  thy  loving  kindness,  and  for  thy  truth :  for  thou  hast  mag- 

•  Preached  on  a  fast-day  before  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  supper, 
atOrwell,  July  27,  1721. 


VII.]  THE  PECULIAR  FAVOURITE  OF  HEAVEN.  161 

nified  thy  word  above  all  thy  name."  God  has  a  greater  re- 
gard to  the  words  of  his  mouth,  than  to  the  works  of  his 
band  :  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  one  jot  or  tit- 
tle of  what  he  hath  spoken  shall  never  fall  to  the  ground. — 
Some  understand  this  of  Cin-ist,  the  essential  Word,  in  whom 
he  has  set  his  name,  and  whom  he  has  so  highly  exalted,  that 
he  has  given  him  a  ?ianie  above  czery  name. 

2.  David  resolves  to  praise  God  for  the  exj)erience  he  had 
of  God's  goodness  in  hearing  his  prayers,  ver.  3 :  "In  the  day 
when  I  cried,  thou  answeredst  me :  and  strengthenedst  me 
with  strength  in  my  soul."  God  granted  him  a  speedy  an- 
swer; for  it  was  in  the  very  day  that  he  cried  that  he  was 
heard:  and  it  was  a  spiritual  answer;  he  was  slrenglhened 
with  strength  in  his  soul.  Would  you  have  soul-strength  for 
the  work  you  have  in  view  ?  then  cry  unto  him  who  is  the 
strength  if  Lracl  for  it;  for  "he  giveth  power  to  the  faint, 
and  he  increaseth  strength  to  them  that  have  no  might." 

3.  He  resolves  to  praise  God  for  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles, 
■which  he  foresaw  by  the  spirit  of  proj)liecy,  ver.  4,  5.  The 
prosperity  and  enlargement  of  the  kingdom  of  Chi'ist,  is  what 
fills  the  believer's  mouth  with  hallelujahs  of  praise. 

4.  lie  resolves  to  bless  God  for  his  diflerent  ways  of  deal- 
ing with  the  humble  and  the  proud,  for  his  grace  to  the  one, 
and  his  contempt  and  rejeclion  of  the  other,  in  the  words 
which  I  have  wnd :  Though  the  Lord  be  Jiigli,  yet  Jtulh  he  re- 
spect unto  the  loidy:  bid  the  proud  he  kyiozcel/t  afar  of. 

It  is  the  tirst  part  of  the  verse  1  design  to  insist  upon. — 
Where  we  may  notice, 

1.  The  character  of  Ihe  gracious  soul;  he  is  a  louly  per- 
son, one  that  is  emptied,  and  abased  in  his  own  eyes.  He 
sees  nothing  in  himself,  either  to  recommend  him  to  God  or 
man:  on  which  account  he  is  sometimc^s  called  poor  in  spirit, 
JMatth.  V.  3.  He  has  got  somethinLT  of  the  mind  and  spirit  of 
Jesus  in  him,  and  so  has  learned  of  him  who  is  meek  and  low' 
ly,  Matth.  xi.  29. 

2.  We  have  here  God's  transcendent  gvoalness;  he  is  the 
high  Lord,  or  Jehovah.  He  is  "  the  high  and  lofty  One  that 
inhabiteth  eternity,  and  who  dwells  in  the  high  and  holy 
place,  to  which  no  man  can  approach."  Who  can  think  or 
speak  of  his  highness  in  a  suitable  manner?  It  dazzles  the 
eyes  of  sinful  mortal  worms,  to  behold  "the  place  where  his 
honour  dwells."  O  how  inliiiite  is  the  distance  between  him 
and  us  !  "There  are  none  among  the  sons  of  the  mighty 
that  can  be  compared  unto  him."  Yea,  "  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth  arc  befoie  him  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket,  and  as  the 
small  dust  of  the  balance."  He  is  not  only  ///<t/i  above  men, 
but  above  angels :  cherubims  and  seraphims  are  his  mi?ns- 


162  THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  [SER. 

tering  spirits.  He  is  "  high  above  the  heavens ;"  for  "  the 
heaven,"  yea,  "  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  him." 
And  " he  hunableth  himself"  when  "he  beholds  the  things 
that  are  in  heaven."  O,  sirs,  study  to  entertain  high  and  ad- 
miring thoughts  and  apprehensions  of  the  glorious  majesty  of 
God :  for  "  honour  and  majesty  are  before  him ;  strength  and 
beauty  are  in  his  sanctuary." 

3.  You  have  the  amazing  grace  oiihh High  God:  though 
the  distance  between  him  and  us  be  infinite,  yet  he  hath  a 
regard  to  the  lowly.  The  apostle  Peter  expresses  this  by 
*'  giving  grace  to  the  humble,"  1  Pet.  v.  5 :  God  is  "  good  to 
all ;"  he  distributes  the  effects  of  his  common  bounty  to  the 
good  and  bad,  to  the  just  and  unjust :  but  he  reserves  his  spe- 
cial grace  and  favour  for  the  meek  and  lovvlv  soul.  What 
farther  is  needful  for  explication,  will  occur  in  the  sequel  of 
the  discourse. 

Observe  that  the  lowly  and  humble  soul  is  the  peculiar  fa- 
vourite of  the  high  God.  Though  the  Lord  be  high,  yet  hath 
he  respect  unto  the  loxdy. 

This  truth  is  so  evidently  founded  on  the  text,  that  I  shall 
not  consume  time  in  adducing  other  texts  of  scripture  to  con- 
firm it.  Many  that  I  might  name  will  fall  in,  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  the  doctrine ;  which  I  shall  attempt,  through  grace, 
in  the  following  method. 

I.  I  shall  give  sonje  account  of  this  lowliness  and  humility, 
and  show  in  what  it  consists. 

II.  Prove,  that  the  humble  and  lowly  soul  is  the  peculiar 
favourite  of  heaven. 

III.  Why  God  has  such  respect  to  the  lowly. 

IV.  Lay  before  you  some  marks  or  characters  of  the  lowly 
and  humble  soul. 

V.  Offer  some  motives  pressing  you  to  seek  after  it. 

VI.  Offer  a  few  directions  or  advices  how  it  may  be  at- 
tained. 

I.  The  j^/-5/  thing  proposed  is,  io  give  some  account  of  this 
loidiness  and  humility,  that  you  may  know  in  vJiat  it  consists. — 
Now,  lowliness  being  a  relative  grace,  we  must  consider  it  in 
a  threefold  view.  Either,  1.  As  it  has  a  respect  to  ourselves. 
Or,  2.  As  it  has  a  respect  to  others.  Or,  3.  As  it  has  a  re- 
spect to  God. 

First,  I  say,  it  may  be  considered  with  respect  to  ourselves. 
And  so  it  implies, 

1.  Low  and  under-rating  thoughts  of  ourselves.  The  hum- 
ble soul  has  low  thoughts  of  his  own  person ;  as  David,  "  I 


VII.]  THE  PECULIAR  FAVOURITE  OF  HEAVEN.  163 

am  a  worm,  and  no  man."  "  I  am  less  than  the  least  of  thy 
mercies,"  says  Jacob.  He  has  low  thoughts  of  his  pedigree : 
he  is  not  like  the  princes  of  Zoan,  who  vahied  themselves  on 
this,  that  they  were  the  oifspring  of  ancient  kings.  Some 
think  there  is  none  like  them,  because  they  are  of  such  a  clan, 
and  such  a  family,  they  have  such  lords  and  lairds  for  their 
relations.  But  the  humble  soul  makes  little  account  of  all 
these :  "  Who  am  I,"  says  David,  "  and  what  is  mine  house, 
that  thou  hast  brought  me  hitherto  V  He  considered  himself 
as  "the  degenerate  plant  of  a  strange  vine ;"  as  a  rotten 
branch  of  the  corrupted  and  fallen  family  of  Adam  :  he  views 
"  the  rock  whence  he  was  hewn,  and  the  hole  of  the  pit  whence 
he  was  digged,"  saying  as  in  Psal.li.  5:  "Behold,  I  was 
shapcn  in  iniquity;  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me." 
Again;  the  man  has  low  thoughts  of  his  own  abilities  for  any 
work  or  service  he  is  called  to  perform  in  his  generation.  O, 
says  the  lowly  soul,  I  see  I  am  nothing,  I  can  do  nothing;  I 
cannot  of  myself  think  a  good  thought.  "1  am  not  sufticient 
of  myself  to  think  any  thing  as  of  myself,"  says  Paul.  I  can- 
not road,  hear,  pray,  communicate,  meditate,  or  examine  my- 
self: I  see  such  sin  and  imperfection  attending  every  duty  I 
set  about,  as  may  justly  provoke  a  holy  God  to  cast  it  back 
like  dung  upon  my  face:  I  am  sure  "  my  goodness  extendeth 
not  to  him."  I  see  I  cannot  subdue  one  corruption,  or  resist 
the  least  temptation,  when  left  to  myself;  I  fall  before  it,  and 
must  needs  be  carried  down  the  stream  like  a  dead  fish,  un- 
less the  Lord's  grace  be  suftkicnt  (or  me.  Again  ;  the  man 
has  low  thoughts  of  his  attainment;:,  whether  moral  or  evan- 
gelical. O,  says  Agur,  "  I  am  more  brutish  than  any  man,  and 
have  not  the  understanding  of  a  man.  I  neither  learned  wis- 
dom, nor  have  the  knowledge  of  the  holy."  And  Paul,  the 
great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  did  not  reckon  that  he  had  at- 
tained, or  that  he  was  already  perfect;  but  he  forgets  those 
things  which  were  behind,  reaching  forth  unto  things  that 
were  before,  Phil.  iii.  12,  13. 

2.  This  lowliness  and  humility  with  respect  to  ourselves, 
has  in  it  a  self-abhorrence;  which  is  yet  a  degree  beyond  the 
former.  The  man  sees  so  much  sin  and  guilt,  so  much  emp- 
tiness, poverty,  and  viloness  about  himself,  that,  with  holy  Job, 
he  cries  out,  "Behold,  I  am  vile;  what  shall  I  answer  thee? 
I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes."  Agreeably 
to  which  is  that  text,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  81 :  "  Ye  shall  remember 
your  own  evil  ways,  and  your  doings  that  were  not  good,  and 
shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight,  for  your  inicpaities, 
and  for  your  abominations." 

3.  It  has  in  it  a  singleness  of  heart  in  the  discharge  of  duty, 
without  vain-glory,  or  Pharisaical  ostentation.     It  argues  a 


164  THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  [SER. 

proud  hypocritical  spirit,  to  pray,  or  give  alms,  or  do  any 
duty,  to  be  seen  of  men,  that  we  may  procure  a  name  to  our- 
selves, or  the  approbation  of  others.  I  am  afraid,  there  are 
many  that  attend  sermons,  and  sacraments,  with  a  design  to 
maintain  their  credit  and  reputation  among  their  neighbours. 
Verily,  such  "  have  their  reward  ;"  but  a  sorry  one  it  is,  when 
they  have  got  it :  the  day  comes,  when  this  fig-leaf  covering 
shall  be  torn,  and  your  nakedness,  emptiness,  and  hypocrisy, 
exposed  before  men  and  angels.  The  humble  and  lowly 
Christian  will  make  conscience  of  duty,  although  none  in  the 
world  should  see  him  ;  yea,  the  more  retired  he  is,  he  loves  it 
the  better :  he  cares  not  though,  in  things  of  this  nature,  his 
left  hand  know  not  what  his  right  hand  doth. 

Secondly,  This  lowliness  and  humility,  considered  with  re- 
spect to  others,  has  these  things  in  it: — 

1.  A  preferring  of  others  above  or  before  ourselves.  Agree- 
ably to  this  is  the  apostolical  command,  Phil.  ii.  3:  "Let  nothing 
be  done  through  strife,  or  vain-glory,  but  in  lowliness  of  mind 
let  each  esteem  other  better  than  themselves."  Not  that  a 
child  of  God  should  think  a  profane  reprobate  in  a  better  state 
than  himself;  but  every  true  child  of  God  will  see  so  much  in 
himself,  as  will  n}a1<e  him  ready  to  thiidc  the  worst  reprobate 
as  good,  or  rather  better  than  he  is  by  nature;  and  he  will 
see,  that  the  least  of  saints  have  something  in  which  they  excel 
him.  This  was  the  disposition  of  the  greatapostle,  he  looked 
on  himself  as  the  chief  of  sinners,  and  the  least  of  the  saints. 

2.  A  looking  upon  the  gifts  and  graces  of  others  without  a 
grudge.  He  will  not  say,  This  or  that  man  darkens  me:  no; 
he  rejoices  to  see  tlie  gifts  and  graces  of  God's^Spirit  abound- 
ing towards  others:  "Would  God,"  says  Moses,  "that  all  the 
Lord's  people  were  prophets."  And  then  he  will  shun  all  vain 
comparison  of  himself  with  others:  he  will  not  say,  "  Stand 
by,  for  I  am  holier  than  thou ; "  or,  with  the  proud  Pharisee, 
"  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  or  even 
as  this  publican."  No,  he  rather  sinks  in  his  own  esteem, 
when  he  looks  on  others,  as  Agur  did,  Prov.  xxx.  2. 

3.  It  has  in  it  an  alfjible,  courteous  carriage  toward  all, 
1  Pet.  iii.  8.  Religion  does  not  countenance  a  sullen,  morose, 
and  haughty  carriage;  no,  on  the  contrary,  we  are  expressly 
commanded  to  be  "gentle,  showing  all  meekness  unto  all  men." 

ThirdUj,  This  lowliness  and  humility  of  soul  may  be  con- 
sidered with  reference  to  God.  And  so  it  implies  these  things 
following: — 

1.  High  and  admiring  thoughts  of  the  majesty  of  God.  When 
God  discovers  himself,  the  man  sinks  into  nothing  in  his  own 
esteem.  O,  will  the  humble  soul  say,  with  Moses,  (Exodus  xv. 
11,)  "  Who  is  like  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  amongst  the  gods?  who 


VII.]  THE  PECULIAR  FAVOURITE  OP  HEAVEN.  165 

is  like  thee,  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises,  doing  won- 
ders?" 

2.  A  holy  fear  and  dread  of  God  always  on  his  spirit; 
especially  in  his  immediate  approaches  unto  the  presence  of 
God,  in  the  duties  of  his  worship.  Says  he,  The  very  angels 
cover  their  faces  with  their  wings  before  him,  crying,  "  Holy, 
holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  God  of  hosts ; "  how  then  shall  I,  "  a 
man  of  polluted  lips,"  take  his  holy  name  into  my  mouth? 
This  makes  him,  with  the  publican,  to  smite  upon  his  breast; 
to  stand  iifar  off,  crying,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner." 
That  is  the  language  of  the  humble  soul,  which  you  have, 
Psal.  XV.  1 :  "  Lord,  who  shall  abide  in  thy  tabernacle  ?  who 
shall  dwell  in  thy  holy  hill?  and,  Psal.  xxiv.  3:  Who  shall 
ascend  into  the  hill  of  the  Lord  ?  and  who  shall  stand  in  his 
holy  place? " 

3.  It  has  in  it  an  admiring  of  ev6ry  expression  of  the  divine 
bounty  and  goodness  toward  men  in  general,  and  toward  him- 
self in  particular.  O,  says  he,  "What  is  man,  that  thou  art 
mindful  of  him  ?  and  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  visitest  him? 
and,  Who  am  I,  that  thou  hast  brought  me  hitherto?  Is  this 
the  manner  of  men,  O  Lord  God  ?  And  what  can  I  say  more  ?" 
as  David.  And  what  more  can  be  said  !  for  "  praise  is  silent 
for  thet',  O  God,  in  Zion."  A  silent  admiration  of  the  grace 
and  condescension  of  the  great  Jehovah,  is  the  highest  degree 
of  praise  we  can  win  at  in  this  life,  while  our  harps  are  so 
mistuned  by  sin. 

4.  It  has  in  it  a  giving  God  the  glory  of  all  that  we  are 
helped  to  do  in  his  service.  When  the  man  succeeds  in  dis- 
charging duty  in  any  measure  comfortably,  he  will  not  sacri- 
fice to  his  own  net,  nor  burn  incense  to  his  own  drag:  he  will 
not,  like  proud  Jehu,  say,  "Come,  and  see  my  zeal  for  the 
Lord."  No,  that  is  not  the  way  of  the  humble  soul ;  he  knows 
that  he  has  all  from  the  Lord,  and  therefore  he  will  give  all 
the  glory  to  him,  saying,  "Not  unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto 
us,  but  to  thy  name  be  the  glory.  I  laboured,"  says  Paul, 
"more  abundantly  than  all"  the  rest  of  the  apostles;  "yet 
not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God,  which  was  with  me. — By  the 
grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am." 

5.  It  has  in  it  a  silent  resignation  to  the  will  of  God,  and 
an  acquiescence  in  the  disposals  of  his  providence,  let  dis- 
pensations be  ever  so  cross  to  the  inclinations  of  flesh  and 
blood.  "  Here  am  I,"  will  the  poor  soul  say,  with  David  ;  "  let 
liim  do  to  me  as  seemeth  good  unto  him."  The  man  sees  awful 
sovereignty  in  the  dispensation,  which  makes  him  to  say,  "Shall 
the  thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it.  Why  hast  thou 
made  me  thus?"  He  sees,  that  his  furnace  is  not  by  the  ten 
thousandth  part  so  hot  as  his  sins  deserve;  and  therefore  silences 


166  THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  [SER. 

his  soul,  with  the  church,  saying,  "  Wherefore  doth  a  living 
man  complain,  a  man  for  the  punishment  of  his  sins?  Thou 
hast  punished  us  less  than  our  iniquities  deserve."  He  sees, 
that  the  cup  put  into  his  hand,  is  far  from  the  bitterness  of  that 
cup  that  was  put  into  the  hand  of  Christ;  and  this  makes  him 
to  say,  "  If  these  things  were  done  in  the  green  tree,  what 
shall  be  done  to"  such  a  zcithered  atlck  as  I  am?  and  there- 
_fore  I  will  even  be  dumb  niih  silence  before  him,  not  opening 
the  mouth,  because  it  is  the  Lord  that  dolh  it. 

6.  Although  all  these  things  I  have  named  be  the  ingredi- 
ents and  concomitants  of  true  humility;  yet  I  think  the  very 
soul  and  essence  of  gospel-humiliation  lies  in  the  soul's  renuncia- 
tion of  itself,  and  going  out  of  itself,  and  going  in  to,  and 
accepting  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  its  everlasting  all;  as 
the  all  of  its  light,  life,  strength,  righteousness,  and  salvation. 
And  I  think,  that  a  man  never  passes  the  verge  of  moral 
humility,  till  self-righteousness  be  dethroned,  till  the  high  and 
towering  imaginations  of  the  man's  own  righteousness  by  the 
law  be  levelled  by  the  mighty  weapons  of  the  gospel,  and  he 
brought  to  submit  to  the  righteousness  of  God  for  justification, 
which  is,  in  the  gospel  revealed  "  from  faith  to  faith." 

In  a  word,  the  humble  and  lowly  believer  is  content  to  be 
nothing,  that  Christ  may  be  all  in  all  to  him :  content  to  be  a 
fool,  that  Christ  may  be  his  only  wisdom  ;  content  to  be,  as  he 
really  is  in  himself,  a  guilty  condemned  criminal,  that  Christ 
may  be  his  only  righteousness ;  content  to  be  stript  of  his  filthy 
rags,  that  he  may  be  clothed  with  a  borrowed  robe.  O  says 
the  humble  soul,  "  Surely  in  the  Lord  alone  have  I  righteous- 
ness and  strength  :  in  him  will  I  be  justified,  and  in  him  alone 
will  I  glory,"  Is.  xlv.  24,  25  :  "  Yea,  doubtless,"  says  humble 
Paul,  "  I  count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord :  and  do  count  them  but 
dung  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him  ;  not  having 
mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which 
is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God 
by  faith,"  Phil.  iii.  8,  9.  And  so  much  for  the  Jirsl  general 
head,  namely,  the  nature  of  this  lowliness. 

II.  The  second  thing  proposed  was  to  shoto  that  the  lowly 
and  humble  soul  is  the  peculiar  favourite  of  Heaven.  This  will 
be  abundantly  evident,  if  we  consider, 

L  That  when  the  Son  of  God  was  here  in  our  nature,  he 
showed  a  particular  regard  to  such.  You  have  a  clear  instance 
of  this  in  the  centurion,  Matth.  viii.  8.  The  centurion  there 
addresses  Christ  in  behalf  of  his  servant,  who  was  grievously 
tormented  of  the  palsy:  Christ,  in  the  7th  verse,  promises  to 
come  to  his  house  and  heal  him.  Well,  see  the  lowliness  of  the 
man's  spirit,  ver.  8 :  "  Lord,"  says  he,  "  I  am  not  worthy  that 


VII.]  THE  PECULIAR  FAVOURITE  OF  HEAVEV.  167 

thou  shoukJst  come  under  my  roof."  And  what  a  large  com- 
mendation Christ  gives  to  the  man,  you  see  in  vor.  10:  "  I  have 
not  found  so  great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel."  And  (ver.  13,)  he 
grants  him  all  that  he  asked,  "  Go  thy  way  ;  and  as  thou  hast 
believed,  so  be  it  done  unto  thee."  The  same  we  see  in  the 
Syrophenician  woman,  Matth.  xv.  27.  The  lowliness  and 
humility  of  her  spirit  made  her  to  submit  to  all  the  repulses 
she  met  with.  When  Christ  calls  her  a  dog,  she  takes  with  it, 
saying,  "  Truth,  Lord,"  I  am  a  dog,  and  shall  be  content  if  I 
may  but  have  a  crumb,  the  dog's  portion.  And  what  follows 
on  this?  "O  woman,  great  is  thy  faith:  be  it  unto  thee  even 
as  thou  wilt."  Thus,  1  say,  Christ  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  dis- 
covered the  greatest  regard  to  the  humble ;  and  he  is  the  same 
now  in  a  state  of  exaltation  that  he  was  in  a  state  of  humilia- 
tion. 

When  God  gives  the  grace  of  humiliation,  it  is  a  sign  that 
he  intends  more  grace  for  that  soul:  1  Pet.  v.  5.  He  siiveth 
grace  to  ihe  humble.  You  know  men  use  to  lay  up  their  richest 
wines  in  their  lowest  cellars;  so  God  lays  up  the  richest  trea- 
sures of  his  grace  in  the  heart  of  the  humble  and  lowl^.  And 
hence  it  comes,  that  the  humble  Christian  is  ordinarily  the 
most  thriving  and  growing  Christian.  The  humble  valleys 
laugh  with  fatness,  when  the  high  mountains  are  barren  ;  so 
the  humble  Christian  is  made  fat  with  the  influences  of  Hea- 
ven, when  lofty  towering  professors  are,  like  the  mountains  of 
Gilboa,  withered  and  dry,  because  the  dew  and  rain  of  the 
graces  and  influences  of  the  Spirit  are  suspended  from  them. 

3.  Honour,  exaltation,  and  preferment  is  intended  for  the 
humble  soul :  "  Before  honour  is  humility,"  says  Solomon.  Psal. 
cxiii.  7,  8 :  "  He  raiseth  up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust,  and  lifteth 
the  needy  out  of  the  dunghill;  that  he  may  set  him  with  princes, 
even  with  the  princes  of  his  people."  They  shall  be  as  it  were 
his  ministers  of  state,  that  shall  attend  his  throne,  and  have 
place  among  them  that  stand  by. 

4.  (lod's  eyes  are  upon  the  humble.  Indeed,  the  eye  of  his 
omniscience  beholds  all  the  children  of  men;  but  his  counte- 
nance beholds  the  humble  and  upright  soul:  Is.  Ixvi.  1,2: 
"  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  the  lieaven  is  rny  throne,  and  the  earth 
is  my  footstool :  where  is  the  house  that  ye  build  unto  me  ?  and 
where  is  the  place  of  my  rest  ?  for  all  those  things  hath  mine 
hand  made,  and  all  those  things  have  been,  saith  the  Lord: 
but  to  this  man  will  I  look,  even  to  him  that  is  poor,  and  of 
a  contrite  spirit,  and  trembli'th  at  my  word."  The  humble 
soul  is  the  object  of  his  peculiar  love  and  care  :  "  The  eyes  of 
the  liord  run  to  and  fro  throughout  the  whole  earth,  to  show 
himself  strong  in  their  behalf." 


168  THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  [sER. 

5.  Not  only  God's  eye,  but  his  ear  is  toward  the  lowly  soul: 
Psal.  X.  17.  "Lord,  thou  hast  heard  the  desire  of  the  humble : 
thou  wilt  prepare  their  heart,  thou  wilt  cause  thine  ear  to 
hear."  Would  you  have  preparation  for  a  communion-table  T 
Would  you  be  brought  to  God's  seat,  and  have  a  hearing 
there  ?     Then  come  with  lowliness  and  humility  of  soul. 

6.  The  great  Jehovah,  the  infinite  God,  dwells  in  and  with 
the  humble:  Is.  Ivii.  15:  "Thus  saith  the  high  and  lofty  One 
that  inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  Holy,  1  dwell  in  the 
high  and  holy  place;  with  him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and 
humble  spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive 
the  heart  of  the  contrite  ones."  God  has  a  two-fold  palace 
where  he  dwells ;  the  one  is  in  heaven,  the  other  is  in  the 
heart  of  the  humble  Christian.  He  says  of  the  humble  soul, 
as  he  said  of  Zion,  " This  is  my  rest  for  ever :  heie  will  I 
dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it."  And  for  what  end  will  he  dwell 
in  the  heart  of  the  humble  1  It  is  to  revive  and  comfort  them. 
The  new  wine  of  the  consolations  of  God,  which  are  not  small, 
shall  be  poured  into  the  heart  of  the  lowly  soul.  He  will 
"comfort  them  that  mourn  in  Zion,  he  vnll  give  them  the  oil 
of  joy  for  mourning,  and  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit 
of  heaviness." 

7.  As  God  dwells  with  the  humble,  so  the  humble  shall 
dwell  with  God  in  glory  for  ever :  Matth.  v.  3 :  "  Blessed 
are  the  poor  in  spirit,"  (which  is  the  same  with  the  lowly 
spirit,)  "for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  They  shall  sit 
not  only  at  his  by-table  here  below,  but  be  admitted  to  sit  down 
at  the  high  table  of  glory,  and  to  eat  and  drink  with  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob,  yea,  with  the  King  of  glory  himself. 
It  is  the  humble  that  surround  the  throne  above,  as  you  see, 
Rev.  iv  ;  they  take  their  crowns  off  their  heads,  and  cast  them 
down  before  the  Lamb,  saying,  "  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord, 
to  receive  glory,  and  honour,  and  power."  Thus,  you  see  that 
the  humble  soul  is  the  peculiar  favourite  of  the  high  God. 

III.  The  third  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  inquire  zchy  God 
has  such  a  respect  to  the  lowly. 

Ans.  1.  God  has  such  a  respect  to  the  lowly,  not  as  if 
this  frame  of  soul  were  meritorious  of  any  good  at  his  hand, 
but  because  this  is  a  disposition  that  best  serves  God's  great 
design  of  lifting  up  and  glorifying  his  free  grace.  What  think 
you,  sirs,  was  God's  design  in  election,  in  redemption,  in  the 
whole  of  a  gospel-dispensation,  and  in  all  the  ordinances  of  it? 
His  grand  design  in  all  was  to  rear  up  a  glorious  high  throne, 
from  which  he  might  display  the  riches  of  his  free  and  sove- 
reign grace :  this  is  that  which  he  will  have  magnified 
through  eternity  above  all  his  other  name.  Now,  this  lowli- 
ness and  humility  of  spirit  best  suits  God's  design  of  exalting 


VII.]  THE  PECULIAR  FAVOURITE  OF  HEAVEN.  169 

»the  freedom  of  his  grace.  It  is  not  the  legalist,  or  proud 
Pharisee,  but  the  poor  humble  publican  who  is  smiting  on  his 
breast,  and  crying,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  that 
submits  to  the  revelation  of  grace.  And  truly  I  never  think 
a  man  truly  humbled  till  he  be  brought  so  far  off  his  law-bot- 
tom, on  which  he  stands  by  nature,  as  to  lie  down  like  a  worm 
at  the  feet  of  sovereign  grace,  heartily  content  to  be  indebted  to 
free  grace  for  life,  righteousness,  pardon,  and  salvation. 

2.  God  has  such  respect  to  the  humble  soul  because  it  is 
a  fruit  of  his  own  Spirit  inhabiting  the  soul,  and  an  evidence 
of  the  soul's  union  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  alone 
we  are  accepted. 

3.  This  is  a  disposition  that  makes  the  soul  like  Christ;  and 
the  more  a  person  resembles  Christ,  the  more  God  loves  him. 
We  are  told,  that  Christ  was  meek  ayid  loidy ;  he  did  7iot  cry, 
nor  lift  lip,  nor  cause  his  voice  to  be  heard  in  the  streets :  though 
he  was  the  brightness  of  his  Father'' s  glory,  yet  he  was  content 
to  appear  in  the  form  of  a  servant ;  though  he  zoas  rich,  yet  he 
was  content  to  become  poor,  that  zve  through  his  poverty  ftiighl 
be  rich.  Now,  the  humble  soul,  being  the  image  of  Christ, 
who  is  the  express  image  of  his  Father,  God  cannot  but  have 
a  regard  to  him. 

IV.  The  fourth  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  lay  before  you 
some  marks  by  which  you  might  try,  whether  you  be  among  the 
humble  and  loivly,  to  nhotn  God  has  such  a  regard.  You  have 
especial  need  to  try  this  now,  when  you  arc  to  make  a  so- 
lemn approach  to  God  at  his  table.  "Let  a  man  examine 
himself,  and  so  let  him  eat."  If  you  want  this  lowly  frame 
of  spirit,  you  cannot  be  welcome  guests  at  the  supper  of  the 
great  King. 

Now,  for  your  trial,  I  shall  suggest  these  things  following. 

1.  The  lowly  soul  is  one  that  is  many  times  ashamed  to 
look  up  to  heaven  under  a  sense  of  his  own  vileness  and  un- 
worlhincss;  as  we  see  in  the  poor  publican,  and  in  David, 
Psal.  xl.  12 :  '*  Innumerable  evils  have  compassed  me  about, 
mine  iniquities  have  taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I  am  not  able 
to  look  uj) :  they  are  more  than  (lie  hairs  of  mine  head,  there- 
fore my  heart  iailcth  me."  Indeed,  when  by  faith  he  looks 
to  his  cautioner,  and  his  everlasting  righteousness,  his  media- 
lion  and  intercession,  he  has  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holy  of 
holies,  and  can  come  with  boldness  to  tlic  throne  of  grace :  I 
say,  when  he  looks  to  Christ,  he  in  fiot  ashamed,  Psal.  xxxiv.  ."j. 
But  when  he  looks  to  himself,  as  he  is  in  himself,  he  is  even 
"  ashamed  and  confounded  "  before  the  Lord,  and  ready  to  cry 
out  with  the  prophet,  Is.  vi.  .5 :  "  Wo  is  me,  for  I  am  undone, 
because  I  am  a  njan  of  unclean  lips:"  how  shall  I  speak  unto 
the  King,  the  Lord  of  hosts '(  or  how  shall  I  appear  before  him  ? 

VOL.  I.  15 


170  THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  [SER. 

2.  He  is  one  that  is  many  times  put  to  wonder  that  God- 
has  not  destroyed  him.  He  wonders  that  God  has  kept  him 
out  of  hell  so  long,  or  that  he  has  not  let  loose  his  hand,  and 
made  an  utter  end  of  him :  and  therefore  he  is  much  in  adoring 
mercy,  and  long-suffering  patience,  with  the  church.  Lam.  iii. 
22:  "It  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies  that  we  are  not  consumed, 
because  his  compassions  fail  not." 

3.  He  is  one  that  is  most  abased  under  the  receipt  of  the 
greatest  mercies  and  sweetest  manifestations.  We  see  this  in 
the  instance  of  David ;  when  God  promised  to  build  him  a 
sure  house,  and  gave  him  a  promise  of  the  Messiah  to  spring 
of  his  loins,  the  man  is  not  lifted  up,  but,  on  the  contrary,  is  filled 
with  wonder  that  God  should  stoop  so  far  toward  the  like  of 
him  :  "  Who  am  I,"  says  he,  "  that  thou  hast  brought  me 
hitherto?"  The  nearer  that  the  humble  soul  is  admitted  to 
God,  the  higher  that  he  is  lifted  up  the  mount  of  enjoy- 
ments, he  falls  lower  and  lower  in  his  own  esteem.  When 
Abraham  was  admitted  to  plead  with  God  on  the  behalf  of 
Sodom,  Gen.  xviii.  how  does  he  sink  into  nothing  in  his  own 
eyes'?  "Behold,  now,  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  unto 
the  Lord,  who  am  but  dust  and  ashes." 

4.  He  is  one  that  renounces  the  law  as  a  covenant,  and  dis- 
claims all  pretensions  to  righteousness  from  that  quarter:  "I 
through  the  law,  am  dead  to  the  law,  that  1  might  live  unto 
God."  O,  says  the  man,  when  he  looks  upon  the  law  of  God 
in  its  spirituality  and  extent,  what  can  1  expect  from  that 
quarter  but  wrath  and  ruih!  yea,  I  am  condemned  already 
by  the  law  ;  and  if  God  mark  iniquity,  according  to  the  tenor 
of  it,  1  am  undone  for  ever:  Psal.  cxxx.  S:  "  If  thou,  Lord, 
shouldst  mark  iniquities;  O  Lord,  who  shall  stand?"  So, 
then,  try  yourselves  by  this :  Has  a  discovery  of  the  law  of 
God,  in  its  spirituality,  made  you  to  own  and  acknowledge 
that  all  your  own  righteousness  is  but  asjillhy  rags,  dung  and 
loss? 

5.  He  is  one  that  has  high,  raised,  and  admiring  thoughts 
of  Christ,  and  of  his  law-biding  righteousness.  As  for  the 
person  of  Christ,  O  how  the  humble  soul  admires  that:  the 
lower  he  falls  in  his  own  esteem,  the  higher  does  Christ  rise 
in  his  esteem.  In  Psal.  Ixxiii.  David  is  laid  so  low  in  his  own 
eyes,  that  he  cries,  (ver.  22,)  "  So  foolish  was  I,  and  ignorant: 
I  was  as  a  beast  before  thee."  Well,  while  it  is  thus  with 
him,  what  are  his  thoughts  of  Christ?  See  it,  ver.  25,  26: 
"  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?  and  there  is  none  upon 
earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee.  My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth : 
but  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for  ever." 
And  as  for  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  O  how  does  his  soul 
admire  that,  and  clasp  about  it !  O,  says  he,  I  have  no  works, 


VII.]  THE  PECULIAR  FAVOURITE  OP    HEAVEN.  171 

no  righteousness  of  mine  own,  to  commend  me  to  God,  or 
with  whom  to  stand  before  him :  but  he  is  "  the  Lord  my 
righteousness;  and  I  will  go  on  in  his  strength,  making  men- 
tion of  his  righteousness,  even  of  his  only." 

I  might  give  you  several  other  marks  of  this  lowliness  of 
soul.     I  shall  only  name  these  two  or  three  farther.     As, 

1.  He  is  one  that  looks  on  sin  as  his  greatest  burden,  say- 
ing, with  David,  "Mine  iniquities  are  gone  over  mine  head; 
as  a  heavy  burden  they  arc  too  heavy  for  me."  And  par- 
ticularly indwelling  corruption,  the  fountain  of  sin ;  O  how 
does  he  mourn  and  groan  under  that,  saying,  with  Paul,  Rom. 
vii.  24:  "Wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me 
from  the  body  of  this  death  !" 

2.  He  is  one  that  values  himself  least,  when  others  value 
him  most.  O,  says  he,  others  see  only  my  outside ;  but  if 
they  saw  the  swarms  of  abominations,  that  I  see  and  feel  in 
my  own  heart,  I  w'ould  be  a  terror  to  them.  When  the  multi- 
tude is  cryint^,  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David,  he  is  riding, 
meek  and  lowly,  upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a  colt,  the  foal  of  an 
ass." 

3.  He  is  one  that  is  not  puflTed  up  with  the  falls  of  others, 
like  some,  1  Cor.  v.  2 ;  but  rather  the  falls  of  others  contri- 
bute to  humble  and  empty  him  the  more  of  himself.  He  sees, 
from  the  out-breakings  of  [sin  in]  others,  what  is  in  his  own 
heart,  how  much  he  is  obliged  to  God  for  restraining  grace:  for 
if  the  bridle  were  but  laid  on  my  neck,  will  the  humble  soul 
say,  I  would  be  soon  carried  into  the  same  excess  of  riot  with 
others. 

4.  The  humble  soul  is  one  that  is  thankful  for  little ;  he 
W'ill  not  despise  the  day  of  small  things :  like  the  woman  of 
Canaan,  he  is  content  with  the  crumbs  that  fall  from  the  chil- 
dren's table.  The  humble  soul  is  content  with  a  bare  w^ord 
from  the  Lord.  O,  says  David,  "  God  hath  spoken  in  his 
holiness,  I  will  rejoice."  He  thinks  much  of  a  single  word 
from  the  Lord's  mouth,  and  waits  for  it,  as  the  servants  of 
Benhadad,  that  catched  at  every  word  that  dropped  from  the 
mouth  of  the  King  of  Israel. 

5.  The  humble  soul  is  content  and  desirous  to  kaow  w'hat 
is  God's  will,  that  he  may  do  it.  Paul  is  no  sooner  humbled, 
but  he  cries,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?"  Give 
grace  to  obey,  and  command  what  thou  wilt. 

V.  The  fifth  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  ojfer  some  motives 
to  press  and  recommend  this  lo7rli?icss  and  htimilitt/  of  spirit. 

My  first  motive  shall  be  drawn  from  the  excellency  of  the 
grace  of  humility ;  and  its  excellency  especially  appears  in 
two  things: — 


172  THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  [SER. 

1.  It  assimilates  the  soul  to  Christ.  Men  are  inclined  to 
imitate  the  example  of  the  great  ones  of  the  earth ;  but  here 
is  the  most  noble  pattern  that  ever  was,  even  an  incarnate 
Deity,  saying,  "  Learn  of  me ;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly." 

2.  It  is  the  distinguishing  character  of  a  Christian.  The 
people  of  God  are  ordinarily  called  the  humble  and  meek  of 
the  earth.  A  proud  Christian  is  a  contradiction  ;  for  pride  is 
just  an  antipode  to  true  religion.  O  what  a  difference  did  it 
put  between  the  Pharisee  and  the  publican  !  The  proud  Pha- 
risee brags  to  God,  as  it  were,  of  his  good  works ;  "  God,  I 
thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  or  even  as  this 
publican.  I  fast  twice  in  the  week,  I  give  tilhes  of  all  that 
I  possess."  But  the  poor  publican  stands  afar  off,  as  if  the 
Majesty  of  Heaven  were  about  to  strike  him  dead ;  and  yet 
the  publican  goes  home  to  his  house  justified,  while  the  other 
is  rejected. 

J\ht.  2d,  Consider  how  reasonable  this  lowliness  and  humi- 
lity of  soul  is.  Whatever  way  we  view  ourselves,  we  shall 
find  it  highly  reasonable.  It  is  highly  reasonable,  whether 
we  look  to  ourselves  in  particular,  or  the  evils  of  the  land 
and  day  in  which  we  live. 

1.  I  say,  take  a  view  of  thyself,  man,  woman,  and  thou 
shalt  find  ground  of  humiliation.     For, 

1st,  Thou  art  a  creature  sprung  of  earth,  whose  "  founda- 
tion is  in  the  dust,"  and  cannot  pretend  to  a  higher  extract 
than  the  very  earth  under  thy  feet.  Hence  is  the  exhorta- 
tion of  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  "  O  earth,  earth,  earth,  hear 
the  word  of  the  Lord."  Earth  in  thy  original,  earth  as  to 
the  supports  of  nature,  and  shall  return  unto  the  earth  in  the 
end. 

2dly,  Thou  art  not  only  a  creature,  but  a  frail  creature 
whose  breath  is  in  thy  nostrils.  Thou  standest  continually 
upon  the  brink  of  an  endless  eternity.  And  as  there  have 
but  a  few  years  passed  over  our  heads  since  we  arose  out  of 
the  dust ;  so,  ere  it  be  long,  death  will  sweep  us  off  the  stage; 
and  then  all  our  beauty,  strength,  stature,  and  other  bodily 
excellencies,  will  be  covered  with  rottenness.  In  Is.  xl.  6 — 8, 
you  see  it  is  the  cry  both  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  all  Jlesh 
is  grass.  Solomon,  giving  a  description  of  the  life  of  man, 
sums  it  all  up  in  two  short  words :  "  There  is  a  time  to  be 
born,  and  a  time  to  die."  He  leaps  over  the  intermediate 
distance  between  man's  birth  and  his  burial,  as  a  thing  that 
was  not  worthy  of  his  notice.  He  is  born,  and  then  he  dies. 
The  moment  of  time  between  the  womb  and  the  tomb  is  so 
short,  might  he  say,  that  it  does  not  deserve  to  be  named. 

3dly,  Thou  art  not  only  a  frail,  but  a  sinful  creature,  whol- 
ly overrun  with  that  loathsome  leprosy,  "  from  the  crown  of 


VH.]  THE  PECULIAR  FAVOURITE  OF  HEAVEy.  173 

the  head  to  the  sole  of  the  foot."  O  sirs,  what  reason  have 
we  to  be  humble,  who  have  defaced  the  image  of  God,  cast 
dirt  on  all  the  divine  attributes,  trampled  his  law  and  autho- 
rity under  our  feet.  U'he  sinner  has  swallowed  a  cup  of  dead- 
ly poison,  which  will  infallibly  destroy  him,  if  infinite  mercy 
and  free  grace  prevent  not.  What  ground  lias  lie  then  to  be 
proud  i  O,  says  the  prodigal,  "  I  have  sinned  against  heaven, 
and  therefore  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son,"  or  to 
have  the  room  of  a  hired  servmit  in  the  family. 

4//<///,  Thou  art  not  only  a  sinful  creature,  but  an  impotent 
creature,  that  can  do  nothing  in  order  to  thy  own  help  and 
relief.  U  God  had  not  "  laid  help  upon  one  that  is  mighty," 
we  had  been  all  of  us  this  day  sinking  under  the  fiery  moun- 
tains of  eternal  vengeance  and  wrath.  Such  an  impotent 
creature  is  sinful  man,  that,  as  to  natural  things,  he  cannot 
make  one  hair  of  his  head  white  or  black,  or  add  one  cubit 
to  his  stature.  And  so  helpless  is  he,  as  to  spiritual  and  eter- 
nal  concerns,  that  he  can  no  more  change  the  wicked  habits 
of  his  heart,  or  ihe  wicked  ways  of  his  life,  than  the  Etiiiopian 
can  change  his  colour,  or  the  leopard  his  spots, 

!jlhlij.  Thou  art  a  variable,  changcal)Ie,  and  inconstant 
creature;  liable  to  many  allcrations,  both  as  to  thy  outward 
lot,  and  thy  inward  frame.  The  man  that  is  in  greatest 
esteem  to-day,  may  have  his  reputation  ruined  by  the  enve- 
nomed tongue  of  calumny  to-morrow.  In  a  word,  thy  health 
may  soon  be  changed  into  sickness,  thy  riches  into  poverty, 
thy  strength  into  weakness,  thy  beauty  into  ugly  deformity. 
And  as  for  thee,  believer,  though  (hy  state  be  tirm  like  the 
mountains,  yet  thy  fi'amc  is  but  a  changeable  thing.  Perhaps 
thou  maycst  be  saying  with  David  one  day,  "  By  thy  favour 
my  mountain  stands  strong;"  and  the  next  day  crying  out, 
"  I  am  troubled  with  the  hiding  of  his  countenance."  Al- 
though, perhaps,  the  candle  of  the  Lord  may  be  shining  on 
thy  tabernacle,  yet  in  a  little  thou  maycst  be  going  "mourn- 
ing without,  the  sun." 

2.  This  lowly  frame  of  spirit  is  highly  reasonable,  if  we 
look  abroad  in  the  world,  and  jiarticularly  the  land  in 
which  we  live.  O  what  great  cause  of  deep  humiliation  have 
we  this  day  before  tlie  Lord,  when  we  take  .a  view  of  flic 
abounding  [)rofanity  of  our  day!  All  ranks  have  "corrupted 
their  way;"  a  Hood  of  atheism  and  wickedness,  Jordan  like, 
has  broken  down  all  its  banks.  Have  we  not  reason  to  be 
humbled  for  the  universal  barrenness  that  is  to  be  found 
amongst  us,  under  the  drops  of  the  glorious  gospel?  May  not 
the  Lord  say  to  us,  as  he  said  of  his  vineyard,  Is.  v.  "  I  plant- 
ed thee  in  a  fruitful  soil ;"  I  took  all  imaginal)le  pains  upon 
thee,  by  ordinances,  by  the  rod.  by  mercies  and  crosses;  yet, 

15* 


174  THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  [SER. 

after  all,  "  when  I  looked  that  they  should  brhig  forth  grapes, 
behold,  they  brought  forth  wild  grapes?"  Again;  have  we 
not  reason  to  be  humbled  for  the  lamentable  divisions  that 
are  to  be  found  among  us  1  "  Ephraim  against  Manasseh,  Ma- 
nasseh  against  Ephraim,  and  both  they  together  against  Is- 
rael." Because  of  the  divisions  of  Ret/be?i,  there  are  great 
thoughts  of  heart.  Church  and  state  are  divided.  And,  among 
other  divisions  that  have  been  of  late,  we  are  like  to  have  a 
new  division  in  point  of  doctrine. 

There  is  a  handful  of  ministers,  who  have  lately  put  in  a 
petition  to  our  National  Assembly,  in  favour  of  some  of  the 
pure  and  precious  truths  of  the  gospel,  which  they  conceive 
to  be  injured  by  an  act  of  Assembly.  There  is  a  mighty  cry 
raised  against  them,  both  in  pulpits  and  in  common  conversa- 
tion, as  if  they  were  the  troublers  of  Israel,  New-schemers,  An- 
tinomians,  and  what  not.  Many  strange  errors  are  fathered 
upon  them,  of  which  they  never  once  thought.  I  shall  be 
far  from  bringing  a  railing  accusation  against  them  who  study 
to  wound  their  reputation,  and  to  mar  the  success  of  their 
ministry  :  for  I  look  on  many  of  them  as  great  and  good  men. 
But  if  they  be  helped  to  bear  reproach  for  the  name  of  Christ, 
and  for  the  cause  of  his  truths,  with  himiility  and  lowliness  of 
mind,  the  Lord  in  his  own  time  will  find  out  a  way  to  bring 
them  forth  to  the  light,  so  as  they  shall  behold  his  righteous- 
ness. And  although  their  reputation  should  sink  for  ever  in 
the  world,  under  the  load  of  calumny  that  is  cast  upon  them, 
I  hope  they  think  it  but  a  small  sacrifice  for  the  least  truth 
of  God,  which  is  of  more  worth  than  heaven  and  earth.  How- 
ever, 1  say,  this,  among  other  things,  is  ground  and  cause  of 
humiliation  in  our  day,  that  any  of  the  precious  truths  of 
Christ  should  be  under  a  cloud,  and  that  we  should  be  divided 
in  our  sentiments  respecting  them.  Have  we  not  reason  to 
be  deeply  humbled  for  our  woful  defections  and  backslidings, 
which  are  the  ground  of  our  divisions?  We  are  departed 
from  the  Lord,  and  the  Lord  is  in  a  great  measure  departed 
from  us.  What  a  woful  withering  wind  has  blown  upon 
God's  vineyard  in  the  land  !  We  are  "  fallen  from  our  first 
love,"  our  former  zeal  for  God  and  his  precious  truths,  and 
the  royalties  of  our  Redeemer's  crown.  And  is  there  not  a 
lamentable  decay  as  to  the  power  and  life  of  godliness,  which 
has  dwindled  away  into  an  empty  form  with  the  most?  To 
conclude,  it  is  not  with  the  nobles,  gentry,  ministers,  or  peo- 
ple, in  Scotland,  as  once  it  has  been ;  and  the  worst  of  it  is, 
that  though  it  be  so,  though  si'ay  hairs  are  here  and  there 
upon  us,  yet  we  do  not  perceive  it :  we  "  make  our  faces  hard- 
er than  a  rock,  and  refuse  to  return"  to  the  Lord.  But  I  haste 
to  a  close. 


VII.]  THE  PECULIAR  FAVOURITE  OF  HEAVEN.  175 

Mot.  3(1,  Take  a  view  of  the  noble  patterns  of  humility 
that  are  set  before  us  for  our  imitation.  The  saints  militant 
are  patterns  of  it.  Abraham,  the  father  of  the  faithful,  in 
the  forccited  xviiith  of  Genesis,  with  what  humility  does  he 
address  himself  to  God !  "  Behold,  I  have  taken  upon  me 
to  speak  unto  the  Lord,  who  am  but  dust  and  ashes."  And 
his  grandson,  Jacob,  follows  his  footsteps  herein,  "  I  am  less," 
says  he,  "  than  the  least  of  thy  mercies."  In  a  word.  Job, 
David,  Isaiah,  Paul,  and  all  the  "cloud  of  witnesses,"  have 
cast  us  a  copy  of  humility.  Again  ;  the  saints  triumphant 
cast  us  a  copy  of  this  grace:  they  take  their  crowns  oli' their 
heads,  and  cast  them  down  at  the  Mediator's  feet,  ascribing 
the  glory  of  all  to  him,  saying,  "  Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and 
washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  liath  made  us 
kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father;  to  him  be  glory 
and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen."  Again;  angels 
are  patterns  of  it :  they  do  not  look  on  it  as  a  disparagement 
to  be  ministering  spirits  to  the  heirs  of  glory.  With  what 
humility  do  they  cover  their  faces  with  their  wings  in  the 
presence  of  God!  Is.  vi.  Again;  Christ  is  a  blessed  pattern 
of  tliis  grace:  "Learn  of  me,  for  1  am  meek  and  lowly:"  he 
has  left  us  an  example,  that  zee  should  follow  his  steps  therein. 
"  He  humbled  liimself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even 
the  death  of  the  cross."  Though  he  was  the  high  God,  yet 
he  "  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant."  And  therefore 
"  let  the  same  mind  be  in  us,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus," 
Phil.  ii.  5.  In  a  word,  the  infinite  Jehovah,  the  eternal  God, 
casts  us  a  copy  of  humility  :  for  "he  humbleth  himself  to  be- 
hold the  things  that  .are  in  heaven,  and  in  the  earth  ;"  and,  as 
you  see  in  my  text,  though  he  he  high,  yet  has  he  respect  unto 
the  lozch/.  And  are  not  all  these  patterns  worthy  of  our  high- 
est imitation?     And  if  all  this  will  not  prevail,  I  olFer, 

A  foi/rth  motive.  Consider  the  evil  and  danger  of  the  sin  of 
pride,  that  lies  directly  opposite  to  it. 

L  It  is  loathsome  in  the  sight  of  God;  he  cannot  endure 
to  look  on  it;  he  beholds  it  afar  off.  In  Prov.  vi.  10,  it  is 
set  in  the  very  front  of  these  things  that  the  Lord  hates: 
"  These  six  things  doth  the  Lord  hatg ;  yea,  seven  are  an 
abomination  to  him:"  and  the  first  of  them  is  a  proud  look. 
(lud  hiites  every  sin,  but  he  proclaims  open  war  and  hostility 
against  the  proud. 

'Z.  The  c\il  of  it  appears,  in  that  it  is  a  sign  of  a  rotten 
heart  within  :  I  lab.  ii.  4  :  "  Behold,  his  soul  which  is  lifted  uj» 
is  not  upright  in  him."  As  humility  and  sincerity,  so  pride 
and  hypocrisy  go  hand  in  hand. 

3.  It  is  the  fertile  womb  of  many  otlicr  evils.  It  is  the 
spring  of  division:  Prov.  xiii,  10:  "Only  by  pride  Cometh  con- 


176  THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  [SER. 

tention."  As  I  was  saying  just  now,  there  are  a  great  many 
divisions  amongst  us  at  this  clay.  Church  and  state  are  divided, 
congregations  and  families  are  divided,  ministers  and  people 
are  divided:  What  is  the  matter?  Pride  lies  at  the  bottom. 
If  our  proud  hearts  were  but  so  far  humbled,  as  to  confess 
our  faults  one  to  another,  our  divisions  would  soon  come  to  an 
end.  Again  ;  pride  is  the  mother  of  error  and  heresy :  a 
root  of  bitterness  that  is  troubling  our  Israel  at  this  day. 
When  men,  especially  clergymen,  who  have  all  a  conceit  of 
infallibility  with  them,  have  asserted  any  thing  that  is  amiss  in 
point  of  doctrine,  their  pride  will  not  allow  them  to  retract. 
Truth  itself  must  rather  fall  a  sacrifice,  than  their  reputation 
sink.  Pride  of  reason  is  the  very  soul  of  the  Socinian,  and 
pride  of  will  the  soul  of  Arminlan  errors,  and  pride  of  self- 
righteousness  is  the  source  of  that  legal  spirit  which  so  much 
prevails  in  our  day.  Again  ;  pride  is  the  spring  and  root  of 
apostacy;  for,  says  Solomon,  "  Pride  gocth  before  destruction, 
and  a  haughty  spirit  before  a  fall."  Peter's  pride  was  the  im- 
mediate forerunner  of  his  denying  his  Lord  and  Master. 
But,  again,  consider  that  God  has  a  particular  quarrel  with 
the  sin  of  pride :  he  has  threatened  to  "  scatter  the  proud,  in 
the  imagination  of  their  own  hearts."  You  may  read  a  lec- 
ture of  God's  controversy  with  the  proud.  Is.  ii.  Jl — 13,  &c. 
"  The  lofty  looks  of  man  shall  be  humbled,  and  the  haughti- 
ness of  men  shall  be  bowed  down. — The  day  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts  shall  be  upon  every  one  that  is  proud  and  lofty,  and 
upon  everyone  that  is  lifted  up,  and  he  shall  be  brought  low." 
And,  ver.  17:  The  loftiness  of  man  shall  be  bowed  down, 
and  the  haughtiness  of  men  shall  be  made  low;  and  the  Lord 
alone  shall  be  exalted  in  that  day."  O  what  ruin  has  the 
sin  of  pride  brought  along  with  it ! 

1st,  It  turned  angels  into  devils,  and  threw  them  from  hea- 
ven into  hell;  "  being  lifted  up  with  pride,  they  fell  into  con- 
demnation," as  the  apostle  insinuates.  God  could  not  endure 
pride  to  dwell  so  near  him ;  and  therefore  he  tumbled  them 
down  from  heaven,  and  laid  them  "  under  chains  of  eternal 
darkness." 

2dli/.  It  was  pride  that  has  wrecked  all  mankind,  when  it 
creeped  out  of  the  higher  into  the  lower  Paradise.  "  Ye  shall 
be  as  gods,"  said  the  serpent ;  and  immediately  the  bait  was 
catched  at ;  though,  in  the  event,  it  made  them  more  like  the 
devil  than  God. 

Sdbj,  We  might  trace  the  story  of  what  ruins  it  hath 
brought  with  it  upon  the  ungodly  world.  Pharaoh  refuses  to 
bow  so  far  to  the  command  of  God,  as  to  let  Israel  go ;  saying, 
"  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey  him :"  And  therefore 
he  and  his  host  shall  "sink  like  lead  in  the  mighty  waters." 


Vn.]  THE  PECULIAR  FAVOURITE  OF  HEAVEN.  177 

Haman's  pride  brought  him  to  an  ignominious  end:  though 
he  was  his  prince's  greatest  favourite  to-day,  yet  he  wfvs 
hanged  to-morrow  on  the  gallows  which  he  had  set  up  for  poor 
Mordecai.  Nebuchadnezzar  proudly  vaunts  himself  of  his 
royal  palace.  "  Is  not  this  great  Babylon  that  I  liave  built 
for  the  house  of  the  kingdom,  by  the  might  of  my  power,  and 
for  (he  honour  of  my  majesty?"  and  immediately  he  is  turned 
out  from  the  society  of  men,  and  made  to  eat  grass  with  the 
oxen.  Herod,  after  his  fine  oration,  receives  that  applause  from 
the  people  without  any  check,  "  It  is  the  voice  of  a  God,  and 
not  of  a  man ;  and  immediately  the  angel  of  the  Lord  smites 
him,  and  he  is  eaten  of  worms." 

Atlily,  As  God  has  punished  it  in  the  wicked,  so  he  has 
shown  his  resentment  against  it  in  his  own  children.  And 
pass  who  will,  they  shall  not  miss  a  stroke,  if  their  hearts  be 
lifted  up  within  them  :  "  You  only  have  I  known  of  all  the  fa- 
milies of  the  earth  ;  therefore  I  will  punish  you  for  all  your 
iniquities."  David's  pride  prompted  him  to  number  Israel, 
that  he  might  make  his  boast  that  he  was  king  over  so  many 
thousands  ;  and  thereupon  a  raging  pestilence,  in  three  days' 
time,  sweeps  away  seventy  thousand  of  Israel.  Hezekiah's 
pride  made  him  to  show  his  treasure  of  precious  things  to  the 
king  of  Babylon's  ambassadors;  and  therefore  his  posterity  and 
his  treasures  must  be  carried  av^'ay  to  Babylon  out  of  their 
native  land.  In  a  word,  though  you  were  as  the  signet  on 
God's  right  hand,  you  shall  not  escape  a  stroke  of  fatherly 
wrath  and  anger,  if  you  allow  pride  to  lodge  in  your  hearts. 
That  threatening  shall  surely  take  place,  both  among  friends 
and  enemies,  Prov.  xxix.  23:  "A  man's  pride  shall  bring  him 
low."  And  if  it  miss  his  person,  it  shall  fall  heavily  on  his 
family :  Prov.  xv.  25  :  "  The  Lord  will  destroy  the  house  of 
the  proud." 

Vl.  The  sixth  and  last  thing  I  proposed  was,  to  offer  a  few 
advices,  in  order  to  i/our  attui?ii?ig  this  loic/ij  frame  and  temper 
of  soul  whiclb  the  high  God  dolh  so  much  regard. 

\.  Go  to  the  law  as  a  schoolmaster;  read  the  ten  command- 
ments, and  Christ's  spiritual  commentary  upon  them,  Matth.  v. 
View  the  law  of  God  in  its  utmost  extent  and  spirituality  ;  for 
it  is  exceedinir  broad.  This  would  make  the  proudest  heart  to 
lie  in  the  dust :  Rom.  vii.  9 :  "  I  was  alive  without  the  law 
once ;  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin  revived,  and  I 
died.''  The  feathers  of  his  pride  and  legal  righteousness  soon 
fell,  when  the  law  in  its  spirituality  was  set  before  his  eyes. 

2.  (Jet  Christ  to  dwell  in  yt)ur  heart  by  faith;  for  the  reign- 
ing power  of  this  evil  is  nevcsr  broken,  till  Christ  come  by  the 
power  of  his  Spirit,  bringing  down  the  towering  imaginations 
of  the  heart,  and  erect  his  throne  there.     The  more  of  Christ, 


178       THE  HUMBLE  SOUL  THE  FAVOURITE  OF  HEAVEN.    [sER.  VH. 

the  more  humility ;  and  the  less  of  Christ,  the  more  pride. 
When  the  Spirit  of  Christ  enters  into  the  heart,  he  stamps  the 
likeness  and  image  of  Chi'ist  there.  O  then,  if  you  w^ould  have 
this  humility  and  lowliness  of  spirit,  "  lift  up  the  everlasting 
doors,  that  the  King  of  glory  may  come  in : "  he  brings  a  glori- 
ous retinue  of  graces  with  him,  of  which  this  is  one  of  the  first. 

3.  Be  much  [employed]  in  viewing  the  glorious  perfections 
of  the  Majesty  of  heaven,  as  they  are  displayed  in  the  works 
of  creation  and  providence ;  but  especially  as  they  shine  in 
the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  glorious  work  of  redemption 
through  him.  When  the  prophet  Isaiah  saw  the  Lord  high 
and  hfted  up,  and  his  train  filling  the  temple,  he  cries  out, 
"  Wo  is  me,  for  I  am  undone,  because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean 
lips."  See  Job  xlii.  5,  6.  "  I  have  heard  of  thee,"  says  he, 
"by  the  hearing  of  the  ear;  but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee: 
wherefore  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes." 

4.  Be  much  in  viewing  "  the  rock  whence  ye  were  hewn,  and 
the  hole  of  the  pit  whence  ye  were  digged ; "  I  mean  your 
original  corruption  and  depravation;  how  you  are  "conceived 
in  sin,  and  brought  forth  in  iniquity."  And  O  how  much  of 
this  cleaves  even  to  believers  themselves,  while  they  are  on  this 
side  of  eternity !  There  is  a  lazo  in  the  members  continually 
warring  against  the  law  of  the  mind.  This  laid  the  great  apostle 
Paul  in  the  dust,  notwithstanding  his  high  attainments. 

5.  Be  much  in  viewing  the  vanity  of  the  creature,  and  all 
things  below.  "  Vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit "  is  written  in 
legible  characters  upon  all  things  under  the  sun.  "  The  fashion 
of  this  world  is  passing  away."  Be  much  in  viewing  the  bed 
of  the  grave,  where  yqu  must  lie  down  shortly,  and  where 
rottenness  and  corruption  shall  cover  you :  let  this  make  you 
say,  with  Job,  "to  corruption.  Thou  art  my  father;  and  to  the 
worm,  Thou  art  my  mother,  and  my  sister."  View  an  awful 
tribunal,  and  endless  eternity,  that  is  to  follow  on  the  back  of 
death,  where  you  and  I  shortly  shall  stand  panels  and  receive 
a  sentence  from  the  righteous  Judge,  which  shall  determine 
our  state  for  ever. 

6.  Lastly,  Be  much  in  eyeing  those  patterns  of  lowhness  and 
humility  which  I  already  mentioned.  God,  angels,  and  saints, 
have  cast  you  a  copy  of  it.  But  especially  be  much  in  viewing 
the  humility  and  humiliation  of  the  Son  of  God,  which  is  pro- 
posed as  the  great  pattern,  Phil.  ii.  5 — 8:  "  Let  this  mind  be  in 
you  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus :  who  being  in  the  form  of 
God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God :  but  made 
himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a 
servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men :  and  being 
found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became 
obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross." 


179 


^EKJiiorv  \1U. 


THE     NECESSITY    AND    PROFITABLENESSJ    OF    GOOD    WORKS 
ASSERTED.* 

Having-,  therefore,  these  promises,  dearly  beloved,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves 
from  all  fiUhiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of 
God. — 2  Con.  vii.  1. 

Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the 
tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city. — Rev. 
ixii.  14. 

If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of 
God,  or  whether  1  speak  of  myself. — Joux  vii.  17. 

PREFACE. 

The  following  discourse  is  one  of  those  for  which  I  am  become  a 
debtor  to  the  public,  on  the  occasion  mentioned  in  the  preface  of  that 
upon  Rev.  iii.  4.  Although  I  am  abundantly  sensible  of  my  lame  ma- 
nagement of  this  important  subject;  yet  I  am  not  conscious  of  swerving, 
in  any  one  point  of  doctrine,  from  tiie  word  of  God,  and  the  approved 
standards  of  this  church:  and,  if  in  tlie  least  jot  I  have  departed  from 
them,  cither  in  this  or  any  other  of  these  sermons  charged  with  hetero- 
doxy, I  am  so  far  from  pretending  to  infallibility,  that  I  hope  I  shall 
never  be  ashamed  publicly  to  retract  wiiat,  upon  conviction,  shall  be 
found  to  be  amiss. 

I  look  upon  it  as  one  of  the  most  difficult  things  that  belongs  to  us 
ministers,  in  the  dispensation  of  the  everlasting  gospel,  so  to  divide  the 
word  of  truth,  as  to  deliver  it  in  the  order  and  connexion  in  which  God 
has  laid  it  in  the  new  covenant.  Indistinct  views  here  cannot  miss  to 
lead  both  ourselves  and  hearers  into  a  maze  and  labyrinth  of  confusion, 
and  exceedingly  mar  the  sweetness  of  divine  truth,  with  the  success  of 
the  gospel.  Every  truth  of  God,  even  in  itself,  and  abstractly  consi- 
dered, is  precious;  but  the  beauty,  lustre,  and  sweetness  of  divine  truth 
is  never  seen  or  felt,  until  the  truth  be  known  "  as  it  is  in  Josus."  All 
the  truths  of  divine  revelation  meet  in  liim,  as  the  beams  in  the  sun,  or 
as  the  spokes  of  a  wheel  in  their  centre;  insoiiuich,  that,  if  any  truth  of 
Gotl  be  handled,  or  any  duty  of  the  law  inculcated,  abstractly  from  him, 
it  is  taken  out  of  its  proper  place  where  God  has  set  it,  and,  consequent- 
ly, cannot  miss  to  lose  its  savour  and  beauty:  and,  therefore,  it  was  not 
without  ground  the  apostle  expressed  himself,  as  we  have  it,  1  Cor.  ii. 
2:  "I  determined  not  to  know  any  thing  among  you,  save  Jesus  Christ, 
and  him  crucified."  lie  is  the  glorious  "  foundation  laid  in  Zion,"  and 
"another  foundation  can  no  man  lay;"  and  if,  in  building,  we  do  not 
keep  our  eyes  continually  on  this  cliirf  corner  stone,  we  caimot  ohun  to 
make  very  confused  and  irregular  work.     In  a  particular  manner,  when 

•  Preached  at  Kirkaldy  April  12,  1724. 


180  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [sER. 

we  inculcate  good  works  upon  our  hearers,  if  we  do  not  lead  them,  in 
the  first  place,  to  work  that  great  work  of  God,  namely,  to  "  believe  on 
him  whom  he  hath  sent,"  we  do  but  press  them  to  build  castles  in  the 
air,  which  fall  down  as  fast  as  they  are  reared  up.  All  our  works  will 
be  found  to  be  but  empty  ciphers  in  the  day  of  the  Lord,  if  this  founda- 
tion be  not  first  laid.  The  root  on  which  they  grow,  namely,  that  of  the 
old  Adam,  being  rottenness,  the  blossom  cannot  miss  to  go  up  as  the 
dust. 

It  is  the  ruin  of  thousands  in  the  visible  church,  that  whenever  the 
law  of  God  has  pricked  or  wounded  their  hearts,  and  brought  them  un- 
der any  concern  for  salvation ;  that,  being  "  married  to  the  law,"  as  a 
"  husband,"  they  run  to  it  for  relief  Hence  it  is  the  ordinary  dialect 
of  awakened  sinners,  before  the  revelation  of  the  remedy,  "  What  shall 
we  do]"  or,  "What  good  thing  shall  we  do  to  inherit  eternal  lifel" 
And,  accordingly,  they  fall  to  doing  and  working;  and  there  they  rest; 
by  which  means,  these  very  duties,  which  sliould  lead  tiiem  to  Christ, 
prove  a  bar  and  hinderance  of  their  coming  to  him.  But,  since  the  fall 
of  Adam,  the  law  was  never  given  to  man  with  a  design  that  he  should 
rest  or  stay  in  it,  but,  that  man,  by  the  law,  might  be  carried  forth  to 
him,  who  is  "  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth."  I  own,  that  they  who  rest  in  the  law  and  its  works,  may  find 
some  sort  of  peace  and  ease  for  awhile ;  but  true,  solid,  and  lasting  peace, 
can  never  be  found  on  this  side  of  Christ. 

We  do  not  read  of  any  plaster  that  tlie  stung  Israelites  were  to  make 
use  of  for  their  healing,  but  only  looking  to  the  brazen  serpent.  If  they 
had  made  a  confection  of  the  best  herbs  in  the  wilderness,  or  a  plaster 
of  all  the  sovereign  ingredients  in  the  world,  and  with  it  heaped  up 
mountains  of  prayers,  or  poured  out  seas  of  tears,  all  would  not  have 
helped,  if  they  had  not  looked  to  the  brazen  serpent.  God  had  ap- 
pointed that  as  the  only  ivay  of  relief ;  and,  therefore,  nothing  else  could 
perform  the  cure.  So,  here,  God  hatii  set  up  his  Christ,  as  the  only  way 
of  life;  he  hath  lifted  iiim  up  upon  the  pole  of  the  gospel,  "  tiiat  who- 
soever believcth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 
And  though  we  should  spend  our  whole  time  and  strength,  in  praying, 
mourning,  and  other  acts  of  obedience,  all  would  be  of  no  avail,  unless 
we  made  use  of  God's  remedy,  in  a  way  of  believing,  and  that  is,  "Look 
unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth."     Isaiah  xlv.  22. 

But,  say  you,  by  this  means  we  may  lay  aside  praying,  reading,  hear- 
ing, and  other  duties  of  obedience,  altogetiier.  I  answer,  By  no  means, 
1  do  not  advise  you  to  leave  off  duties,  but  only  as  a  plaster  far  healing 
your  wounds,  or  as  a  groimd  of  acceptance.  Duties,  indeed,  are  subser- 
vient to  the  cure,  but  they  themselves  are  not  the  cure.  For  instance, 
prayer  is  a  seeking  of  the  cure,  but  not  the  cure  itself:  in  reading  and 
hearing,  we  are  directed  how  to  come  at  the  cure,  but  these  are  not  the 
cure.  We  would  reckon  it  a  piece  of  prodigious  folly,  for  one  in  distress 
to  reckon  himself  healed,  merely  upon  his  seeking  and  getting  a  physi- 
cian's advice,  though  he  never  apply  the  remedy  prescribed.  By  our 
works  of  obedience,  before  conversion,  like  the  man  lying  at  the  pool, 
we  only  study  to  have  a  deportment  suitable  to  those  who  wait  for  divine 
mercy ;  and  by  our  obedience,  after  conversion,  we  only  e.xpress  our 
gratitude  for  the  cure,  which  he,  in  his  sovereign  grace  has  wrought, 
by  the  Spirit's  application  of  the  blood  of  Jesus:  but  still  these  works  of 
obedience,  whether  before  or  after  conversion,  are  not  the  cure.  It  is  a 
known  maxim  among  sound  divines.  That,  being  just  if  ed,  u:e  work,  but 
we  do  not  work  that  we  may  be  justified.  So,  then,  let  us  never  put  our 
duties  in  the  room  of  Christ.  The  man  that  rests  in  any  thing  on  this 
side  of  Christ,  will  at  last  rest  on  this  side  of  heaven.     All  our  duties 


VIII.] 


OP  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  181 


and  works  of  obedience  will  be  but  as  ropes  of  sand,  or  chains  of  glass, 
too  brittle  to  draw  otir  souls  up  to  glory. 

It  is  very  observable,  that  the  order  and  connexion  betwixt  duty  and 
privilcg^e  is  quite  inverted  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  from  what  it  was 
under  Adam's  covenant.  In  the  last  of  these,  duly  was  the  foundation 
of  privilege;  but,  in  the  first,  namely,  the  new  covenant,  privilege  re- 
ceived by  faith  is  the  fluindation  of  duty.  In  Adam's  covenant,  man  was 
first  to  do  his  duty;  and  on  that  ground,  in  a  way  of  pactional  debt,  he 
might  expect  and  plead  tiio  reward  of  life.  But  now,  man  having  for- 
feited life  by  the  breach  of  that  covenant,  God  will  have  him  to  take  life 
as  a  free  gift  through  Clirist;  and  tiius  to  set  his  seal  to  his  record, 
"that  he  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life,  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ;"  and 
thereupon,  as  a  fruit  and  evidence  of  life  received,  he  will  have  us  per- 
form tJie  duties  of  his  law. 

It  is  pleasant  to  observe,  that,  when  God  published  the  law  at  Mount 
Sinai,  he  ushered  it  in  with  the  great  new  covenant  grant,  "  I  am  the 
Lord  thy  God,  which  have  brought  thee  out  of  tfie  land  of  Egypt,  out  of 
the  house  of  bondage."  Here  is  the  object  and  foundation  of  tlieir  faith  ; 
and  upon  this  he  founds  their  ohedienc'e  to  the  precepts  of  the  moral  law. 
*'  Thou  slialt  have  no  other  gods  before  me.  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto 
thee  any  graven  image.  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy 
God  in  vnin.  RomfMiiber  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy,"  &,c.  If  the 
commandtiieiitri  of  the  moral  law  had  been  set  first,  and  God  had  said, 
*'  Do  these  tilings,  and  I  will  be  your  God;"  this  had  been  a  pure  cove- 
nant of  works,  indeed.  But,  first,  he  reveals  himself  as  their  God  in 
Chrifit,  a  reconciled  God  and  Redeemer;  and,  upon  this  footing,  presses 
obedience  to  his  coiniiiandments.  So  that,  I  say,  the  order  of  doctrine 
laid  in  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  is  first  to  lead  the  sinner  by  faith 
to  Christ,  and  to  God  in  him;  and  upon  this  to  inculcate  obedience  to 
the  law  as  a  ride  of  dull/.  Tiiis  order  of  doctrine  I  find  nicely  observed 
by  the  Westminster  Assembly,  in  compiling  our  excellent  Confession  of 
Faith  and  Catechisms;  when*  they  tell  us  first  what  we  are  to  helieve, 
and  then  the  duties  which  God  requires  of  man  Tiie  same  method  we 
find  the  apostle  Paul  observes  in  most  of  his  epistles.  So  tiiat  this  is  no 
new  scheme,  but  the  good  old  way.  And  if  this  order  of  doctrine  be  in- 
verted, we  disturb  the  comely  ord'-r  which  infinite  wisdom  has  laid  in 
the  dispeiisMtion  of  the  new  covenant,  and  infallibly  return  back  to  an 
old  covenant  of  works. 

This  is  the  order  I  have  aimeil  at  in  the  fidlowing  discnurse:  whether 
I  have  hit  it  right,  or  not,  I  leave  it  to  others  to  judge.  I  do  freely  own 
that,  ever  since  I  knew  any  tiling  of  Christianity,  I  never  found  greater 
difficulty  in  any  thing,  than  to  bring  my  heart  to  fall  in  with  this  order 
of  the  new  covenant.  And  et-en  alter  tlhisou!,  as  to  the  main,  is  brought 
to  acquiesce  in  this  new  rni'thoil  of  silvalion  ;  yet  tln^re  is  so  much  of 
the  old  Adam,  I  mean  of  a  lejral  spirit,  in  us,  as  is  still  leading  tis  insen- 
sibly back  to  Adam's  covenant,  namely,  to  expect  mercy,  grace,  and 
glory,  on  the  score  of  sotneihing  wrought  in  us,  or  done  by  us.  And  our 
words,  who  are  ministers,  do  many  times  betray  the  legality  of  our 
hearts:  which  I  speak  m  a  vv;^  of  rejjret,  from  my  own  sad  experience, 
not  in  a  way  of  reflection  upon  others.  And  I  make  no  doubt,  but  such 
as  have  a  true  taste  of  the  gospel,  may  find  something  (.f  this  in  the  fol- 
lowing discourse,  though  I  have  endeavoured  to  shun  it  as  much  as  I 
could. 

If,  by  the  publication  of  these  imperfect  scraps,  any  shall  be  provoked 
to  handle  tlii.s,  or  any  of  the  other  subjects,  with  more  accuracy,  which 
may  be  easily  done,  I  shall  heartily  rejoice.  And  if  either  the  church  of 
God,  or  any  particular  soul,  shall  be  edified  by  reading  this,  or  any  other 

VOL.  I.  IG 


182  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENFSS  [sER. 

of  the  quarrelled  sermons,  he  owes  no  thanks  to  me,  but  only  to  that 
God,  who,  by  his  overruling  providence,  "  makes  the  wrath  of  man  to 
praise  him  :"  and,  for  my  own  part,  I  desire  to  believe,  "  that  the  re- 
mainder of  his  wrath  he  will  restrain." 

PORTMOAK,      }  E.    E. 

June  6,  1726. 


This  Is  a  faithful  saying,  and  these  tliing-s  I  will  that  thou  affirm  constantly, 
that  they  wliich  have  believed  in  God,  might  be  cai-eful  to  maintain  good 
works  :  these  things  are  good  and  profitable  unto  men. — Tit.  hi.  8. 

The  apostle  having,  in  the  preceding  part  of  this  chapter, 
particularly  from  the  4th  verse,  and  downwards,  given  a  brief 
summary  or  epitome  of  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the 
free  gi'ace  of  God  towards  sinners,  through  the  imputed  right- 
eousness of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  he  proceeds,  in  this  8th 
verse,  to  shut  up  the  whole  with  a  serious  advice  to  Titus, 
what  use  to  make  of  the  doctrine  of  graccamong  his  hearers ; 
namely,  upon  that  footing,  to  urge  them  to  the  study  of  prac-  ' 
tical  godliness  as  great  gain:  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  these 
ihi7}gs  I  will  that  thoii  nfjlnn  consta?iily,  &c. 

Wiiere  these  things  are  worthy  of  consideration. 

1.  We  have  the  apostle's  epilogue,  or  conclusion,  with  whic  h 
he  shuts  up  that  grave  and  weighty  subject,  which  he  had 
been  treating  in  the  preceding  verses.  This  is  a  faithful  saying. 
Some,  indeed,  understand  this  as  a  preface  to  what  follows; 
but  I  find  the  generality  of  interpreters  rather  connect  the 
asseveration  with  what  went  before,  and  particularly  with 
what  the  apostle  had  asserted  in  the  verse  immediately  pre- 
ceding; to  wit,  "  That  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we  should 
be  made  heirs  according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life ; "  and 
then  immediately  adds.  This  is  a  faithful  saying.  The  apostle 
foresaw^  by  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  tliat  the  doctrine  of  grace 
would  meet  with  strange  opposition  in  after  ages  of  the  world; 
and  that  opposition  was  already  begun  in  his  own  day,  as 
appears  from  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians;  and  therefore  ratifies 
it  with  the  greater  solemnity.  This  is  a  faithful  saying.  From 
whence  I  observe,  by  the  bv,  That  as  ministers  of  Christ  are 
to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  so  there  are  some  truths 
that  need  to  be  more  vouched  ancl  dwelt  upon  than  others ; 
particularly  truths  that  are  more  fundamental,  and  most  con- 
troverted by  gainsayers.  Hence  we  find,  there  is  sometimes 
an  oyez,  or  a  watchword,  added  to  some  truths,  requiring 
our  more  diligent  attention,  and  serious  entertainment.  Thus 
the  apostle  here,  considering  the  opposition  the  doctrine  of 
grace  would'meet  with  from  men  of  legal  spirits,  adds  this 


VIII.]  OF  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  183 

word  of  attention  to  the  close  of  it,  This  is  a  faithful  saying. 
Ministers  are  watchmen,  and  set  for  the  defence  of  the  truth; 
and  therefore,  when  any  truth  of  God  is  in  danger,  they  are 
to  double  their  guard,  and  to  support  these  truths  that  are 
most  attacked  by  the  enemy,  that  so  they  may  not  "  fall  in 
the  streets."  And  if  it  be  the  duty  of  ministers  to  teach,  in- 
culcate, and  support  those  truths  that  are  controverted  or  con- 
tradicted; surely  it  is  also  the  duty  of  people  to  study  these 
truths,  and  the  arguments  that  support  them,  that  so  they 
may  be  in  a  capacity  to  distinguish  between  truth  and  error, 
and  "  to  give  a  reason  of  the  "  faith  and  "  hope  that  is  in 
them."  The  Bereans  have  a  high  commendation  given  them ; 
they  arc  called  men  of  noble  and  excellent  spirits,  on  this  ac- 
count, that  they  would  not  swallow  down,  by  an  implicit  faith, 
the  doctrines  taught  ev'cn  by  the  apostles  themselves :  no,  but 
they  tried  even  the  apostolic  doctrine  by  the  standard  of  the 
law  and  testimony.  And  this  is  a  thing  not  only  command- 
ed and  commended  in  the  scriptures  of  truth,  but  most  agree- 
able, likewise,  to  the  dictates  of  right  reason.  How  is  it  pos- 
sible that  people  can  obey  the  command  of  "  contending  for 
the  faith  once  delivered  unto  the  saints,"  if  they  do  not  under- 
stand the  doctrine  of  faith,  particularly  these  doctrines  that 
are  in  danger  of  being  wrested  from  them  I  Ministers  arc 
called  "  stewards  in  the  house  of  God,  and  stewards  of  the 
mysteries  of  God."  Now,  you  know  it  is  very  much  the 
interest  of  the  house  or  family,  to  see  that  their  steward  feed 
them  with  sound  and  wholesome  food,  otherwise  they  may 
come  to  swallow  a  stone  instead  of  bread,  or  a  scorpion  in- 
stead of  a  fish.  We  call  you  to  examine  and  try  our  doc- 
trines at  the  bar  of  the  word;  and  if  they  will  not  abide  the 
trial  there,  let  them  sink  and  perish  for  ever.  There  is  always 
ground  to  suspect  any  set  of  men  who  decline  or  shun  any 
fair  trial  f)f  their  do^;trines;  for  "he  that  doth  truth,  cometh 
to  the  light,  that  his  deeds  may  be  made  manifest,  that  they 
are  wrought  in  God."     But, 

2.  In  the  words  we  have  an  apostolic  command  given  to  Ti- 
tus, and  in  him  to  all  ministers  of  the  gospel:  These  things  I 
7oitl  that  ifioit  afjirni  constanlli/.  The  word  in  the  original 
rendered  ajjirm,  is  borrowed  from  the  practice  of  those  who, 
when  they  buy  or  sell  a  thing,  oblige  themselves  to  maintain 
the  claim  and  title  againsi  all  law-suits  or  entanglements. — 
Titus,  and  other  ministers,  are  not  only  to  teach  the  doctrines 
of  the  gospel,  hut  to  confirm  and  make  them  good  against  all 
the  cavils  or  questions  that  may  be  moved  about  them. 

3.  In  the  words  we  have  a  particular  doctrine  wliich  the 
apostle  recommends  to  be  taught  by  Titus,  namely;  "That 
they  who  have  believed  in  God,  should  be  careful  to  main- 


184  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [SEK, 

tain  good  works."  Where  notice  the  foundation  of  all  good 
works,  and  that  is  believing  in  God ;  to  wit,  in  God  as  he  is 
manifested  in  Christ,  "  God  reconciling  the  world  to  himself;" 
for  out  of  Christ  he  cannot  be  the  object  of  faith,  but  of  ter- 
ror, to  a  guilty  sinner.  Now,  this  believing  in  God  is  the 
very  foundation  of  all  good  works:  for  "without  faith  it  is 
impossible  to  please  God:"  and  they  that  have  believed,  are 
enjoined  to  maintain  good  zcorks.  The  word  in  the  original 
is  borrowed  from  the  military,  particularly  such  as  set  them- 
selves at  the  front  of  the  battle,  and  march  forward  to  encou- 
rage the  whole  army  to  follow  them.  "  Believers,"  would 
the  apostle  say,  "  must  not  only  do  good  works,  but  must  be 
patterns  and  examples  thereof  to  others ;"  according  to  that 
injunction  of  Christ ;  "  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that 
they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which 
is  in  heaven."  But  the  import  of  this  you  may  meet  with 
more  fully  afterwards. 

4.  We  have  a  very  cogent  and  weighty  reason  why  belie- 
vers are  to  maintain  good  works  ;  why,  says  he,  "  These  things 
are  good  and  profitable  unto  men."  The  apostle,  in  the  5th 
verse,  had  secluded  good  works  from  any  causality  or  influ- 
ence on  our  justification  or  eternal  salvation  :  "  Not  by  works 
of  righteousness,  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his 
mercy,  he  saved  us."  Now  lest  any  should  allege,  that,  in 
that  case,  good  works  were  altogether  useless,  he  adds  this  as 
a  caveat,  and  says,  "Do  not  mistake  it,  for  although  your 
good  works  be  not  profitable  for  justification,  yet  they  are 
good  and  profitable  to  men  on  many  other  accounts:"  of  which 
we  may  hear  likewise  afterward.  , 

The  doctrine  I  notice  from  the  words  is  this : — 
DocT.  "  That  as  faith,  or  believing,  is  the  source  of  good 
works;  so  these  good  works,  which  are  the  fruit  of  believing, 
are  good  and  profitable  to  men."  Or,  take  it  thus:  "That 
they  who  have  truly  believed,  are  to  be  careful  to  maintain 
good  works,  these  being  good  and  profitable  unto  men."  The 
foundation  of  this  doctrine  from  the  words  is  obvious. 

In  speaking  to  it,  I  shall,  through  divine  assistance,  observe 
the  method  following : 

I.  I  would  speak  a  little  of  those  good  works,  which  they 
who  have  believed  in  God  are  called  to  maintain. 

II.  Of  that  believing  in  God,  which  is  the  source  and  foun- 
tain  of  good  works. 

III.  Show  that  these  good  works,  flowing  from  faith,  are 
"  good  and  profitable  unto  men." 

IV.  Apply  the  whole. 


VIII.]  OF  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  185 

L  I  say,  I  would  speak  a  little  of  good  works.  Where  I 
would  show, 

1.  What  works  tlicy  nre  that  may  be  called  good  Toorks. 

2.  What  is  imported  in  maintaining  good  icorks. 

First,  Wl)at  soit  of  works  they  are  that  may  be  called  ^oorf 
71'orks.  In  general,  then,  you  would  know,  that,  considering 
the  law  as  a  covenant,  or  an  abstract  rule  of  righteousness, 
as  contradistitjct  from  the  gospel,  there  arc  no  works  done  by 
men  that  can  be  called  good  works;  for  "  there  is  none  that 
doth  good"  (in  this  respect,)  "  no  not  one:  In  many  things  we 
olFend  all."  The  most  blameless  and  perfect  actions  of  the 
most  consummate  believer  that  ever  drew  breath  in  God's  air, 
while  in  this  state  of  sin  and  imperfection,  cannot  perform  a 
work  legally  good,  because  of  the  mixture  of  sin  that  attends 
his  best  performances.  And  hence  it  is,  that  we  find  the  saints 
in  scripture  owning,  that  they  could  not  stand,  if  God  should 
mark  iniquiiij ;  that  all  their  righteous?iess  is  as  filthy  rags ; 
that  their  guod/iess  exiendcth  not  to  him.  O  sirs,  if  God  should 
"  lay  judgment  to  the  line,  and  righteousness  to  the  plummet," 
we,  and  all  our  good  woiks,  would  be  for  ever  rejected,  like 
rcprotiale  silver.  And  therefore  we  have  little  reason  to  think 
or  imagine,  that  God  is  a  debtor  to  us  for  any  thing  we  do, 
or  that  our  good  works  do  procure  the  favour  of  God,  his  ac- 
ceptance, or  a  title  to  life.  But  our  works  are  called  good 
7L-orks,  as  having  a  respect  to  the  law,  considered  as  a  rule  of 
duty,  in  the  sweet  hand  of  a  Mediator,  lie  makes  his  "yoke 
easy,  and  his  burden  light,"  to  his  people,  by  accepting  of 
their  weak  etfoils  and  endeavours,  through  his  perfect  obe- 
dience anil  satisfaction,  as  good,  though  attended  with  mani- 
fold imperfections.  Now,  to  constitute  an  action  good  in  an 
evangelical  sense,  there  are  several  things  re([uisite: — 

1.  To  make  a  work  a  good  work,  it  must  be  done  by  a 
good  and  holy  person,  renewed  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and 
justified  by  his  merit.  It  is  beyond  all  dispute  and  controversy, 
that  the  person  must  first  be  accepted  of  God,  and  reconciled 
to  him  in  Christ,  before  the  work  can  be  accepted.  Abel's 
|)erson  was  accepted  of  God,  and  then  his  ollering.  And 
lience  it  is,  that  "  the  saci'ilices  of  the  wicked"  are  said  (o  be 
"  an  abomination  to  the  Lord."  The  very  "  ploughini;  of  the 
wicked  is  sin."  The  matter  is  this:  (Jod  is  angry  with  their 
persons,  and  he  hates  and  loathes  them  while  out  of  Christ; 
and  therefore  nothing  that  conies  fiom  them,  or  that  is  done 
by  them,  can  be  acceptable.  And  therefore,  I  say,  to  make 
works  good  and  acceptable  to  God,  they  must  be  done  by  a 
[)erson  that  is  in  a  gracious  and  reconciled  state. 

2.  To  make  a  work  a  good  work,  it  must  be  a  thing  re- 
(juired  and  called  for  by  the  law  of  God.     The  reason  of  this 

10* 


186  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [SEK. 

is  plain,  because  it  is  God's  will  that  makes  any  thing  sin  or 
duty;  and  if  it  be  not  agreeable  to  his  revealed  will,  he  may 
say  unto  us,  "  Who  hath  required  this  at  your  hand'?^"  Hence 
Christ  taxes  the  Pharisees,  sayinji;,  "  In  vain  do  they  worship 
me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men."  And 
therefore,  if  you  would  do  any  work  acceptable  to  God,  you 
must  take  care,  that  the  thing  you  do  be  required  and  com- 
manded of  God.  Indeed,  Ih^re  are  some  actions  that  are  of 
an  indifferent  nature;  that  is,  God  has  left  men  at  a  perfect 
liberty,  whether  to  do  them  or  not.  But  then  it  should  be 
remembered,  that  these  actions,  in  the  case  of  offence  or  edi- 
fication, cease  to  be  indifferent,  and  fall  under  some  com- 
mandment of  the  moral  law.  In  which  case  Paul  says,  (1 
Cor.  viii.  13,)  "If  meat  make  my  brother  to  offend,  I  will  eat 
no  flesh  while  the  world  standoth."  It  was  a  thing  indiffe^ 
rent,  whether  Paul  did  eat  flesh  or  not ;  but  when  offence  was 
like  to  follow  his  eating,  he  would  abstain  from  it  as  much 
as  though  it  were  expressly  forbidden  in  the  law  of  God,  be- 
cause, in  that  case,  it  became  a  breach  of  the  law  of  love  and 
charity. 

3.  To  make  a  work  a  good  work,  it  must  be  done  out  of  a 
right  principle.  It  must  be  done  out  of  a  principle  of  faith, 
as  was  already  hinted;  for  no  work  can  be  ficceptable  with- 
out this,  Heb.  xi.  6.  And  there  is  a  twofold  faith  requisite 
in  a  good  action.  (1.)  A  general  faith  of  persuasion,  that  the 
thing  we  do  may  be  done  lawfully.  And  of  this  the  a[)ostle 
speaks  when  he  says,  "  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin," 
Rom.  xiv.  23.  And,  (2.)  A  particular  justifying  faith,  be- 
lieving the  acceptance  of  what  we  do,  only  through  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  his  merit  and  mediation.  Again  ;  a  good 
work  must  be  done  out  of  regard  to  the  authority  of  God 
commanding:  and  that  not  simply  with  a  respect  to  the  au- 
thority of  a  God  Creator;  for  thus  a  Heathen,  or  a  Maho- 
metan, may  obey  God,  and  do  good  actions;  but  out  of  a  re- 
spect to  the  authority  of  a  God  in  Christ.  We  must  eye 
the  authority  of  the  Creator  in  our  obedience,  as  coming  in 
this  blessed  channel,  otherwise  it  is  not  a  true  Christian  obe- 
dience :  for  we  Christians  are  "  under  the  law  to  Christ ;"  and 
when  we  are  so,  we  are  "not  without  law  to  God,"  seeing 
God  hath  commanded  us  to  "  hear  his  voice,"  and  to  "  obey 
him,"  as  our  "Lord,  King,"  and  "Lawgiver."  And  "what- 
soever we  do  in  word  or  deed,"  we  are  to  "  do  all  in  the  name" 
and  authority  "of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  glory  of  God 
by  him."  And,  fartlier,  good  works  must  be  done  with  sim- 
plicity and  godly  sincerity,  avoiding  hypocritical  and  Phari- 
saical ostentation  in  the  discharge  of  duty  :  for  "  his  soul  which 
is  lifted  up,  is  not  upright  in  him,"  Hab.  ii.  4. 


VIII.]  OF  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  187 

4.  To  make  a  work  a  good  work,  it  must  be  done  to  a 
right  end.  It  must  be  done  to  the  glory  and  honour  of  God, 
this  being  the  principal  and  ultimate  end  of  our  being,  accord- 
ing to  that  direction  of  the  apostle;  1  Cor.  x.  31  :  "  Whether 
ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of 
God."  It  must  be  done  as  a  declaration  of  our  gratitude  to 
God  for  redeeming  love.  We  are  "bought  with  a  price;" 
therefore  we  are  to  "  glorify  him  in  our  bodies  and  spirits, 
which  are  his."  They  must  be  done,  also,  with  a  view  to 
the  editication  of  others,  Matth.  v.  IG.  But  these,  and  many 
other  things  to  this  purpose,  will  fall  in  to  be  spoken  to  more 
particularly,  when  we  come  to  the  fourth  general  head  pro- 
posed in  the  prosecution  of  the  doctrine. 

Secondli/,  1  come  to  inquire  what  may  be  the  import  of  that 
phrase  of  being  careful  to  mainlain  good  iiorks?  To  this  I  an- 
swer briefly  in  the  following  particulates. 

1.  It  implies  a  diligent  attendance  to  the  rule  of  the  word; 
according  to  that  of  David,  Psal.  cxix.  9:  "Whci'ewith  shall 
a  young  man  cleanse  his  way?  by  taking;  heed  thereto  ac- 
cordinii  to  thy  word."  The  man  makes  God's  statutes  "  the 
man  ofiiis  counsel."  And  when  he  is  called  to  this  or  that 
piece  of  service,  he  takes  advice  of  his  counsellors,  whether 
he  may  do  or  forbear.  They  are  "  a  lamp  unto  his  feet,  and 
a  light  unto  his  path."  As  Israel  looked  to  the  pillar  of 
cloud,  and  of  fire,  in  all  their  motions  and  travels,  for  direc- 
tion through  the  wilderness;  so  the  gracious  soul  looks  to  the 
law  or  testimony  in  every  step  of  his  way  towards  the  Canaan 
that  is  above. 

2.  It  implies  an  anxiety  or  solicitude  of  soul,  to  have  his 
actions  managed  and  ordered  acconling  to  that  rule.  It  is 
the  very  desire  of  his  soul,  to  be  found  in  the  Lord's  way;  as 
it  was  with  David,  Psal.  cxix.  5:  "O  that  my  ways  were  di- 
rected to  keep  thy  statutes!"  He  desires  not  only  to  have  his 
outward  walk,  but  the  inward  frame  of  his  very  soul,  all  the 
thoughts  of  it,  moulded  in  an  aKrceablcncss  to  the  law  of 
God:  Psal.  cxix.  80:  "Let  my  heart  be  sound  in  thy  sta- 
tutes ;  that  I  be  not  ashamed."  Such  is  his  concern  for 
this,  that  he  lays  up  the  law  of  God  in  the  very  ral)inet  of 
his  heart,  as  an  antidote  against  sin:  Psal.  cxix.  11:  "Thy 
word  have  I  hid  in  mine  heart,  that  I  might  not  sin  against 
thee." 

3.  It  implies  a  holy  watchfulness  against  all  the  tempta- 
tions, motions,  or  occavions  of  sin,  either  in  thought,  word,  or 
action.  "I  said,  I  will  lakt-  heed  to 'my  ways,"  says  David. 
The  man  sets  a  watch  over  his  heart,  according  to  that  com- 
mand, "Keep  thy  heart  with  all  diligence:  for  out  of  it  are 
the  issues  of  life."    He  sets  a  watch  over  his  eyes,  and  makes 


188  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [SER. 

a  covenant  with  them ;  and  over  his  lips,  lest  sin  should  either 
enter,  or  go  forth  by  that  door. 

4.  It  implies  an  embracing  of  every  opportunity  for  doing 
good  works  that  God  puts  into  his  hands,  and  improving  the 
same.  When  God  puts  the  opportunity  or  talent  in  his 
hand,  he  studies  to  lay  it  out  for  the  Master's  use,  and  his 
own  and  others'  profit  and  advantage;  according  to  that  di- 
rection of  Solomon,  "  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do 
it  with  thy  might." 

5.  It  implies  a  going  on,  or  progress  in  the  duties  of  obe- 
dience, without  returning  back  again  to  the  old  trade  of  sin. 
The  Christian  is  not  like  the  "dog  returning  to  his  vomit," 
or  "  the  sow  that  was  washed  to  wallow  in  the  mire ;"  no, 
but  "  the  righteous  hokleth  on  his  way  ;"  he  "  maintains  good 
works ;"  he  "  waxes  stronger  and  stronger  ;"  he  "  forgets  the 
things  that  are  behind,  and  reacheth  forth  unto  things  that 
are  before." 

6.  The  word  here,  as  I  hinted  in  the  explication,  implies 
an  exciting  or  influencing  of  others  to  the  study  of  good  works. 
The  word,  as  I  said,  is  borrowed  from  captains  or  command- 
ers, who  go  in  front  of  the  battle,  encouraging  the  soldiers  of 
the  army  to  follow  their  example.  The  believer  studies  to 
exhibit  a  good  copy,  and  to  recommend  holiness  and  good 
works  to  others,  by  his  practice ;  so  that  others,  seeing  his 
good  works,  may  be  encouraged  to  do  the  like. 

7.  Lastly,  This  maintaining  of  good  works  must  needs  de- 
pend upon  doing  all  by  faith,  and  improving  the  strength  of 
Christ:  "I  will  go  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God:  I  will 
make  mention  of  thy  righteousness,  even  of  thine  only."  But 
this  leads  me  to  the  second  general  head. 

II.  The  second  general  thing  proposed  in  the  method,  was, 
to  give  some  account  of  this  believing  in  God,  zchich  is  given  as 
the  character  of  those  rcho  moi7itai?i  good  7cor/cs.  Here  I  would, 
1.  Show  what  believing  in  God  implies.  2.  Give  some  of  the 
qualities  of  this  believing.  3.  Show  the  influence  that  it  has 
upon  good  works. 

First,  What  believing  in  God  imports. 

1.  It  imports  the  knowledge  of  God,  in  a  suitableness  to 
the  revelation  which  he  has  made  of  himself  to  us,  through 
Christ,  in  the  gospel.  I  own,  that  the  very  Heathens  may 
know  his  eternal  power,  by  the  things  that  are  seen;  but 
there  is  no  saving  knowledge  of  God  by  a  guilty  sinner,  but 
as  he  is  in  Christ:  2  Cor.  iv.  6:  "God,  who  commanded  the 
light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to 
give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ."  And  whatever  fine  notions  or  specu- 
lations people  may  have  of  God,  and  of  his  excellencies,  as 


via.]  OF  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  189 

discoverable  in  the  works  of  creation  and  providence  ;  yet,  if 
their  notions  of  him  be  not  regulated  by  the  gospel-revelation, 
and  if  this  revelation  of  a  God  in  Christ  be  not  opened  by  the 
Spirit  of  wisdom,  rending  the  veil  of  ignorance  and  unbelief 
that  is  upon  the  mind  by  nature,  (here  can  be  no  saving,  satis- 
fying, or  sanctifying  knowledge  of  God,  and  consequently  no 
true  faith,  or  believing.  Indeed,  a  rational  knowledge  may 
produce  a  rational  faith,  and  an  historical  knowledge  may  pro- 
duce an  historical  faith ;  but  it  is  only  a  saving  illumination 
of  (he  mind  with  the  knowledge  of  a  God  in  Christ,  recon- 
ciling the  world  to  himself,  that  can  produce  a  saving  faith. 
And  this  knowledge  is  so  essential  to  faith,  or  believing,  that 
we  find  it  frequently  in  scripture  called  by  the  name  of  know- 
ledge :  "  I  will  give  them  a  heart  (o  know  me,  that  I  am  the 
Lord.  By  his  knowledge  shall  my  righteous  servant  justify 
many.  This  is  life  eternal,  to  know  thee  the  only  true  God, 
and  Josus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent." 

2.  To  believe  in  God,  implies  a  firm  and  steady  assent 
to  the  truth  and  veracity  of  God  speaking  in  his  word.  It 
is  to  believe  and  credit  what  he  says,  on  his  own  testimony. 
This  is  called  a  "  receiving  the  record  of  God,  a  setting  to 
the  seal  (hat  God  is  true,  a  believing  of  (he  report  of  the  gos- 
pel." When  the  man  hears  "  the  word  of  the  (ruth  of  the 
gospel,"  he  is  ready  to  cry  out,  with  (he  apostle,  "  It  is  a  faith- 
ful saying."  This  word  is  established  in  the  heavens;  yea, 
"heaven  and  ciirth  shall  pass  away,"  but  this  word  of  God 
"endureth  for  ever." 

3.  To  believe  in  God,  is  to  trust  that  this  word  of  a  recon- 
ciled God  in  Christ  is  not  only  true  in  the  general,  but  that  it 
shall  be  true  to  me  in  particular,  that  it  shall  be  made  good 
to  me.  He  takes  up  God  in  Christ  as  a  promising  God,  pro- 
mising peace  and  paidon,  grace  and  glory,  in  Christ;  and  he 
takes  up  the  promise,  as  coming  to  him  in  the  ofler  of  the  gos- 
pel, as  the  immediate  ground  and  foiuidation  of  his  faith  :  Acts 
ii.  3!) :  "The  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  children,  and 
to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God 
shall  call."  Now,  1  say,  the  man  taking  up  the  word  of  grace 
and  promise  in  this  way,  trusts  the  promiser  for  (he  [)erform- 
ing  thereof  to  his  own  soul :  he  lakes  it  as  a  sufficient  secu- 
rity for  all  promised  good,  saying.  Here  is  my  "  substance: 
This  is  all  my  salvation."  Hence  faith  acted  upon  the  pro- 
mise of  God  is  called  "the  substance  of  (hings  hoped  for,  the 
evidence  of  things  not  seen,"  Heb.  xi.  1.  And  this  is  what 
many  notable  divines,  both  abroad  and  at  home,  call  the  as- 
surance of  faith,  or  the  appropriating  persuasion  of  faith  ;  be- 
cause there  is  not  only  a  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  the  pro- 
mise, but  a   persuasion  of  it,  with  application   and  appro- 


190  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [SER. 

priation  of  it  to  the  man  himself  in  particular.  And  this  is 
all  I  say  at  present  about  the  ingredients  of  faith  in  God.  I 
come, 

Secondly,  To  give  some  of  the  properties  and  qualities  of  it. 
And  there  are  these  few  following  that  I  mention: — 

1.  It  is  a  staying,  quieting,  or  composing  grace.  Tt  will 
settle  the  mind  under  the  greatest  storms  and  disorders :  Is. 
xxvi,  3:  "Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace,  whose  mind 
is  stayed  on  thee."  Hence  the  believer,  under  clouds  of  de- 
sertion, temptation,  and  affliction,  is  directed  to  "  trust  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  upon  his  God,"  Is.  1.  10. 

2.  It  is  a  receptive  or  a  taking  grace.  It  gives  nothing  to 
God,  as  other  graces  do;  but  only  takes  or  receives  from  the 
Lord:  it  does  not  come  to  2;ive,  but  to  get.  Hence  it  is  expressed 
by  a  taking;  Rev.  xxii.  17:  "Whosoever  will,  let  him  take 
the  water  of  life  freely;"  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  a  re- 
ceivi?ig,  John  i.  12:  "But  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them 
gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that 
believe  on  his  name.  Faith  is,  in  scripture,  sometimes  com- 
pared to  the  eye:  "Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the 
ends  of  the  earth,"  Is.  xlv.  22 :  You  know  the  eye,  when  it 
beholds  external  objects,  does  not  give  any  tiling  to  what  it 
beholds,  but  only  takes  in  the  image  or  impression  of  what  it 
sees,  and  conveys  that  to  the  mind  :  so,  faith  does  not  add  or 
give  any  thing  to  God ;  it  only  beholds  him,  and  the  discove- 
ries he  has  made  of  his  grace,  and  glory,  and  love,  and  faith- 
fulness, in  Christ,  and  impresses  the  soul  with  them.  Hence 
we,  by  "  beholding  his  glory  as  in  a  glass,"  are  said  to  be 
"changed  into  the  same  image,"  2  Cor.  iii.  18. 

3.  Although  it  be  only  a  receptive  grace  with  respect  to 
its  object,  yet,  where  implanted,  it  is  a  mighty  operative  grace 
with  respect  to  its  subject:  for,  as  you  may  hear  afterward, 
it  influences  every  good  word  and  work;  and  therefore  all 
true  obedience  is  called  "the  obedience  of  faith."  So  that 
an  idle  or  inactive  faith  is  but  dead,  like  the  body  without 
the  soul. 

4.  It  is  a  radical  or  rooting  grace.  It  roots  the  soul,  as  it 
were,  in  the  root  of  Jesse,  the  plant  of  renown.  And  itself  is 
the  root  of  the  other  graces  of  the  Spirit,  by  which  they  are 
made  to  grow  and  blossom.  As  th,e  tree  strikes  its  roots  into 
the  ground,  and  from  thence  draws  fatness,  sap,  and  moisture, 
conveying  a  digested  nourishment  to  the  several  branches,  by 
which  they  are  made  to  bud  and  flourish,  and  bring  forth 
fruit;  so,  faith  ingrafts  and  unites  the  soul  to  Christ,  de 
riving  spiritual  sap,  and  moisture,  and  fatness,  by  which  every 
other  habit  of  grace  is  drawn  forth  to  a  lively  exercise. 

5. 'It  is  a  most  humble  and  lowly  grace.     It  carries  the 


i 


VIII.]  OF  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  191 

man  quite  out  of  himself  into  Christ  for  all.  Hence  it  is  called 
a  "submitting  unto  (he  righteousness  of  God,"  Rom.  x.  3.  A 
very  strange  expression  !  Shall  it  he  reckoned  submission  for 
a  condemned  criminal  to  receive  n  pardon  ?  Is  it  submission 
for  a  naked  beggar  to  receive  a  rol)e  ?  Yet  thus  it  is:  the 
pride  of  our  hearts  will  not  stoop  so  low,  as  to  be  obliged  to 
the  Son  of  God  for  righteousness,  pardon,  and  life.  And  this 
is  the  very  thing  that  makes  faith,  or  believing,  so  ditticult. 
What  difficulty  is  there  for  a  naked  man  to  receive  a  gar- 
ment to  cover  him?  What  difficulty  for  a  poor  man  to  re- 
ceive a  gift?  What  difficulty  for  a  weary  man  to  sit  down 
and  rest?  But  the  thing  that  makes  this  difficult  is,  the  pride 
of  our  hearts,  together  with  our  ignorance  both  of  our  malady 
and  remedy.  Now,  I  say,  faith  breaks  the  pride  of  the  heart, 
and  submits,  or  lies  down,  as  it  were,  at  the  foot  of  sovereign 
grace,  heartily  content  to  be  indebtcxl  to  Christ  for  all.  The 
man  is  content  to  be  a  fool,  that  Christ  may  be  his  wisdom; 
content  to  be  a  criminal,  in  the  eyts  of  law,  and  justice,  and 
conscience,  that  Christ  may  be  his  righfeousness ;  content  to 
own  himself  a  polluted  filthy  siinicr,  that  in  him  he  may  be 
sanctified ;  content  to  own  himself  a  slave,  that  he  may  be  a 
free  man  in  Christ  and  share  of  his  rcdrmplio7u  This  is  true 
gospel-humility,  indeed,  and  what  the  high  and  lofty  One  re- 
gards: Is.  Ivii.  15:  "Thussaith  the  high  and  lofty  One  that 
inhabitcth  eternity, — I  dwell  with  him  that  is  of  a  contrite 
and  humble  spirit."  "Though  God  be  high,  yet  hath  he_  re- 
gard to  such  as  are"  thus  "lowly." 

(»»  It  is  ,'m  elevating  and  ennobling  grace.  Though  it  be 
an  humbling  grace,  yet  it  is  a  most  exalting  grace  ;  it  elevates 
the  soul  above  this  lower  world,  it  looks  down  on  it  as  a 
dunghill,  and  mounts  up  with  wings  toward  the  land  that  is 
very  far  oil';  it  enters  within  the  veil,  and  takes  a  view  of 
things  invisible,  and  particularly  of  an  unseen  Christ,  and 
lriuni[)hs  in  him:  "Whom  having  not  seen,  we  love;  in 
whom,  though  now  we  f^ee  him  not,  yet  believing,  we  rejoice 
with  joy  uiispciakable,  and  full  of  glory."  It  mounts  so  liigh, 
that  it  will  even  dare  to  sit  down  upon  the  thioiu;  with  Christ 
in  glorv  :  hence  we  are  said  to  "sit  together  with  him"  by 
faith  "  in  heavenly  places," 

7.  It  is  a  cheering  and  a  comforting  crace.  We  are  "  filled 
with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing.  1  had  fainted,"  says  Da- 
vid, "  unless  I  had  believed." 

H.  It  is  a  bold  and  confident  grace.  Hence  we  read  fre- 
quently of  the  "  hold/ifsf!  offtiilh"  and  the  "  assi/ra?ici'  of  faith,'' 
Hcb.  iv.  10;  Ileh.  x.  2*2.  It  is  disputed  at  (his  day,  whether 
assurance  be  of  the  essence  of  faith.  1  incline  not  to  call  it 
by  the  name  of  assurance,  because  some  cavil  at  that  word;  but 


192  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [sER. 

I  choose  rather  to  call  it  by  the  name  of  the  certainly  of  faiths 
I  do  not  design  to  enter  much  upon  that  controversy  at  pre- 
sent :  all  I  say  of  it  is  only  this ;  that  there  cannot  miss  to  be 
a  certainty  in  faith,  because  doubts  and  fears  vanish  before 
it.  "  Why  are  ye  fearful,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ?"  How  faith 
can  fill  the  soul  with  "joy  and  peace,"  yea,  with  "joy  un- 
speakable, and  full  of  glory,"  if  it  have  no  certainty  in  it  as 
to  these  things  in  which  it  rejoices,  is  what  I  think  no  man 
is  able  to  account  for.  How  a  man  can  rest  on  Christ,  and 
apply  him  and  his  salvation  to  himself  in  particular,  and  yet 
not  believe  "  that  he  shall  be  saved  through  the  grace  of 
Christ,"  to  me  appears  a  paradox.  I  do  not  say,  that  faith 
excludes  doubts  out  of  the  believer;  but  I  say,  that  faith  ex- 
cludes doubting  out  of  its  own  nature.  Light  excludes  dark- 
ness out  of  its  nature ;  and  yet  there  may  be  much  darkness 
in  a  room  where  there  is  some  light.  Certainty  may  be  of 
the  nature  of  faith,  although  there  be  much  darkness  and 
doubting  in  the  believer,  through  the  prevalence  of  ignorance 
and  unbelief  that  remains  in  him,  and  will  remain,  while  he 
is  clogged  with  a  body  of  death.  So,  in  like  manner,  love 
excludes  enmity  out  of  the  nature  of  it;  and  yet,  in  the  be- 
liever, who  loves  Christ,,  there  is  much  remaining  enmity, 
by  which  his  love  is  exceedingly  weakened :  so  the  certainty 
of  faith  is  weakened  through  the  remaining  unbelief  that  is 
still  in  the  believer's  heart.  But  now  here  it  would  be  re- 
membered, that,  although  there  be  a  certainty  in  the  nature 
of  faith,  a  certainty  of  trust,  rest,  or  confidence  in  God, 
grounded  on  his  promise  in  Christ ;  yet  there  is  a  great  diffe- 
rence betwixt  this  certainty-of  faith,  and  the  certainty  or  as- 
surance of  sense  or  reflection,  which  some  call  «a  discursive 
assurance :  for  the  certainty  of  sense  is  built  upon  the  soul's 
own  experience  or  feeling ;  but  the  certainty  of  faith  is  built 
on  the  promise,  and  Christ  in  the  promise.  The  first  sort  of 
assurance  is  not  at  all  in  the  nature  of  faith;  but  the  last  sort 
of  assurance  or  certainty,  is  what  is,  and  has  been  owned,  by 
all  the  stream  of  reformed  divines,  both  at  home  and  abroad, 
ever  since  our  happy  reformation  from  Popeiy.  I  shall  only 
add  here,  that  the  difference  betwixt  the  certainty  of  fjiith 
and  of  sense,  is  very  evident  and  obvious ;  for  the  one  has  a 
respect  to  what  the  soul  feels  and  sees  at  present  before  it ; 
but  the  other,  to  wit,  the  certainty  of  faith,  has  a  respect  to 
things  pi'omisecl,  which  are  not  seen  or  felt  otherwise  but  as 
they  lie  in  the  womb  of  the  promise,  and  in  the  veracity  of  ^ 
the  promisor.  To  give  you  a  few  instances :  By  the  cer- 
tainty of  faith,  Moses,  and  the  believing  Israclities,  knew,  be- 
fore they  came  out  of  Egypt,  that  they  would  have  a  passage 
through  the  Red  sea  as  through  dry  land ;  but,  by  the  cer- 


VIII.]  OP  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  193 

tainty  of  sense,  they  knew  it,  wlicn  they  saw  the  waters  file 
ofi  on  every  hand,  making  a  lane  for  Israel  to  pass  on.  By 
faith  acted  on  God's  promise,  they  knew  that  the  walls  of 
Jericho  would  fall  down  at  the  sounding  of  rams'  horns;  but, 
by  the  certainty  of  sense,  they  knew  it,  when  they  saw  them 
actually  fall  ilat  before  them.  By  the  assurance  of  faith  Abra- 
ham believed,  without  staggering,  that  he  should  have  a  son, 
because  God  had  promised  it;  but,  by  the  assurance  of  sense, 
he  knew  it,  when  he  got  Js^aac  in  his  arms.  By  the  assurance 
of  faith,  Abraham,  and  the  Old  Testament  worthies,  believed 
that  the  Messiah  was  to  come  in  the  fulness  of  time ;  but,  by 
tlie  assurance  of  sense,  John  the  Baplist,  and  others,  knew  it, 
when  they  saw  him  manifested  in  the  flesh,  and  beheld  his 
glory,  saying,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world."  By  the  certainty  of  faith,  we  under 
the  New  Testament  are  persuaded  and  assured,  that  Christ 
is  to  come  again  the  second  time ;  but,  by  the  certainty  of 
sense,  we  shall  know  it,  when  we  shall  see  him  descend  from 
heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and 
trump  of  God.  By  faith  we  arc  assured  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  and  of  our  own  resurrection  in  particular;  but, 
by  sense,  we  shall  be  assured  of  it  at  that  day,  when  the 
voice  shall  be  heard,  commanding  the  sea  to  give  up  its  dead, 
and  the  earth  to  give  up  its  dead.  Thus,  I  say,  there  is  a 
great  and  visible  difference  between  the  certainty  of  faith, 
and  the  certainty  of  sense.  By  faith  acted  upon  the  promise, 
I  believe  the  remission  of  sins,  and  of  my  sins,  through  Christ ; 
but,  by  the  certainty  of  sense,  1  am  assured  of  this,  when  God 
by  his  Spirit  seals  his  pardon  on  my  soul  with  a  sensible  smile 
of  his  countenance.  By  faith  I  believe  God  to  be  my  God, 
because  he  has  said  it  in  the  covenant,  "  I  will  be  their  God;" 
but,  by  the  certainty  of  sense,  I  believe  this,  when  he  reveals 
and  manifests  himself  to  my  soul.  By  faith,  grounded  on  the 
promise  of  eternal  life  in  Christ,  I  believe  my  own  salvation 
in  f)articular;  but,  by  the  cerlainty  of  sense,  I  believe,  be- 
cause I  have  believed,  or  because  (lod  has  discovered  him- 
self to  be  a  saving  God  to  me,  by  the  operation  of  his  Spirit 
upon  my  soul.  So,  I  say,  faith  is  a  bold  and  confident  grace; 
it  intermeddles  with,  applies,  and  appropriates,  and  makes 
use  of  the  goods  of  the  testament  of  Christ  as  its  own,  the 
testament  being  confirmed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  ;  and  this 
testament  it  not  only  pleads,  but  rejoices  in.  The  language 
of  faith  is  not  properlv,  Mai/  he,  or,  Perachcnlure  it  shall  be  so ; 
though  I  grant  that  a  weak  faith  may  many  times  lurk  un- 
der a  may  be :  but,  I  say,  let  faith  be  stripped  of  its  incum- 
brances, or  of  those  things  that  are  opposite  to  its  nature;  let 
it  but  get  a  full  view  of  the  promise,  and  faithfulness  of  the 

VOL.  I.  17 


194  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [sER* 

promiser,  it  will  set  its  foot  on  unbelief,  and  all  discourage- 
ments, saying.  It  shall  be,  because  God  hath  said  it.  Thus 
you  see  faith  expresses  itself  ;Mic.  vii.  7 — 10:  I  will  look  unto 
the  Lord :  I  will  wait  for  the  God  of  my  salvation :  my  God 
will  hear  me."  And  ver.  8:  "When  I  fall,  I  shall  arise; 
when  I  sit  in  darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a  light  unto  me." 
And,  ver.  9,  at  the  close :  "  He  will  bring  me  forth  to  the 
light,  and  I  shall  behold  his  righteousness." 

9.  It  is  a  very  quick-sighted  grace.  It  can  see  relief  coming 
to  the  soul  at  a  vast  distance,  saying, "  I  shall  see  the  good- 
ness of  the  Lordin  the  land  of  the  living."  It  can  look  through 
frowning  dispensations,  and  see  love  in  the  heart  of  God. 

10.  It  is  a  strengthening  and  establishing  grace :  "  Except 
ye  believe,  ye  shall  not  be  established."  It  is  by  faith  that 
we  are  "  strengthened  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 
Faith,  in  a  manner,  wields  the  very  arm' of  Omnipotence,  and 
cries  with  Paul,  "  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which 
strengtheneth  me." 

To  conclude,  faith  is  a  patient  grace ;  it  waits  on  the  Lord 
till  his  time  come  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  promise.  Un- 
belief is  hasty :  "1  said,  in  my  haste,  All  men  are  liars :  but  he 
that  believeth,  shall  not  make  haste."  Its  language  is,  "  I  will 
look  unto  the  Lord:  I  will  wait  for  the  God  of  my  salvation. 
— The  vision  is  for  an  appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall 
speak,  and  not  lie :  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it,  because  it 
will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry." 

Thirdly,  I  now  proceed  to  inquire  what  influence  this  faith 
has  upon  good  works?  Answ.  There  are  several  things  that 
are  inlaid  with  the  very  nature  and  exercise  of  faith,  which 
cannot  miss  to  influence,  holiness  and  good  works.     As, 

1.  True  faith  unites  the  soul  to  Christ,  who  is  the  very 
root  and  fountain  of  all  holiness.  "From  me,"  saith  the 
Lord,  "is  thy  fruit  found. — Except  ye  abide  in  me,  and  I  in 
you,"  to  wit,  by  faith,  "  ye  cannot  bring  forth  much  fruit." 
Indeed,  a  person  in  a  stale  of  nature  may  bring  forth  many 
fruits  that  are  morally  and  materially  good;  but,  without 
union  with  Christ,  we  can  do  no  work  that  is  spiritually  good 
and  acceptable;  for,  "as  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  it- 
self, except  it  abide  in  the  vine ;  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye 
abide  in  me."  We  may  as  well  "  gather  grapes  of  thorns, 
or  figs  of  thistles,"  as  expect  works  that  are  spiritually  good 
from  a  person  out  of  Christ.  Why  1  The  reason  of  it  is  plain  : 
his  "root"  is  but  "rottenness,"  while  he  grows  upon  the  old 
Adam:  and  therefore  his  "blossom  shall  go  up  as  dust." 
While  a  man  is  growing  upon  the  old  Adam,  he  is  married 
to  the  kiw  as  a  covenant;  and  therefore  all  his  works  are 
but  dead  works :  and  can  ever  dead  works  be  acceptable  to 


VIII.]  OP  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  195 

the  living  God  ?  We  must  be  "  dead  to  the  law  by  the  body 
of  Christ,"  and  "married"  to  that  better  husband,  before  we 
can  "  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God,"  Rom.  vii.  4. 

2.  Faith  works  by  love;  and  "  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law."  Love  to  God  in  Christ  is  the  next  and  immediate  fruit 
of  true  and  saving  faith.  Now,  the  heart  being  oiled  with 
the  love  of  God  in  Christ,  this  makes  the  man  to  abound  in 
good  works :  "  The  love  of  Christ  constrains  us,"  says  the 
apostle.  Love  makes  a  man  to  keep  God's  commandments. 
Love  will  make  a  man  to  run  through  fire  and  water  for 
him.  "  Many  waters  cannot  quench  love,"  &c.  Cant.  viii. 
7.  "  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?"  Rom. 
viii.  35. 

3.  Faith  is  a  shield  to  quench  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan. 
When  tentptation  without,  and  corruption  within,  are  forming 
a  conspiracy  against  the  work  of  grace  in  the  soul,  by  which 
the  whole  work  is  eiulangcred,  then  faith  breaks  the  plot,  and 
countermines  it.  When  Adonijah's  conspiracy  had  carried 
the  whole  strength  of  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  it  was  broken 
by  making  application  to  David:  "  Ilast  thou  not  said,  that 
Solomon  shall  reign?"  So,  when  temptation  and  corruption 
have  carried  the  matter  to  a  great  height,  the  conspiracy  is 
broken  by  faith's  application  to  Christ :  O  Lord,  hast  thou 
not  said  that  grace  shall  reign,  and  that  "sin  shall  not  have 
dominion  over  me?"  And  thus  the  soul  is  made  to  go  on  its 
way,  "  rejoicing  to  work  righteousness." 

4-  Vmth  applies  the  promises  of  the  new  covenant  and 
fetches  grace  from  thence,  for  obeying  the  precepts  of  the 
law.  So  that  faith,  as  it  were,  travels  between  the  precept 
and  the  promise :  it  ca-rries  the  man  from  the  precept  to  the 
promise,  and  from  the  promise  to  the  precept.  As,  for  instance, 
when  the  law  says,  "Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength, 
and  with  all  thy  mind  ;"  faith  runs  to  the  promise,  where  God 
has  said,  "  I  will  circunicist!  their  hearts  to  love  me."  When 
the  law  says,  "Thou  shalt  tear  the  J^ord  thv  God,  and  make 
him  thy  dread;"  faith,  in  that  case,  runs  to  the  promise  for  the 
grace  of  fear:  "I  will  put  my  A-ar  in  their  hearts,  (hat  they 
shall  not  depart  from  me."  Does  the  law  say,  "  Thou  shalt 
know  the  Lord,"  and  acknowledge  him  for  "  thy  God?"  Well, 
faith  looks  to  the  promise,  •"  I  will  give  them  a  heart  to  know 
me,  that  I  am  the  Lord."  Does  the  law  oblige  us  to  "  keep 
all  his  commandments?''  Faith  runs  to  the  promise,  and  ap- 
plies it:  "  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to 
walk  in  my  statutes." 

."}.  Faith  has  an  innucnce  on  good  works,  as  it  beholds  the 
authority  of  a  God  in  Christ  interposed  in  every  command- 


196  THE  NECESSITV  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [SER. 

ment  of  the  law.  The  eye  of  natural  reason  may  see,  as  was 
hinted,  the  authority  of  a  God  Creator,  as  is  plain  in  the  case 
of  the  Heathens  ;  but  it  is  only  the  eye  of  that  faith,  which 
is  of  God's  operation,  that  can  behold  the  authority  of  a  God 
in  Christ,  and  receive  the  law  out  of  his  hands.  In  this  re- 
spect we  are  told,  "  that  no  man  can  call  Jesus  Lord,  but  by 
the  Holy  Ghost."  And  when  the  law  is'received  from  his 
mouth,  it  does  not  reflect  dishonour  upon  God  as  a  Creator. 
O!  when  a  God  in  Christ  is  viewed  by  faith,  the  soul  cannot 
but  cry  out,  "He  is  my  King  of  old,  working  salvation  in  the 
midst  of  the  earlh  ;  His  commandments  are  not  grievous;  His 
yoke  is  easy,  and  his  burden  is  light :"  for  I  see  it  no  more  a 
covenant  of  works  to  me,  but  a  rule  of  obedience,  sweetened 
with  redeeming  love  apd  grace.  Thus,  you  see  what  influence 
faith  has  upon  good  works. 

HI.  The  third  general  head  proposed  in  the  method  was, 
to  i?2quire  in  zvhaf  respect  good  works  are  projilable  to  men. 

But,  first,  I  would  show  you,  negatively,  in  what  respects 
they  are  not  profitable  to  men. 

1.  Then,  They  are  not  at  all  profitable  to  men  for  justification 
or  acceptance  before  God  :  for  "  by  the  works  of  the  law," 
says  the  apostle,  "shall  no  flesh  be  justified.  Our  justifica- 
tion and  acceptance,  both  as  to  our  persons  and  our  works,  go 
upon  quite  other  ground;  viz.  upon  the  everlasting  righteous- 
ness, the  obedience  and  death,  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  our  sure- 
ty, apprehended  by  faith.  It  is  in  him  "  that  all  the  seed  of 
Israel  shall  be  justified,  and  shall  glory."  Indeed,  the  gene- 
rality of  men,  that  are  trained  up  in  a  Protestant  country, 
will  tell  you,  that  they  do  not  expect  to  be  justified  by  their 
own  righteousness,  but  only  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  But 
alas  !  how  few  are  they  that  really  and  actually  submit  to 
this  righteousness!  There  is  a  cursed  bias  in  the  heart  of  man 
to  lean  to  something  in  himself  Is  not  this  the  language  of 
thy  heart  many  times?  O!  if  I  had  such  a  frame,  such  a  melt- 
ing heart,  such  love,  such  a  degree  of  humility  and  obedience, 
then  I  think  God  would  accept  of  me,  and  love  me,  on  that 
account.  But,  sirs,  let  me  tell  you,  that  it  is  not  on  account 
of  any.  thing  wrought  in  you,  or  done  by  you,  that  God  accepts 
of  you,  but  only  on  account  of  the  doing  and  dying  of  the  Son  of 
God.  I  may  say  to  all  legalists,  that  are  looking  for  acceptance 
wilh  God  on  the  ground  of  the  law,  and  their  own  obedience,  as 
the  prophet  Isaiah  says  to  a  set  of  men  in  his  day,  Is,  lix.  6: 
"  Their  webs  shall  not  become  garments,  neither  shall  they 
cover  themselves  with  their  works."  So,  then,  good  works  are 
not  at  all  profitable  to  righteousness  and  justification.  Hence, 
(Is.  Ivii.  12 :)  "  I  will  declare  thy  righteousness,  and  thy  works, 
for  they  shall  not  profit  thee." 


VIII. J  OF  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  197 

2.  Good  works  arc  not  at  all  profitable  to  found  a  claim  or 
title  to  heaven,  or  yet  to  any  blessing  and  naercy  promised 
in  the  whole  covenant  of  grace ;  tor  heaven,  and  all  the  bless- 
ings that  lie  on  this  side  of  it,  come  to  us  in  the  way  of  a  free 
gilt,  (jiod  gives  Christ,  his  unspeakable  gift,  and  with  him 
he  freely  gives  us  these  things :  The  gift  of  God  is  eternal 
life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  l^ord."  I  own,  indeed,  that  in 
God's  covenantof  promisethere  isa  connexion  and  orderestab- 
lished,  for  conferring  of  these  promised  blessings  to  us ;  so 
that  when  God  gives  one  thing,  it  is  a  pledge  of  another  thing 
coming ;  when  he  gives  grace,  to  be  sure  he  will  give  glory  ; 
when  he  gives  a  mourning  heart,  it  is  a  sign  that  comfort  is 
coming,  because  that  is  God's  method  atid  way,  "  to  give 
the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,  and  to  revive  the  heart  of  the 
humble."  But  though  the  tears  of  gospel-mourning  be  a 
sign  and  evidence  of  comfort  coming,  yet  they  are  not  the 
condition  for  which  God  bestows  comlbrt.  So  God  has  con- 
nected fuiih  and  salvation  together  in  the  covenant;  so  that 
"he  that  believeth,  shall  be  saved:"  but  it  is  not  our  faith 
that  entitles  us  to  salvation;  no,  but  faith  unites  the  soul  to 
Christ,  in  whom  we  recover 'our  right  to  the  forfeited  inhe- 
ritance. It  is  by  virtue  of  the  soul's  union  with  Christ  by 
faith,  that  it  is  entitled  to  all  the  promised  blessings.  Hence 
all  the  promises  are  said  to  be  "  in  him  yea,  and  in  him  amen." 
There  is  no  promise  in  the  Bible,  but  it  is  made  in  the  first 
instance  to  Christ  as  the  head,  and  in  him  to  the  members  of 
his  mystical  body.  Just  as  it  was  in  the  first  covenant,  to  wit, 
the  covenant  of  works;  the  promise  of  life,  upon  condition  of 
perfect  obedience,  was  made  directly  to  Adam  as  the  cove- 
nant head,  and,  in  him,  to  his  posterity:  so  in  the  new  cove- 
nant, of  which  Christ  is  the  head,  the  promise  of  life,  and 
every  thing  belonging  to  it,  is  first  made  to  him ;  and,  in  him, 
to  all  his  s|>iritual  seed  and  oflspring:  and  in  this  respect,  all 
the  promises  are  in  him  iji-a  and  amen.  Christ  is  the  first  heir 
of  all  thi/iffs;  and  the  title  of  the  younger  brethren  is  only 
ihrougli  him,  or  by  virtue  of  their  union  with  him.  Thus, 
good  works,  I  say,  are  not  prolitable  to  men,  in  order  to 
found  a  title  to  heaven  and  eternal  life. 

3.  As  our  good  works  are  not  profitable  to  men  in  any  of 
these  respects,  so  neither  are  they  profitable  to  (iod,  as 
though  he  had  any  advantage  by  them:  Job  xxii.  2,  3: 
"  Can  a  man  b(.'  profitable  to  (Jod,  as  he  that  is  wise  may  be 
prolitable  to  himself?  Is  it  any  pleasure  to  the  AIniiglity, 
that  thou  art  righteous?  or  is  it  gain  to  him,  that  thou 
makest  thy  ways  |)erfiH-t  ?"  Hence  David  acknowledges, 
that  "  his  goodness  extended  not  to  the  Lord."  Alas!  we 
are  ready  to  think,  that  God  is  much  indebted  to  us,  wlieij 

17*      • 


198  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS 

we  do  this  or  that.  Have  we  fasted  and  prayed,  mourned 
and  repented,  kept  the  Sabbath,  attended  ordinances,  and  per- 
formed this  or  the  other  duty ;  and  yet  will  not  God  be  pleased 
with  all?  No,  no;  do  not  mistake  it;  you  that  bring  these 
things  as  a  price  in  your  hands,  to  recommend  you  to  God, 
all  your  duties  are  but  like  the  cuttwg  off  of  a  clog's  neck,  and 
the  offering  of  swine's  blood  upon  his  altar.  And,  therefore, 
he  will  say  to  you,  as  he  said  to  Israel,  Is.  i.  1 1 :  "  To  what 
purpose  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacrifices  unto  me." 

But  now,  you  may  perhaps  say  to  me.  By  this  way  of 
speaking  you  make  good  works  profitable  for  nothing  at  all; 
What  strange  doctrine  is  this  1  I  answer,  although  they  be 
not  at  all  profitable  in  any  of  these  respects,  but  wholly  un- 
profitable and  pernicious ;  yet  good  works,  when  done  out  of 
a  principle  of  faith,  are  really  profitable  on  many  other  ac- 
counts.    As, 

1.  They  are  profitable,  as  they  are  the  fruits  and  evidences 
of  a  true  and  lively  faith:  Jam.  ii.  18:  "Yea,  a  man  may 
say,  Thou  hast  faith,  and  I  have  works :  show  me  thy  faith 
without  thy  works,  and  I  will  show  thee  my  faith  by  mj' 
works."  And,  ver.  22:  "  Secst  thou  how  faith  wrought  with 
his  works,  and  by  works  was  faith  made  perfect?"  From 
whence  it  is  plain,  that  works  arc  profitable,  as  the  fruits  and 
evidences  of  true  faith.  We  know  that  there  is  sap  and  life 
in  the  tree  by  the  fruits,  the  leaves,  and  blossom^,  that  it  puts 
forth ;  so  we  know  our  faith  to  be  a  true  faith,  by  the  fruits 
of  holiness  and  good  works.  Yea,  our  good  works  will  be 
brought  forth,  at  the  last  day,  as  the  evidence  of  our  faith ;  and 
therefore  it  is  said.  Rev.  xx.  12;  "They  were  judged  ac- 
cording to  their  works."  Works  are  not  a  ground  of  confi- 
dence, but  an  evidence ;  they  are  not  the  foundation  of  faith, 
but  the  fruits  of  it:  and  the  believer's  comfort  maybe  in- 
creased by  the  sight  of  good  works,  though  it  is  not  built  on 
them.  In  a  word,  they  manifest  our  claim  and  title  to  the 
crown,  but  do  not  at  all  procure  or  merit  the  same.  We  have 
peace  with  God,  and  with  conscience,  by  the  righteousness  of 
Christ ;  and  by  holiness,  or  good  works,  our  peace  of  con- 
science is  maintained  and  evidenced  to  us. 

2.  They  ai'e  profitable,  as  they  are  testimonies  and  evi- 
dences of  our  gratitude  to  God  for  the  wonders  of  his  grace 
and  love  manifested  in  and  by  Jesus  Christ.  Hence  says 
David,  Psal.  cxvi.  12,  13:  "What  shall  I  7-ender  unto  the 
Lord,  for  all  his  benefits  towards  me?  I  will  take  the  cup  of 
salvation,  and  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord."  1  Pet.  ii.  9 : 
"  Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  na- 
tion, a  peculiar  peop'e ;  that  ye  should  show  forth  the  praises 
of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvel- 


VIII.]  OF  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  199 

lous  light."  The  works  of  obedience,  are,  as  it  were,  thank- 
offerings  to  God  for  the  benclits  bestowed  on  us ;  and  when 
men  have  not  a  conversation  suitable  to  their  mercies,  they 
despise  the  goodness  of  God.  Hence  is  it  that  the  Lord 
complains  of  such,  saying,  "  Do  ye  thus  requite  the  Lord, 
O  foolish  people  and  unwise." 

3.  They  are  profitable  and  needful  for  strengthening  our 
.assurance:  1  Jolin  ii.  3  :  "  Hereby  we  do  know  that  we  know 
him,  if  we  keep  his  commandments."  And,  ver.  5:  "  Whoso 
keepctb  his  word,  in  him  verily  is  the  love  of  God  perfected: 
hereby  know  we  that  we  are  in  him."  2  Pet.  i.  5,  to  ver.  10. 
From  all  which  you  see,  that  assurance  is  strengthened  and 
confirmed  by  the  fruits  of  holiness  and  good  works.  We  read, 
that  "  the  Spirit  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are 
the  children  of  God :"  and  it  is  well,  when,  with  the  witness 
of  the  Spirit,  we  have  that  of  water,  that  is,  sanctification  and 
purity  of  heart  and  life. 

4.  They  are  profitable,  as  they  arc  edifying  to  others: 
Matth.  V.  16 :  "  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they 
may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is 
in  heaven."  Christ  docs  not  there  encourage  vain-glory  and 
boasting,  but  proposes  the  true  end  of  our  visible  or  external 
holiness,  namely  ;  that  others  may  have  matter  of  praise  to 
God  for  his  grace  abounding  toward  us;  and  that  they  may 
be  also  engaged  to  the  study  of  holiness  and  practical  religion 
by  our  example.  It  was  a  saying  of  Ilierom,  "  That  he  loved 
Christ,  dwelling  in  Austin."  We  ought  so  to  walk,  as  others 
may  love  Christ  dwelling  in  us.  It  is  an  exhortation  to  be- 
lieving wives,  1  Pet.  iii.  1,  so  to  walk,  that  their  husbands  may 
be  xcon  to  the  Lord.  So  that,  I  s.ay,  good  works  arc  edifying 
to  others. 

5.  They  are  profitable,  as  they  serve  to  adorn  the  profes- 
sion of  the  gospel :  I  Tim.  vi.  1  :  "  Let  as  many  servants  as 
are  imder  the  yoke,  count  their  own  masters  worthy  of  all 
honour;  that  the  name  of  God,  and  his  doctrine,  be  not  blas- 
phemed." Tit.  ii.  5,  9 — 12.  Thus,  they  serve  to  adorn  re- 
ligion. The  church  is  the  Lord's  garden;  and  you  know 
the  fruitfulness  of  the  trees  of  the  garden  serve  exceedingly 
tondornit;  whereas  barrenness,  or  bad  fruit,  is  a  disgrace, 
and  mak(!s  the  garden  to  be  ill-spoken  of  When  men,  pro- 
fessint;  trodlincss,  have  not  a  suitable  walk  and  conversation, 
it  makes  enemies  and  stran<j:ers  to  conclude,  that  all  religion 
is  but  a  fraud  or  cheat,  and  that  there  is  no  reality  in  it; 
whereas,  a  fruitful  conversation  stops  the  mouths  of  the  ene- 
mies of  religioti :  1  Pet.  ii.  15:  "So  is  the  will  of  God,  that 
with  well-doing  ye  may  put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  fool- 
ish men." 


200  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [sER. 

6.  They  are  profitable,  as  they  manifest  our  implantation 
or  ingrafting  into  Christ:  Eph.  ii.  10:  "We  are  his  work- 
manship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God 
hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them." 

7.  There  is  an  analogy  and  proportion  between  good  works 
and  glory :  Rom.  vi.  22 :  "  But  now  being  made  free  from  sin 
and  become  servants  to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness, 
and  the  end  everlasting  life."     But  I  do  not  insist. 

IV.  I  proceed  now  to  the  last  thing  in  the  method,  which 
was  the  application. 

First,  This  doctrine  may  serve  for  information,  in  these  two 
or  three  particulars: — 

1.  See  hence  the  right  way  to  attain  true  morality,  or  how 
you  may  come  to  do  good  works  to  purpose :  you  must  believe 
in  God,  and  by  faith  be  united  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The 
apostle,  Rom.  vii.  tried  to  do  good  works  by  the  strength  of 
nature,  but  it  would  not  do  with  him ;  for  "  the  command- 
ment which  was  ordained  to  life,  he  found  to  be  unto  death." 
And  I  do  verily  believe,  that  none  shall  ever  make  a  better 
hand  of  it  than  he  did,  try  it  who  will,  by  the  strength  of  na- 
ture. The  law,  of  itself,  only  irritates  corruption,  instead  of 
mortifying  it :  for,  says  he,  "  when  the  commandment  came, 
sin  revived."  Like  a  serpent  that  is  chilled  with  the  cold,  it 
lies  as  if  it  were  dead  ;  but  when  brought  to  the  heat,  it  re- 
vives and  spits  venom:  so  corrupt  nature,  when  brought  to 
the  commandment,  or  the  commandment  brought  to  it,  it  re- 
vives and  gathers  strength,  and  discovers  more  malignity  than 
it  did  before:  "  Sin,  taking  occasion  by  the  commandment, 
works  in  us  all  manner  of  concupiscence." 

2.  See  hence,  how  unjustly  ministers,  who  endeavour  to 
preach  the  doctrine  of  the  grace  of  God,  or  who  preach  down 
works  in  the  matter  of  justification,  are  aspersed  as  enemies 
to  good  works  and  holiness,  or  as  if  they  separated  between 
faith  and  good  works.  This  was  a  calumny  cast  upon  Christ 
himself,  which  made  him  offer  that  vindication,  Matth.  v.  17: 
"  I  am  not  come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  })rophets,  but  to 
fulfil  the  law.  This  was  a  charge  against  the  protomartyr 
Stephen,  Acts  vi.  13,  that  he  "spoke  blasphemous  words 
against  the  holy  place,  and  the  law."  And  this  also  was  a 
charge  against  the  apostle  Paul  and  his  doctrine:  hence  it  is 
that  he  anticipates  that  objection,  Rotn.  iii.  31  :  "Do  we  then 
make  void  the  law  through  faith  ?  God  forbid  :  yea,  we  estab- 
lish the  law." 

3.  See  hence  the  folly  of  those  who,  under  a  pretext  of 
grace,  or  of  faith  in  Christ,  give  way  to  licentiousness,  as  many 
carnal  gospellers  do.  Whatever  pretences  such  may  have  to 
faith,  yet  they  are  strangers  to  it,  and  never  felt  the  elTect 


vm.]  or  GOOD  works  asserted.  201' 

of  divine  grace  on  their  own  souls ;  otherwise  it  would  "  teach 
them,  that  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  they  should 
live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world."  It 
is  no  new  thing  for  corrupt  nature  to  abu^c  the  doctrine  of 
the  grace  of  God.  This  was  an  evil  the  apostle  complains  of 
in  his  day ;  hence  he  takes  notice  of  sonne  who  argued,  that 
they  might  sin,  that  grace  might  abound,  Rom.  vi.  But  though 
the  doctrine  of  grace  may  be  abused,  while  it  lies  floating  in 
the  head;  yet  when  it  gets  into  the  heart,  it  engages  to  holi- 
ness in  "  all  manner  of  conversation."  In  a  word,  though  the 
doctrine  of  grace  may  be  abused,  the  habit  and  exercise  of 
grace  cannot  be  abused  to  sin. 

Use  2d  of  exhortatioTi.  Is  it  so,  that  it  is  they,  and  they  only 
who  believe,  that  do  and  can  maintain  good  works?  Then 
my  first  exhortation  is,  O  believe  in  the  Son  of  God.  We  read 
of  a  company,  John  vi.  28,  who  came  to  Christ,  asking  him, 
"What  shall  we  do,  that  we  might  work  the  works  of  God?" 
Christ's  answer  is,  ver.  20,  *'  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye 
believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent."  This  is  the  great  and 
fundamental  precept  that  lays  the  foundation  of  all  true  obe- 
dience; for  all  true  obedience  is  the  obedience  of  faith.  And 
therefore  study  to  obey  that  jjreat  commandment,  1  John  iii. 
53:  "And  liiis  is  his  commandment,  that  we  should  believe 
on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  But  I  will  not  enlarge 
upon  this  use  at  present. 

The  second  exhortation  is  to  them  that  have  believed,  that 
you  may  "  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works."  Time  will 
not  allow  me  to  enlarge  upon  this  either:  only  consider,  by 
way  of  motive,  shortly,  that,  as  every  person  of  the  adorable 
Trinity  bears  a  share,  according  to  their  particular  economy, 
in  the  work  of  man's  redemption;  so  there  is  an  obligation, 
arising  from  every  one  of  them,  tying  us  to  the  study  and 
maintenance  of  good  works.  The  Father  has  elected  you 
from  cltM-nity,  and  loved  you  with  an  everlasting  love.  And 
why  did  he  elect  you?  It  was  to  holiness  or  sjood  works: 
Eph.  i.  4,  5:  "He  hath  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption 
of  children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  according  to  the  good 
pleasure  of  his  will,  that  we  should  be  holy,  and  without 
blanie  before  him  in  love."  The  Son  has  redeemed  us  with 
his  blood,  not  only  that  we  sliould  be  liberated  from  wrath, 
but  that  we  should  be  holy,  and  abound  in  the  fruits  there- 
of: Tit.  ii.  14:  "He  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  re- 
deem us  from  all  iniquitv,  and  |)urify  unto  himself  a  peculiar 
people,  zealous  of  good  works."  The  Holy  (Jhost  is  our  Com- 
forter, and  he  dw(?lls  in  us  as  in  a  temple;  and  thci'cfore  we 
are  bound  and  obliged  not  to  grieve  him:  "Grieve  not  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  re- 


202  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [sER. 

demption.  Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God, 
and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?  If  any  man  de- 
file the  temple  of  God,  him  shall  God  destroy."  Thus,  I  say, 
every  person  of  the  adorable  Trinity,  and  their  relation  to  us, 
obliges  us  to  the  study  of  good  works.  Again ;  the  covenant 
of  grace,  and  the  promises  of  it,  not  only  encourage,  but 
oblige  us  to  the  study  of  good  works :  2  Cor.  vii.  1 :  •'  Having 
these  promises,  dearly  beloved,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from 
all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the 
fear  of  God." 

But  I  must  of  necessity  pass  other  motives,  and  conclude 
the  whole  with  a  few  directions  or  advices.  Take  these  fol- 
lowing : — 

1.  If  you  would  do  good  works,  take  care  that  your  state 
be  right,  I  mean,  take  care  that  you  have  a  station  in  Christ 
the  second  Adam ;  for,  without  this,  you  cannot  bring  forth 
fruit,  either  pleasing  to  God,  or  profitable  to  your  own  souls. 
Thou  art  but  a  thorn  and  thistle  in  God's  vineyard,  whilst 
thou  art  in  a  state  of  nature ;  and  therefore  there  is  no  good 
fruit  of  obedience  that  can  grow  upon  thee.  See  that  you 
have  the  Spirit  of  Christ  within  you ;  and  for  this  end  plead 
that  promise,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27:  "1  will  put  my  Spirit  with- 
in you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes."  It  is  the 
Spirit  of  the  Head  that  animates  all  the  members  of  the 
body :  he  helps  our  infirmities  in  prayer,  and  in  other  good 
Works  also. 

2.  In  all  your  works  or  duties  of  obedience,  keep  your  eye 
upon  the  chief  corner-stone  that  God  hath  laid  in  Zion.  You 
know  a  mason  or  builder  cannot  miss  to  make  very  irregular 
work,  if  he  do  not  keep  his  eye  upon  the  foundation  and  cor- 
ner-stone of  the  house ;  his  work  will  be  marred.  Just  so  it 
is  here ;  if  we  do  not  keep  our  eye  on  Christ  by  faith,  as  the 
foundation  laid  in  Zion,  the  foundation  of  acceptance,  the 
foundation  of  assistance,  we  can  never  yield  acceptable  obe- 
dience to  God.  And  when  either  the  merit  or  Spirit  of  Christ 
go  out  of  sight,  imniediately  the  heart  turns  legal,  by  which 
all  our  duties  are  spoiled  and  marred. 

3.  Study  always  to  keep  up  the  lively  impression  of  this 
awful  truth  upon  your  hearts,  that  God  could  find  matter  of 
condemnation  against  you,  not  only  from  your  worst  sins,  but 
from  the  best  of  your  duties.  The  most  holy  and  heavenly 
man  that  ever  breathed,  durst  not  adventure  the  salvation  of 
his  soul  upon  the  most  heavenly  thought  that  ever  he  con- 
ceived. Due  impressions  of  this  will  help  to  keep  your  hearts 
right  in  point  of  righteousness;  so  as  not  to  build  your  accepta- 
tion before  God  upon  your  good  works,  but  only  on  the  works 
of  the  Son  of  God.  The  apostle,  I  find,  has  a  notable  word  to 


vni.]  or  GOOD  works  asserted.  203 

this  purpose,  1  G)r.  iv.  4:  "I  know  nothing  by  myself,  yet 
am  I  not  hereby  justified."  The  apostle's  meaning  is  (/  knojo 
nothing  by  myself,)  as  if  he  had  said,  '  I  am  not  conscious  to 
my  sell  of  any  unfaithfulness  in  my  ministry,  or  trust  that 
God  has  reposed  in  me  ;  my  conscience  does  not  smite  me 
for  neglect  of  duty,  (yet  am  I  not  hereby  justified.'')  As  if  he 
should  say,  '  Though  I  have  laboured  more  abundantly  than 
all  the  rest;  though  I  have  fought  the  good  fight,  finished  my 
course,  kept  the  faith,  {yet  am  I  not  hereby  justified ;')  all  this 
will  not  make  a  righteousness  by  which  I  may  expect  to  be 
justified  or  accepted  of  God.  No :  he  accounted  all  as  dung 
and  loss,  in  the  point  of  justification,  "  that  he  might  be  found 
in  Christ,  not  having  his  own  righteousness."  So  that  you 
see,  even  in  the  presence  of  your  best  graces,  works,  and 
duties  of  obedience,  free  grace  through  imputed  righteous- 
ness, is  to  be  your  only  sanctuary  and  city  of  refuge. 

4.  Whenever  you  are  helped  to  do  any  thing  in  obedience 
to  the  law,  still  remember  what  you  do  is  done  in  a  borrowed 
strength,  and  that  will  keep  you  humble;  for  it  is  a  vain  spi- 
rit that  is  proud  of  what  is  borrowed  :  1  Cor.  iv.  7 :  "  who 
makctb  thee  to  difler  from  another?  and  what  hast  thou  that 
thou  didst  not  receive?  Now  if  thou  didst  receive  it,  why 
dost  thou  glory  as  if  thou  hadst  not  received  it  ?"  And  there- 
fore do  not  "  sacrifice  to  your  own  net ;"  for  it  is  not  free 
will,  but  ivcQ  grace,  to  which  thou  art  beholden.  "  It  is  God 
which  worketh  in  us,  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  plea- 
sure." 

5.  Beware  of  legal  ends  and  motives  in  the  performing  of 
good  works. 

Quest.  What  are  these  ?  I  answer, 

1*/,  It  is  a  legal  end  in  obedience,  when  a  man  obeys,  or 
does  good  works,  to  make  an  atonement  for  bis  former  sin. 
Some,  when  they  have  fallen  into  any  sin  of  omission  or  com- 
mission, for  which  their  consciences  check  and  challenge 
them,  will  purpose,  vow,  and  resolve,  that  they  will  do  bet- 
ter in  time  coming:  and  thus  ihcy  think  they  will  make  God 
amends  for  what  injury  they  have  done  to  him  and  his  holy' 
law.  This  argues  a  legal  sprit.  There  is  nothing  that  can 
atone  for  the  guilt  of  sin,  but  the  ransom  and  propitiation  that 
God  hath  found. 

2dly,  When  a  man  yields  obedience,  only  to  still  the  cla- 
mours of  an  awakened  conscience,  or  to  keep  his  conscience 
easy.  Alas!  sirs,  though  our  own  righteousness  and  good 
works  may  appease  and  stoj)  the  moutli  of  conscience;  but 
they  will  never  "  purge  (he  conscience  from  dead  works." 
Nothing  less  can  satisfy  cons(Mcncc,  God's  deputy,  than  what 
satisfies  divine  justice  ;  and  that  is  the  blood  of  Christ  applied 


204  THE  NECESSITY  AND  PROFITABLENESS  [sER. 

by  faith.  And  therefore  it  must  needs  argue  or  discover  a 
man  to  be  of  a  legal  spirit,  that  licks  himself  whole  with  his 
good  works.  Good  works  are  not  to  be  neglected :  but  they 
are  not  to  be  rested  in,  or  upon,  as  a  righteousness. 

^dly,  When  a  man  yields  obedience  to  the  commands  of 
the  law,  only  that  he  may  be  kept  out  of  hell.  It  is  true,  in- 
deed, there  is  a  filial  fear  of  God  as  a  Father,  and  of  his  fa- 
therly displeasure,  which  is  one  of  the  principal  springs  of 
gospel  obedience,  according  to  what  you  have,  Jer.  xxxii. 
40:  "I  will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not 
depart  from  me."  But  there  is  a  vast  difference  between 
this,  and  a  slavish  fear  of  hell  and  eternal  damnation  :  there 
is  as  great  a  difference  between  the  one  and  the  other,  as  be- 
tween the  fear  that  a  Wing  child  has  to  an  afllectionate  fa- 
ther, and  the  fear  that  a  condemned  criminal  or  malefactor 
has  of  his  judge:  the  one  is  driven  to  obedience  through  ter- 
ror, but  the  other  is  drawn  to  obedience  through  love.  I  do 
not  deny  but  a  child  of  God,  through  the  prevalence  of  temp- 
tation, desertion,  or  unbelief,  may  come  to  be  under  such  a 
spirit  of  bondage ;  but  then  it  is  not  his  privilege,  but  his  pu- 
nishment. And  in  so  far  as  the  child  of  God  is  actuated  in  his 
obedience  by  a  "  spirit  of  bondage  unto  fear,"  his  obedience  is 
legal :  for  when  he  acts  like  himself,  like  a  believer  indeed, 
he  'serves  the  Lord  without  fear,"  without  slavish  fear  of 
hell  and  wrath,  "  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before  him,  all 
the  days  of  his  life,"  Luke  i.  74,  75. 

Alhlij,  When  a  man  performs  good  works,  to  procure  a 
right  and  title  to  heaven  and  glory.  For,  as  I  was  saying, 
our  title  comes  only  by  Jesus  Christ ;  Christ  is  the  first  heir 
of  eternal  life,  and  we  are  "joint-heirs  with  him."  But  you 
may  say,  Are  we  not  told.  Rev.  xxii.  14,  "Blessed  are  they 
that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to 
the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the 
city?"  For  clearing  this  to  you,  you  should  know,  that  there 
is  a  twofold  right  to  glory,  which  is  the  thing  there  spoken 
of,  to  wit,  a  legal  and  evidential  right.  (L)  I  say,  there  is  a 
legal  or  a  law  right.  You  know  the  title  to  life  and  glory 
was  forfeited  by  the  breach  of  the  law  in  the  first  Adam  ; 
and  it  must  be  recovered  again  by  a  perfect  obedience  to  the 
law :  and  whose  obedience  can  d()  this,  but  the  obedience  of 
Christ  imputed  to  us  for  righteousness?  So  that,  I  say,  we 
come  to  have  our  law  right  and  title  to  glory,  and  other  bless- 
ings, only  recovered  in  Christ,  and  by  the  imputation  of  his 
righteousness  to  us,  by  v/hich  "  the  law  is  magnified,  and 
made  honourable."  But,  (2.)  There  is  a  right  of  evidence, 
by  which  our  right,  through  Christ,  is  evidenced,  and  cleared 
up  to  our  own  souls.     And  this  is  the  right  that  I  conceive 


I 


Vin.]  OF  GOOD  WORKS  ASSERTED.  205 

is  spoken  of  in  the  scripture  last  mentioned.  "  They  that  do 
his  commandments,"  and  yield  obedience  out  of  gospel  prin- 
ciples and  motives,  give  evidence  of  their  righl,  through 
Christ,  to  heaven  and  glory ;  and  they  shall  "  enter  in  through 
the  gates  into  the  city  of  the  new  Jerusalem."  But  to  make 
our  own  obedience,  our  own  holiness  or  good  works,  the 
ground  and  foundation  of  our  claim  to  the  glories  of  heaven, 
is  grossly  legal  and  Popish.  Thus,  I  say,  study  to  beware 
of  doing  good  works  out  of  legal  motives  and  principles ;  for 
these  are  like  the  "  dead  fly,"  that  "  makes  the  apothecary's 
ointment  to  stink." 

6.  My  last  advice  is.  Study  to  yield  obedience  out  of  gos- 
pel principles,  ends,  and  motives,  I  shall  not  enlarge  upon 
these,  because  they  were  hinted  at  already.  Obey  and  do 
good  works,  with  an  eye  to  the  glory  of  God,  out  of  a  prin- 
ciple of  gratitude  to  him  that  has  bought  you  with  his  blood. 
And  yield  obedience,  that  in  this  way  you  may  maintain  fel- 
lowship Jind  communion  with  God.  It  is  the  man  "  that  hath 
clean  hands,  and  a  pure  heart,  who  hath  not  lifted  up  his 
soul  unto  vanity,  nor  sworn  deceitfully,  who  shall  ascend  into 
the  hill  of  the  Lord,  and  who  shall  stand  in  his  holy  place." 
1'he  duties  of  obedience  are  like  wagons  or  chariots,  which 
bring  the  soul  to  Christ,  and  the  embraces  of  his  love,  though 
they  be  not  the  procuring  or  meritorious  cause  of  the  least 
blink  of  the  Lord's  countenance.  And  then,  to  conclude, 
study  the  duties  of  obedience,  not  that  you  may  obtain  a  ti- 
tlfe  to  heaven,  which  is  the  fruit  of  the  Redeemer's  purchase; 
but  that  you  may  attain  an  aptitude  and  "  meetness  for  par- 
taking of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light:"  for  though 
there  be  no  connexion  of  merit,  yet  there  is  a  connexion  of  con- 
gruity  and  suitableness  between  begun  holiness  here,  and  con- 
summate holiness,  hereafter.  It  is  among  the  irreversible 
decrees  of  Heaven,  that  unholy,  unsanctified  sinners,  conti- 
nuing so,  "shall  never  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  "No 
unclean  thing  shall  ever  enter  the  gates  of  the  new  Jerusa- 
lem." And  therefore  beware  of  thinking,  that  when  we  lead 
you  to  Christ,  as  the  only  foundation  of  your  title  to  eternal 
life,  we  thus  encourage  any  in  a  way  of  sin  or  unholiness. 
No;  the  grace  of  God,  in  the  gospel,  teaches  us  better  things, 
namely,  to  "  deny  all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to 
live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present  world." 


VOL.  I.  18 


206 


8£RJfIO]^  IX. 


CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER  S  ARMS. 


Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I 
desire  besides  thee. — Psal.  lxxiii.  25. 


Then  took  he  him  up  in  his  arms,  and  blessed  God. — Luke  ii.  28. 

In  the  preceding  context,  from  verse  25th  and  downward, 
we  have  the  following  particulars  recorded  concerning 
Simeon,  of  whom  my  text  speaks:  1.  We  have  an  account 
of  his  character,  ver.  25.  He  was  a  just  and  devout  man; 
that  is,  one  that  made  conscience  of  the  duties  of  the  first  and 
second  table  of  the  law ;  just  towards  man,  and  devout  to- 
wards God.  Note,  That  there  are  no  barren  branches  in 
Christ  the  true  vine :  "  They  that  have  believed  in  him, 
will  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works,  and  will  have  a  re- 
spect to  all  his  commandments."  Another  part  of  Simeon's 
character  is,  that  he  "  waited  for  the  consolation  of  Israel ;" 
that  is,  for  Christ  the  promised  Messiah,  who  is,  has  been, 
and  will  be  the  matter  and  ground  of  consolation  to  all  be- 
lievers, in  all  ages  and  periods  of  time;  and  "  blessed  are  all 
they  that  wait  for  him,  for  they  shall  not  be  confounded." 
Another  part  of  his  character  is,  that  "  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
upon  him;"  and  that  both  as  a  Spirit  of  prophecy,  and  a 
Spirit  of  holiness.  It  is  the  privilege  of  all  true  believers, 
that  they  have  "  the  Spirit  of  glory,  and  of  God  resting  upon 
them,"  1  Pet.  iv.  14.  2.  We  have  here  a  promise  made  to 
Simeon,  ver.  2G  :  "  And  it  was  revealed  unto  him  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  that  he  should  not  see  death,  before  he  h.ad  seen 
the  Lord's  Christ."  In  this  promise,  Simeon  saw  him  by  the 
eye  of  faith,  before  he  saw  him  by  the  eye  of  his  body. 
Note,  That  faith's  views  of  Christ  in  the  promise,  makes  way 
for  the  sensible  manifestations  of  him  here,  and  the  imme- 
diate enjoyment  of  him  hereafter:  Eph.  i.  13:  "^After  that 
ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed."  3.  We  have  the  time  when, 
and  the  place  where  Simeon  had  this  promise  actually  accom- 

•  Preached  at  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  supper  in  Strathmiglo,  May 
10,  1724. 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER'S  ARMS.  207 

plished  to  him,  ver.  27 ;  it  was  in  the  "temple,  when  the 
parents  brought  in  the  child  Jesus,  to  do  for  him  after  the 
custom  of  the  law."  Note,  They  who  would  have  a  meeting 
with  Christ,  must  wait  upon  him  in  his  temple,  and  ordinan- 
ces of  his  appointment;  for  it  is  there  that  "every  one  doth 
speak  of  his  glory."  4.  In  the  words  of  my  text  we  have 
Simeon's  welcome  and  the  kindly  reception  ho  gave  to  the 
Messiah,  when  he  met  him  in  the  temple:  "Then  took  he 
him  up  in  his  arms,  and  blessed  God." 

Where  notice,  1.  Simeon's  privilege,  "  He  took  him  up  in 
his  arms,"  namely,  in  the  arms  of  his  body:  but  at  the  same 
time  he  embraced  him  also  in  the  arms  of  faith,  and  took  him 
up  as  the  salvation  of  God ;  otherwise  he  could  never  have 
blessed  God  for  him,  as  the  promised  Messiah,  "  a  light  to 
lighten  the  Gentiles,  and  the  glory  of  his  people  Israel."  I 
am  ready  to  believe,  that  there  were  many  who  got  Christ  in 
their  arms,  when  he  was  an  infant,  who  ncv^er  had  him  formed 
in  their  hearts :  but  Simeon  got  him  both  in  the  arms  of  his 
body  and  soul  at  once.  Some  may  be  ready  to  think,  O  what 
a  hap])y  man  was  Simeon,  and  what  a  sweet  arms-full  had 
he,  when  he  had  the  great  Messiah,  Immanuel,  God-man,  in 
his  bodily  arms !  It  is  true,  indeed,  this  was  a  privilege  ;  but 
yet  his  greatest  privilege  was,  that  he  had  him  clasped  in  his 
arms  of  faith.  And  though  now  his  body  be  out  of  our  reach, 
yet  still  there  is  access  to  embrace  him  in  a  way  of  believing: 
and  this  is  what  every  true  believer  has  the  experience  of, 
either  in  loss  or  more.  2.  In  the  words  we  have  Simeon's 
gratitude  for  this  privilege :  He  blessed  God.  He  is  in  a  praising 
frame,  being  "  filled  with  joy  and  peace  in  believing."  And 
his  heart  is  so  big  with  praise,  that  he  wishes  immediately 
to  be  away  to  the  land  of  praise,  where  he  might  get  a  well- 
tuned  harp  put  into  his  hand,  and  join  with  the  hallelujahs 
of  the  redeemed  above :  A'ow,  says  he,  leltest  ihou  thy  servant 
depart  in  peace.     So  much  for  explication  of  the  words. 

Before  I  proceed  to  the  doctrine  I  intend  to  insist  upon,  we 
may  observe,  from  the  text  and  context,  1.  That  God's  word 
of  promise  to  his  people  is  sure,  and  never  fails  of  accomplish- 
ment. Simeon  here  had  got  a  promise  from  the  Lord,  "  that 
he  should  not  see  death,  before  he  had  seen  the  Lord's  Christ ;" 
and,  accordingly,  my  text  gives  an  account  of  its  accomplish- 
ment. O  sirs,  venture  on  God's  word  of  promise,  and  look 
on  it  as  the  best  security  ;  \\)X  faithful  is  he  that  hath  promised : 
his  naked  word  is  as  good  as  payment ;  he  never  broke  his 
word  to  man ;  yea,  "  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  lie."  2.  That 
believers  will  find  God  not  only  as  good,  but  better  than  his 
word,  when  he  comes,  in  his  own  time,  to  make  out  his  pro- 
mise to  thorn,     Simeon  had  a  promise,  that  he  should  only 


208  CHRIST  IN"  THE  BELIE VER^S  ARMS.  [sEK, 

see  the  Messiah  before  he  died  ;  but  we  find,  that  he  gets  more 
than  a  bare  sight  of  him,  for  he  gets  him  in  his  arms  and  heart 
at  once.  3.  That  a  true  believer  loves  Christ  so  well,  that  he 
would  put  him  in  his  very  heart.  Simeon  here  takes  Christ 
in  his  arms,  and  lays  him  in  his  bosom,  as  near  his  heart  as 
he  could  bring  him.  So  the  spouse,  Song  i.  13:  "A  bundle 
of  myrrh  is  my  well-beloved  unto  me ;  he  shall  lie  all  night 
betwixt  my  breasts."  O  \  the  mutual  endearments  betwixt 
Christ  and  believers ;  he  carries  them  as  lambs  in  his  bosom, 
and  they  carry  the  Lamb  of  God  in  their  bosoms.  Is.  xl.  11. 
4.  That  faith's  embraces  of  Christ  are  so  sweet,  that  they 
render  the  prospect  of  death  not  only  easy,  but  desirable  to 
the  believer.  Simeon,  here,  when  he  gets  Christ  in  his  arms, 
is  content  that  the  union  betwixt  his  soul  and  body  should  be 
dissolved.  But  passing  all  these,  the  doctrine  I  design  to  dis- 
cuss at  the  time  is  this : 

DocT.  "  That  faith's  embraces  of  Christ  fill  the  mouth 
with  praise."  Simeon  took  him  in  his  arms,  and  blessed 
God ;  where,  as  I  told  you,  it  was  the  arm  of  faith  clasped 
about  Christ,  that  filled  him  with  praise  and  gratitude,  taking 
him  up  as  the  Lord's  Messiah. 

In  prosecuting  this  doctrine,  I  shall,  through  divine  assist- 
ance, 

I.  Speak  a  little  concerning  that  arm  of  faith  which  em- 
braces Christ. 

II.  Notice  some  of  these  songs  of  praise,  which  readily  fill 
the  believer's  heart  and  mouth,  when  he  gets  Christ  in  his 
arms. 

III.  Whence  it  is  that  faith's  embraces  of  Christ  thus  fill 
the  heart  and  mouth  with  praise. 

IV.  Apply  the  whole. 

I.  As  to  ihe  first,  namely,  concerning  thai  arm  of  faith  which 
embraces  Christ,  I  would  show,  1.  What  it  is.  2.  What  sort 
of  an  arm  it  is.     3.  How  it  embraces  Christ. 

For  the  first,  I  have  not  time  at  present  to  open  up  the  na- 
ture of  faith  at  any  length ;  all  I  shall  do,  is  only,  in  a  few 
particulars,  to  show  what  it  supposes  and  implies. 

1.  Then,  It  plainly  supposes,  that  there  is  a  gift  or  grant  of 
Christ  made  to  sinners,  in  the  free  offer  and  call  of  the  gospel. 
Receiving  necessarily  supposes  a  giving ;  and  to  take  what  is 
not  given,  is  but  theft,  robbery,  or  vicious  intromission.  John 
vi.  32:  Christ  there  says  to  a  promiscuous  multitude,  the 
greater  part  of  whom  were  unbelievers,  as  is  evident  from  the 
sequel  of  the  chapter,  "  My  Father  giveth  you  the  true  bread 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER's  ARMS.  209 

from  heaven :"  where  it  is  plain,  that  giving  and  offering  are 
much  the  same  thing ;  with  this  ditlerence  only,  that  the  gift 
or  grant  of  Christ  in  the  word  to  sinners,  is  the  ground  upon 
which  the  ofler  is  made.  We  read,  that  "  God  hath  given  the 
earth  to  the  sons  of  men ;"  that  is,  he  made  a  grant  of  it  to 
them,  to  be  used  and  possessed  by  them.  And,  by  virtue  of 
this  grant,  before  the  earth  came  to  be  fully  peopled,  when  a 
man  came  to  a  piece  of  land,  and  set  his  foot  upon  it,  he  might 
warrantably  use  it  as  his  own  property  and  possession :  and 
the  foundation  of  this  was,  that  God  had  give?i,  or  granted,  the 
earth  to  the  sons  of  me?}.  In  like  manner,  God  had  gifted  or 
granted  his  onltj  begotten  Son,  John  iii.  16.  For  what  end? 
Thdl  zvhosocver  bclieveth  hi  him,  or  takes  possession  of  him  by 
faith,  should  7iot  perish,  but  have  everlasti?}g  life.  It  is  true, 
indeed,  the  eternal  destination,  the  purchase  and  application  of 
redemption  is  peculiar  only  to  the  elect:  but  the  revelation, 
gift  and  offer,  is  common  to  all  the  hearers  of  the  gospel;  in- 
somuch that,  as  the  great  Mr,  Rutherford  expresses  it,  the  re- 
probate have  as  fair  a  revealed  warrant  to  believe  as  the  elect 
have.  Every  man  has  an  offer  of  Christ  brought  to  his  door, 
who  lives  within  the  compass  of  the  joyful  sound :  and  this  of- 
fer comes  as  close  home  to  him,  as  if  he  were  pointed  out  by 
name.  So  that  none  have  reason  to  say,  '  The  call  and  offer 
-is  not  to  me,  I  am  not  warranted  to  embrace  Christ ;'  for  it  is 
imto  you,  O  me?),  that  we  call,  and  our  voice  is  to  the  sofis  of 
man,  Prov.  viii.  4.  We  have  God's  commission  to  preach  this 
gospel,  and  to  make  offer  of  this  Christ7o  even/  creature  sprung 
of  Adam,  Mark  xvi.  15;  and  the  event  of  the  publication  of 
this  gospel  among  sinners  follows  in  the  next  words :  "  He  that 
bclieveth  this  gospel,  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not, 
shall  be  damned."  No  man  ever  died,  or  shall  die  under  the 
drop  of  the  gospel,  for  want  of  a  full  warrant  to  embrace  a 
Saviour:  no,  no,  sirs,  your  death  and  blood  will  be  upon  your 
own  heads;  your  unbelief  will  be  the  great  ground  of  your 
condemnation.  God  will  upbraid  you  at  the  great  day  with 
this,  that  you  had  Christ  in  your  ofler,  and  would  not  embrace 
him :  "  1  called,  but  ye  refused,  I  stretched  out  my  hand,  but 
no  man  regarded, — therefore  will  I  laugh  at  }our  calamity, 
and  nio(;k  w hen  your  fear  cometh,"  Prov.  i.  24,  2t>. 

2.  This  embracing  of  Chi'ist  supposes  the  knowledge  of 
Christ ;  for  a  man,  when  he  believes,  does  not  embrace  a  blind 
bargain.  Now,  there  is  a  twofold  knowledge  that  faith  ne- 
cessarily supposes;  namely,  a  knowledge  of  ourselves,  and  a 
knowledge  of  Christ. 

1st,  I  say  it  supposes  the  knowledire  of  ourselves,  or  a  con- 
viction and  discovery  of  that  sin  and  misery,  thraldom  and 
bondage,  we  are  reduced  to,  bv  the  breach  of  the  first  co- 

18* 


210  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIE VEr's  ARMS.  [SER. 

venant.  The  law  must  be  our  schoolmaster,  to  bring  us  to 
Christ.  Without  a  discovery  of  sin  and  misery  by  the  law,  in 
less  or  more,  the  sinner  will  never  flee  to  him,  who  is  "  the 
end  of  the  law  for  righteousness."  The  man,  in  this  case,  is 
just  like  a  mariner  at  sea,  sailing  upon  a  broken  and  shat- 
tered bottom,'  not  far  from  a  great  rock :  so  long  as  he  ap- 
prehends his  vessel  to  be  good  enough,  or  sufficient  to  carry 
him  to  land,  he  will  still  cleave  to  it,  refusing  to  throw  him- 
self upon  the  rock  for  safety ;  but  when  the  wind  and  waves 
beat  upon  the  ship,  and  break  her  in  pieces,  then,  and  never  till 
then,  will  he  cast  himself  upoii  the  rock.  So  is  it  here:  while 
the  sinner  apprehends  he  can  do  well  enough  upon  the  broken 
foundation  of  a  covenant  of  works,  his  own  doings,  and  good 
intentions,  he  will  never  betake  himself  to  Christ  "  the  Rock  of 
ages,"  but  when  a  hail-storm  sweeps  down  the  refuge  of  lies,  and 
lets  him  see,  that  if  he  stay  on  this  bottom  of  the  law,  he  must 
inevitably  sink  into  the  bottom  of  hell,  then,  and  never  till  then, 
will  the  man  cry  with  the  jailer,  "  Sirs,  what  must  1  do  to  be 
saved  V  The  same  we  see  in  Paul,  Rom.  vii.  9  :  "  I  was  alive 
without  the  law  once ;  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin 
revived,  and  I  died."  And,  Gal.  ii.  19  :  "I  through  the  law  am 
dead  to  the  law,  that  I  might  live  unto  God."  Thus,  I  say,  em- 
bracing of  Christ  necessarily  supposes  the  knowledge  and  con- 
viction of  our  lost  condition  by  the  law,  or  covenant  of  works. 

2dli/,  It  supposes  or  implies  a  knowledge  of  Christ,  as  the 
blessed  remedy  of  God's  providing.  And  there  is  so  much  of 
this  goes  into  the  very  nature  of  faith,  that  we  find  it  frequently 
called  by  the  name  of  knoidedge.  Is.  liii.  11  ;  John  xvii.  3. — 
And  this  knowledge  of  Christ  is  not  a  bare  speculative  know- 
ledge of  him,  attained  by  external  revelation,  or  common  il- 
lumination; for  there  are  many  learned  unbelievers:  but  it  is 
an  internal  saving  knowledge  of  him,  which  comes  by  the 
Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  accompanying  the  external 
discoveries  of  him  in  the  gospel,  which  goes  in  to  the  nature 
of  true  faith :  "  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  must  shine  in  our  hearts,  giving  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ," 
2  Cor.  iv.  6.  He,  as  it  were,  strikes  out  a  window  in  the 
man's  breast,  which  before  was  like  a  dungeon  of  hellish  dark- 
ness ;  and  makes  a  beam  of  saving,  humbling,  and  captivating 
light  to  shine  into  it.  And  thus  the  man  is  "  called  out  of 
darkness  into  a  marvellous  light."  And  this  light  is  called 
the  light  of  life,  because  with  it,  and  by  it,  a  new  principle  of 
life  is  implanted  in  the  soul :  Eph.  ii.  1  :  "  You  hath  he  quick- 
ened, who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins." 

3.  This  embracing  of  Christ  bears  in  it  the  soul's  firm  and 
steady  assent  to  the  revelation  of  the  gospel  concerning  Christ  i 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVEb's  ARMS.  211 

SO  that  the  man  cannot  but  join  issue  with  Paul,  1  Tim.  i. 
15:  "This  is  a  faithful  sayins^,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners."  Now,  this  assent  of  the  soul  to 
the  gospel  revelation  is  not  a  bare  historical  assent,  which 
leans  only  to  the  testimony  of  man ;  for  thus  reprobates  may 
and  do  believe:  but  it  is  such  an  assent,  as  is  founded  upon 
the  testimony  of  God,  or  his  record  concerning  Christ  in  the 
gospel.  Hence  it  is  called  a  "believing  the  record  of  God," 
a  "setting  to  the  seal  that  God  is  true."  Faith  that  is  of  a 
saving  nature,  will  not  venture  upon  any  thing  less  than  the 
credit  and  authority  of  God  himself: — Thus  sailh  the  Lord,  is 
the  ground  and  reason  of  the  soul's  assent.  And  this  is  a 
firmer  basis  than  heaven  and  earth ;  for  "  the  fashion  of  this 
world  passeth  away,  but  the  word  of  the  Lord  endurcth  for 
ever;"  "righteousness  is  the  girdle  of  his  loins,  and  faithful- 
ness the  girdle  of  his  reins."  So  that  ho  will  as  soon  cease  to 
be  God,  as  cease  to  make  good  his  word,  which  is  ratified  by 
his  oath  ;  these  being  the  "  two  immutable  things,  wherein  it 
is  impossible  for  God  to  lie." 

4.  Upon  this,  follows  the  receiving,  embracing,  or  applying 
act  of  faith.  Christ  being  known  in  the  light  of  the  word  and 
Spirit,  and  the  truth  of  the  revelation  concerning  him  assent- 
ed to;  the  soul  goes  a  degree  farther,  and,  as  it  were,  takes 
him  home  into  its  arms  and  bosom,  as  a  remedy  every  way 
suited  to  the  soul's  malady  and  misery.  This  embracing  and 
appropriating  act  of  faith  is  just,  as  it  were,  the  soul's  echo 
to  the  call  and  oifcr  of  the  gospel.  'I  offer  him  for  thy  Sa- 
viour, says  God :  and  I  embrace  him  as  my  Saviour,  says  faith: 
I  offer  him  for  uisdoin,  to  thee  who  art  a  fool,  says  God ;  and 
I  embrace  him  for  my  ii-isdom,  says  faith :  I  offer  him  for  thy 
righteousness  and  justijieation,  who  art  a  condemned  sinner, 
says  God ;  and  I  embrace  him  as  the  Lord  my  righteousfiess, 
says  faith:  I  offer  him  for  thy sanelijicalion,  who nvtn  polluted 
filthy  sinner,  says  God ;  and  1  embrace  him  for  my  sunctijica- 
tion,  says  faith:  I  offlir  him  for  thy  redemption,  who  art  a  law- 
ful captive,  says  God;  and  I  embrace  him  for  my  redemption, 
and  my  all,  says  faith.  Thus,  I  say,  the  soul  echoes  to  the 
voice  of  God  in  the  gospel,  when  it  believes,  much  like  that, 
Zech.  xiii.  9:  "  I  will  say,  It  is  my  people;  and  they  shall 
say.  The  Lord  is  my  God."  And  this  is  what  we  call  "the 
asstirance  of  faith,"  or  an  "  appropriating  persuasion,"  by 
which  the  soul,  as  it  were,  takes  seisin  and  infcofl'rnent  upon 
Christ,  and  all  the  blessings  of  his  purchase  as  its  own,  upon 
the  ground  of  the  gospel  offer  and  promise.  What  lay  be- 
fore in  common  to  all  in  the  offer,  the  soul  brings  home  to  it- 
self in  particular;  and,  just  like  Simeon,  takes  Christ  in  its 
arms  and  bosom,  saying,  with  Thomas,  "  My  Lord,  and  my 


212  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER'S  ARMS.  [SER. 

God."  1  do  not  say,  that  the  first  language  of  faith  is,  That 
'  Christ  died  for  me,'  or,  '  I  was  elected  from  eternity :'  no ; 
but  the  language  of  faith  is,  '  God  offers  a  slain  and  crucified 
Saviour  to  me,  and  I  take  the  slain  Christ  for  my  Saviour; 
and  in  my  taking  or  embracing  of  him  as  offered,  I  have 
ground  to  conclude,  that  I  was  elected,  and  that  he  died  for 
me  in  particular,  and  not  before.'  1  shall  only  add,  that  this 
appropriating  act  inseparably  attends  the  knowledge  and 
assent  before  mentioned ;  and  that  they  are  all  jointly  com- 
prised in  the  general  nature  of  saving  faith ;  which  I  take 
up  as  an  act  of  the  whole  soul,  without  restricting  it  to 
any  one  faculty,  or  distinction  as  to  priority  or  posteriority  of 
time. 

Now,  this  saving  faith,  which  I  have  been  describing  in  its 
essential  acts,  is  variously  expressed  in  the  sacred  oracles  of 
the  scriptures  of  truth  ;  from  which  fountain  alone  our  notions 
of  it  are  to  be  drawn:  "To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony:  if 
they  speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is 
no  light  in  them,"  Is.  viii.  20. 

1.  Then,  It  is  called  a  receiving  of  Christ:  John  i.  12: 
"But  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to 
become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his 
name."  Col.  ii.  6 :  "As  ye  have  received  Christ  Jesus  the 
Lord,  so  walk  ye  in  him."  This  expression  of  faith  leads  us 
to  conceive  of  Christ  under  the  notion  of  a  gift,  freely  of- 
fered and  presented  to  us  in  the  gospel,  and  bears  an  ap- 
propriation in  the  very  nature  of  it ;  for  where  a  man  re- 
ceives a  gift,  he  takes  it  as  his  own,  and  it  becomes  his  in  pos- 
session. 

2.  It  is  sometimes  expressed  by  a  resting  or  "  rolling  our- 
selves on  the  Lord  :"  Psal.  xxxvii.  5  :  "  Commit  thy  way  unto 
the  Lord,"  or,  as  it  reads  in  the  margin,  "  Roll  thy  way  upon 
the  Lord  ;"  and  vcr.  7  :  "  Rest  in  the  Lord,  and  wait  patient- 
ly for  him."  Which  expression  may  either  allude  to  a  poor 
weary  man,  who  is  like  to  sink  under  a  load,  his  legs  not  able 
to  bear  him;  he  leans  or  rests  himself  upon  a  strong  rock, 
which  he  is  confident  will  not  sink  underneath.  Faith,  in  its 
justifying  act,  is  not  a  working,  but  a  resting  grace.  'O! 
says  the  poor  soul,  I  am  like  to  sink  into  the  depths  of  hell, 
under  the  weight  of  my  iniquities;  which  "have  gone  over 
my  head,  as  a  burden  too  heavy  for  me  to  bear:"  but  I  lay 
my  help  where  God  has  laid  it ;  O !  "  this  is  my  rest." '  Hence 
he  that  believes  is  said  to  "enter  into  his  rest."  Or,  this 
resting  of  the  soul  on  Christ  may  allude  to  one's  resting  upon 
a  bond,  or  good  security  granted  to  him  by  a  responsible  per- 
son;  he  takes  it  as  security  to  himself,  and  rests  on  the  fide- 
Uty  of  him  that  grants  it.     So,  in  believing,  we  rest  upon  the 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVEr's  ARMS.  213 

veracity  of  a  promising  God  in  Christ,  as  a  sufficient  security 
for  the  blessing  promised. 

3.  It  is  called  a  "  flying  for  refuge  to  the  hope  set  before 
us,"  Heb.  vi.  18.  In  which  there  is  an  allusion  to  the  man- 
slayer  under  the  law,  who  fled  from  "  the  avenger  of  blood." 
The  poor  pursued  man  was  not  to  turn  aside  to  any  of  the 
cities  of  Israel ;  he  was  not  to  floe  to  his  own  home;  yea,  he 
was  not  to  flee  to  the  temple ;  and  to  offer  sacrifice ;  but  he 
was  to  flee  straight  to  the  city  of  refuge.  So,  in  believing, 
the  soul  is  never  to  rest  in  any  thing  on  this  side  of  Christ, 
who  is  "a  hiding-place  from  the  wind,  and  a  covert  from  the 
tempest :"  the  hail  shall  sweep  away  every  other  refuge. — 
But  as  the  man-slater,  when  once  within  the  gates  of  the  city 
of  refuge,  was  in  such  safety,  that  he  could  freely  speak  with 
the  avenger  of  blood,  without  any  manner  of  danger;  so  the 
soul  that  is  by  faith  got  under  the  covert  of  the  blood  and 
righteousness  of  Christ,  is  in  such  absolute  safety,  that  it  dares 
speak  to  the  law,  and  all  its  pursuers,  saying  with  the  apostle, 
Rom.  viii.  33,  34,  "  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  (he  charge  of 
God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  justificth:  who  is  he  that  con- 
demneth  1     It  is  Christ  that  died,"  &c. 

4.  It  is  called  a  "submitting  to  the  righteousness  of  God," 
Rom.  X.  3.  A  very  strange  expression  !  Shall  it  be  thought 
submission  for  a  condemned  criminal  to  accept  of  pardon  from 
his  prince?  or  for  a  person  that  is  stark  naked,  to  accept  of 
a  garment?  The  expression  plainly  points  out  the  arrogant 
pride  of  the  heart  of  man.  We  are,  as  it  were,  mounted  upon 
an  imaginary  throne  of  our  own  righteousness  by  the  law, 
thinking,  with  Laodicca,  that  we  are  "  rich,  and  stand  in 
need  of^  nothing,"  disdaining  to  be  obliged  to  another  for  right- 
eousness: but  now,  when  a  man  believes,  all  these  towering 
imaginations  are  levelled  ;  he  is  emptied  of  himself,  and  made 
to  "  count  all  things  but  loss  and  dung,  that  he  may  be  found 
in  Christ,  not  having  his  own  righteousness,  but  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  of  God  by  faith,"  Phil.  iii.  8,  9.  The  language 
of  the  soul,  submitting  to  the  righteousness  of  God,  is  that  of 
the  church,  Is.  xlv.  24:  "Surely,  shall  one  say.  In  the  Lord 
have  I  righteousness  and  strength." 

5.  It  is  called  a  "  taking  hold  of  God's  covenant,"  Is.  Ivi.  4. 
The  covenant  of  grace,  as  it  lies  in  the  external  dispensation 
of  the  gospel,  is  like  a  rope  cast  into  a  company  of  drowning 
men;  God  comes  by  his  ministers,  crying  to  sinking  sinners, 
who  are  going  down  to  the  botlondcss  gulf  of  his  wrath,  Take 
hold  of  mij  covenant,  and  of  him  whom  1  have  given  for  a  co-  * 
Tenant  of  the  people;  and  1  will  deliver  you  from  goi?ig  do2vn 
to  the  pit.  Now,  when  a  man  believes,  he,  as  it  were,  takes 
hold  of  this  rope  of  salvation,  this  covenant  of  grace  and  pro- 


214 


CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER  S  ARMS. 


[SER. 

mise ;  and,  like  Jeremiah,  when  the  cords  were  let  down  to 
the  pit  by  Ebed-melech,  puts  them  under  his  arm-holes,  and 
lays  his  weight  upon  them.  The  poor  soul,  in  this  case,  says 
with  David,  speaking  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  This  is  all  my 
salvation ;  here  will  I  lay  the  weight  of  my  sinking  and  pe- 
rishing soul. 

6.  It  is  called  a  yielding  ourselves  unto  the  Lord,  2  Chron. 
XXX.  8.  Hezekiah,  writing  to  the  degenerate  tribes,  exhorts 
them  to  yield  themselves  unto  the  Lord;  or,  as  it  is  in  the 
Hebrew,  Give  the  ha?id  unto  the  Lord ;  alluding  to  men  who 
have  been  at  variance,  when  they  come  to  an  agreement,  they 
strike  hands  one  with  another,  in  token  of  friendship.  The 
great  God,  the  offended  Majesty  of  Heaven,  comes,  in  a  gos- 
pel dispensation,  "stretching  out  his  hand  all  the  day  long" 
to  rebellious  sinners,  crying,  Behold  me,  behold  me  :  cast  away 
your  rebellious  arms,  and  be  at  peace  with  me.  Now,  when 
a  sinner  believes,  he,  as  it  were,  strikes  hands  with  the  Lord, 
according  to  that  promise,  Is.  xxvii.  5 :  "  Let  him  take  hold 
of  my  strength,  that  he  may  make  peace  with  me,  and  he 
shall  make  peace  with  me." 

7.  It  is  called  an  opening  of  the  heart  to  Christ,  Cant.  v.  2 ; 
Rev.  iii.  20;  Acts  xvi.  14.  This  expression  imports,  that  as 
the  sinner's  heart  is  by  nature  shut  and  bolted  against  the 
Lord ;  so,  when  he  believes,  the  everlasting  doors  of  the  under- 
standing, will,  and  affections,  are  "  lifted  up  to  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  the  Lord  mighty  in  battle,"  Psal.  xxiv.  7. 

8.  It  is  sometimes  called  a  buying.  Is.  Iv.  1 :  "  Buy  wine 
and  milk  without  money,  and  without  price."  Rev.  iii.  18: 
"  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,"  &c. — 
This  buying  does  not  import  such  a  commutation,  as  if  we 
were  to  give  to  God  an  equivalent  for  his  grace ;  for  it  is  a 
buying  "  without  money,  and  without  price ;"  it  is  a  giving 
of  poverty  for  riches,  emptiness  for  fulness,  deformity  for  beau- 
ty, guilt  for  righteousness,  pollution  for  holiness,  bondage  for 
liberty ;  in  a  word,  buying  in  Christ's  market  is  nothing  else 
but  taking:  Rev.  xxii.  17:  "Whosoever  will,  let  him  come, 
and  take  the  water  of  life  freely." 

Many  other  expressions  the  Spirit  of  God  makes  use  of  in 
the  word,  to  [represent]  the  nature  of  faith.  Sometimes  it  is 
called,  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  Heb.  xi.  1 ;  because  faith, 
as  it  were,  realizes  and  substantiates  the  promise.  Just  like  a 
man,  looking  to  bonds,  charters,  or  any  other  securities;  he  will 
say, '  There  is  my  substance,  and  all  my  stock,'  though  they  be 
but  bits  of  paper.  So  the  believer,  when  looking  on  Christ,  his 
righteousness  and  fulness,  as  held  forth  in  the  free  pronnse  of 
the  gospel,  will  be  ready  to  say,  '  There  is  my  substance  and 
everlasting  all :'  with  David,  he  rejoiceth  in  God's  word  of  pro- 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVEr's  ARMS.  215 

mise,  as  one  ihatjindeih  great  spoil;  yea,  it  is  better  to  him  than 
gold,  yea,  than  much  fine  gold.  Again;  it  is  called,  in  the  same 
verse,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.  The  word,  in  the  ori- 
ginal rendered  evidence,  signifies  to  convince  to  a  demonstra- 
tion. Faith,  acting  upon  the  promise,  convinces  the  soul  of 
the  reality  of  things  invisible,  as  if  they  were  before  him,  and 
he  saw  them  with  his  bodily  eyes.  And  this  sight  of  faith  is 
not  such  a  sight  as  Balaam  got  of  Christ,  when  he  said,  "I 
shall  see  him,  but  not  now:  I  shall  behold  him,  but  not  nigh." 
He  saw  him  by  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  as  the  Redeemer  of 
Israel;  but  not  by  the  spirit  of  faith,  as  his  Redeemer,  as  Job, 
chap.  xix.  25.  Balaam  saw  him,  without  any  personal  interest ; 
but  Job  saw  him  as  his  own  Redeemer,  with  appropriation :  "I 
know,"  says  he, "  that  my  Redeemer  li  veth."  Again ;  in  the  13th 
verse  of  the  same  chapter,  faith  is  called  an  embraci7ig  of  the 
promises,  Heb.  xi.  13.  The  word  in  the  original  signifies  a 
kindly  salutation,  or  kissing;  being  an  allusion  to  two  dear 
friends,  who,  when  they  meet,  clasp  one  another  in  their  arms, 
in  a  most  loving  and  aflectionate  maimer.  The  grace  of  the 
promise  embraces  the  soul,  and  then  the  soul  embraces  the 
promise,  and  hugs  it,  and  Christ  in  it,  in  his  arms.  The  reverse 
of  this  is  the  case  of  the  presumptuous  hypocrite,  who  in 
some  sort  embraces  the  promise  indeed;  but  the  special  grace 
of  the  promise  not  having  embraced  him,  he  is  like  a  man 
taking  a  tree  in  his  arms;  he  embraces  the  tree,  but  not  the 
tree  him. 

Again,  faith  is  sometimes  called  an  "  eating  the  flesh,  and 
drinking  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  man,"  John  vi.  53 ;  because 
faith  makes  use  of,  and  applies  Christ  for  the  life,  nourishment, 
and  sustenance  of  the  soul ;  just  as  a  man  makes  use  of  the 
meat  and  drink  that  is  set  before  him,  for  his  bodily  nourish- 
ment. Let  a  man  have  ever  such  a  rich  feast  before  him, 
yet  he  will  inevitably  starve,  unless  he  resort  to  it,  and  make 
use  of  it;  so,  without  faith's  application  of  Christ  and  his  ful- 
ness, we  inevitably  die  and  perish.  And  O  how  sad  to  perish 
in  the  midst  of  |)k'nty  ! 

Lastly,  Faith  is  called  a  "  (rusting  in  the  name  of  the  Lord," 
Is.  1.  10,  and  xxvi.  3.  We  all  know  what  it  is  to  trust  in  a 
man  of  honesty  aiul  integrity.  When  he  passes  his  word,  we 
make  no  doubt,  and  have  no  hesitation  concerning  his  per- 
forming what  he  has  promised  ;  so  faith  takes  the  promise,  and 
trusts  the  veracity  of  the  Promiser ;  as  it  is  said  of  Abraham, 
Rom.  iv.  20,  "  lie  staggered  not  at  the  promise  of  God  through 
unbelief;  but  was  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God."  The 
perfections  of  God,  such  as  his  power,  holiness,  goodness,  but 
especially  his  veracity,  are  pawned  in  the  promise,  as  grounds 
of  trust.     Hence  we  are  to  trust  in  his  name  :  and  when  we 


216  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVEr's  ARMS.  [SER. 

tru^t  in  him,  and  stay  ourselves  upon  him,  we  are  still  to  take 
him  up  as  our  God  in  Christ ;  for  we  can  never  trust  him, 
while  we  take  him  up  as  an  enemy. 

The  second  thing  proposed,  for  opening  up  the  first  general 
head  in  the  method,  was  to  give  you  some  of  the  qualities  of 
this  arm  of  faith. 

1.  It  is  a  leaning  and  a  staying  arm :  Cant.  viii.  5 :  "  Who 
is  this  that  cometh  up  from  the  wilderness,  leaning  upon  her 
beloved  ?"  Is.  xxvi.  3 :  "  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace 
whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee."  It  is  the  office  of  faith  to  un- 
derprop the  soul,  when  it  is  ready  to  be  overwhelmed  with 
the  burden  of  sin  and  sorrow,  darkness  and  desertion  :  Psal. 
xxvii.  13:  "I  had  fainted,  unless  I  had  believed  to  see  the 
goodness  of  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  tiie  living."  It  leans  and 
stays  itself  on  him  who  is  "  the  Strength  of  Israel,  euen  the 
man  of  God's  right  hand,  whom  he  hath  made  strong  for 
himself."  And  thus  it  bears  up  the  soul  under  the  heaviest 
pressures. 

2.  It  is  a  winning  and  gaining  arm.  The  apostle,  Phil.  iii. 
8,  9,  speaks  of  wi?imrig  Christ  and  being  found  ifi  him.  And 
it  is  said  of  the  wise  merchant,  that  he  went  and  sold  all  that 
he  had,  that  he  might  buy  or  win  the  pearl  of  great  price ;  and 
this  pearl  can  be  won  no  otherwise  but  by  receiving  it,  John 
i.  12.  Faith  is  such  a  winning  grace,  that  it  is  ever  taking, 
ever  receiving  out  of  Christ's  fulness,  grace  for  grace;  it  digs 
into  the  Rock  of  ages,  and  makes  up  the  poor  soul  with  un- 
searchable riches;  it  maintains  a  traffic  with  heaven,  travels 
to  the  land  afar  off,  and  returns  richly  freighted  and  loaded 
with  the  commodities  of  that  better  country. 

3.  It  is  a  very  wide  and  capacious  arm.  It  is  not  little  that 
will  fill  the  arm  of  faith:  the  whole  world,  and  all  the  fulness 
thereof,  cannot  fill  the  arm  of  faith:  no,  no;  it  flings  them 
away  like  dung,  that  it  may  get  its  arms  filled  with  a  God  in 
Christ:  "I  count  all  things  but  loss  and  dung,  for  the  excel- 
lency of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,"  Phil.  iii.  8. 
I  may  add,  that  heaven,  and  all  the  glories  of  Immanuel's 
land,  bear  no  bulk  in  the  arm  of  faith  without  Christ,  in  whom 
the  fulness  of  the  Goohead  dwells:  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25:  "Whom 
have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that 
I  desire  besides  thee." 

4.  It  is  a  most  tenacious  arm ;  its  motto  may  be,  gripe- 
fast.  As  the  arm  of  faith  is  wide,  and  takes  in  much ;  so  it 
keeps,  and  gripes  fast  what  it  gets:  Cant.  iii.  4:  "I  held 
him,"  says  the  spouse,  "  and  would  not  let  him  go."  Faith 
is  such  a  tenacious  grace,  that  it  will  wrestle  with  an  omni- 
potent God,  and  refuse  to  yield  to  him  when  he  seems  to 
shake  himself  loose  of  its  gripes,  as  we  see  in  the  case  of  Ja- 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER^S  ARMS.  217 

cob,  Gen.  xxxii.  24,  and  downward.  There  Jacob  gets  a 
gripe  by  faitti  of  the  Angel  of  the  covenant :  the  Angel  says 
to  him,  "  Let  me  go,"  Jacob.  A  very  strange  word,  for  the 
Creator  to  become  a  supplicant  to  his  own  creature!  Well, 
what  says  Jacob's  faith  to  this  proposal?  "I  will  not  let  thee 
go,  except  thou  bless  me."  As  if  he  had  said,  *  Let  the  day 
break,  and  let  it  pass  on,  let  the  night  come,  and  let  the  day 
break  again;  it  is  all  one;  lean  Jacob  and  the  living  God 
shall  not  part  without  the  blessing.'  To  this  purpose  is  that 
of  the  prophet,  llos.  xii.  3,  4  :  "  By  his  strength,"  namely,  by 
the  strength  of  faith  in  prayer,  "he  had  power  with  God: 
yea,  he  had  power  over  the  angel,  and  prevailed :  he  wept 
and  made  supplication  unto  him."  O  sirs!  try  to  follow  the 
example  of  Jacob,  and  you  shall  be  "fed  with  the  heritage  of 
Jacob"  your  "father,"  is.  Iviii.  14.  Thus,  I  say,  faith  is  a 
most  griping  and  tenacious  arm.  The  first  gripe  that  faith 
takes  of  Christ  is  so  fast,  that  it  never  quits  gripe  of  him  again 
through  eternity:  it  unites  the  soul  to  Christ;  and  the  union 
is  so  close  and  intimate  through  faith,  that  the  man  becomes 
o/ie  body  and  one  spirit  with  him,  and  so  indissoluble,  as  that 
"  neither  death  nor  life,  nor  things  present  nor  things  to  come, 
shall  ever  be  able  to  separate  from  the  love  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus." 

5.  Hence  it  follows,  that  faith  is  a  very  bold  and  confident 
arm.  It  has  a  great  deal  o[  assurance  in  it;  for  it  will  main- 
tain its  claim  to  Christ,  upon  the  ground  of  the  new  covenant, 
even  when  hell  and  earth,  sen.-e  and  reason,  and  all  seems  to 
be  against  it ;  it  will  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay 
itself  upon  its  God  in  covenant,  even  when  the  poor  soul 
walks  in  the  darkness  of  desertion,  in  the  darkness  of  temp- 
tation, in  the  darkness  of  affliction,  or  even  in  the  dark  valley 
of  the  shadow  of  death.  Abraham's  faith  had  much  opposi- 
tion to  grapple  with,  when  he  got  the  promise  of  Isaac,  and 
in  him  of  the  promised  seed,  in  whom  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  were  to  he  blessed  ;  yet  such  was  the  confidence  and  as- 
surance of  his  faith,  that  lie  stagp-crt'if  /,<>!  tit  the  promise.  The 
langunge  of  faith  is,  "  When  I  fall,  I  siiail  arise;  when  I  sit 
in  darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a  light  unto  me.  He  will  bring 
me  forth  to  the  light,  and  I  shall  behold  his  righteousness," 
Mic.  vii.  8,  9.  Yet  T  would  not  be  here  mistaken,  as  if  the 
poor  believer  did  not  ap[)rehcnd  Chri.st  and  the  promise  with 
a  tottering  and  trembling  hand;  nay,  the  believer,  through 
the  prevaknice  of  unbelief,  is  many  times  brought  so  low,  as 
to  cry  with  the  psalmist,  "  Will  the  Lord  cast  off  for  ever? 
and  will  he  be  favourai)lc  no  more?  Is  his  mercy  clean  gone 
forever?  doth  his  promise  fail  for  evermore?  Ilath  God 
forgotten  to  be  gracious?  hath  he  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender 

VOL.  I.  19 


218  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVEr's  ARMS.  [SER. 

mercies'?  Selah."  Psal.  Ixxvii.  7 — 9.  But  let  it  be  remem- 
bered, that  this  was  not  his  faith,  but  iiis  irifirmity,  through 
prevaiUng  unbelief,  which  made  him  thus  to  stagger :  for,  let 
faith  but  get  rid  of  unbelief,  let  it  get  up  its  head,  and  allow 
it  to  speak  its  proper  language,  its  dialect  will  be,  Abha,  Fa- 
ther, liom.  \ni.  15;- and,  "  Doubtless,  thou  art  our  Father, 
though  Abraham  be  ignorant  of  us,  and  Israel  acknowledge 
us  not :  thou,  O  Lord,  art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer,  thy 
name  is  from  everlasting." 

6.  It  is  a  very  patient  and  waiting  arm  ;  for  "  he  that  be- 
lie veth  shall  not  make  haste,"  Is.  xxviii.  16.  Faith,  although 
it  firmly  believes  the  accomplishment  of  the  promise,  yet  it 
will  not  limit  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  as  to  the  time  of  its  ac- 
complishment: "  I  will  wait  upon  the  Lord  that  hideth  his 
face  from  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  I  will  look  for  him,"  Is. 
viii.  17.  "The  vision  is  for  an  appointed  time;  (and  there- 
fore, says  faith,)  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it,  because  it  will 
surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry,"  Hab.  ii.  3.  Faith  will  not 
draw  rash  or  desperate  conclusions,  because  the  Lord  hides 
or  defers  his  visits :  no ;  but  it  looks  to  God's  word  of  pro- 
mise, and  grounds  its  confidence  thei'e,  saying  with  the 
church,  "  I  will  look  unto  the  Lord :  I  will  wait  for  the  God 
of  my  salvation:  my  God  will  hear  me,"  Mic.  vii.  7. 

7.  Faith  is  a  feeding  arm;  it  feeds  upon  the  carcass  of  "the 
Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah ;"  and  thus,  like  Samson,  gets  its 
"  meat  out  of  the  eater,  and  sweetness  out  of  the  strong." 
Hence,  as  you  heard,  it  is  called  an  eating  of  the  flesh  and  a 
drinking  of  the  blood  of  Christ:  and  in  this  view  Christ  is  pre- 
sented to  us  in  the  sacrament  of  the  supper.  Take, eat;  this  is 
my  ^ody.  There  w^as  a  part  of  the  sacrifices  under  the  law 
reserved  for  food  to  the  priests,  when  the  rest  was  burnt  upon 
the  altar:  believers  are  spiritual  priests  to  God,  and  they  live 
upon  the  altar,  and  that  blessed  "passover  that  was  sacrificed 
for  us." 

8.  It  is  not  an  idle,  but  a  working  arm.  Indeed,  in  its 
justifying  act  it  is  not  a  working,  but  only  a  taking,  or  a 
resting  arm :  it  is  like  the  beggar's  hand,  that  takes  the  alms, 
without  working  for  it.  In  justification,  faith  is  a  passive  or 
recipient  kind  of  an  instrument;  but,  in  sanctification,  it  is  an 
active  or  an  efiicient  kind  of  instrument.  It  is  such  an  ac- 
tive arm  in  sanctification,  that  it  "  purifies  the  heart,"  and 
actuates  and  animates  all  the  other  graces  of  the  Spirit;  it 
"  works  by  love,"  it  works  by  repentance,  it  works  by  hope, 
it  works  by  patience,  it  works  by  obedience ;  and  "  faith  with- 
out works  is  dead,  as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is  dead." 
In  a  word,  the  whole  of  gospel  obedience,  is  "  the  obedience 
of  faith;"  and  the  obedience  that  flows  not  from  faith  is  but 
"  dead  works,"  which  cannot  be  acceptable  to  a  "  living  God." 


IX.J  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVEr's  ARMS.  219 

9.  Faith  is  a  fighting  and  warlike  arm :     In  Heb.  xi.  34,  it 

is  said  of  the  worthies  there,  that  they  by  faith,  "  waxed  va- 
liant in  fight :"  yea,  it  is  not  only  a  fighting,  but  a  victorious 
arm  ;  for  it  "  puts  to  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens."  It  is  by 
faith  leaning  on  the  arm  of  Omnipotence,  that  the  believer's 
bow  abides  in  its  strength,  and  the  arms  of  his  hands  become 
strong,  to  break  bows  of  steel  in  pieces.  By  faith  we  quench 
the  fiery  darts  officii,  and  trample  upon  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness ;  by  faith  we  overcome  the  world,  and  set  the  moon  un- 
der our  feel.  Yes,  this  gallant  grace  of  faith  will  take  up  the 
spoils  of  Christ's  victory  over  sin  and  Satan,  hell  and  death, 
and  triumph  in  his  triumphs,  even  while  it  is  in  the  field  of 
battle,  and  seemingly  overcome  by  the  enemy.  "  Thanks  be 
unto  God,  which  always  causeth  us  to  triumph  in  Christ." 
My  Head  and  General,  says  faith,  has  overcome,  and  I  have 
already  overcome  in  him  ;  for  "  we  are  more  than  conquerors 
througii  him  that  loved  us,"  Rom.  viii.  37. 

10.  Lastly,  Faith  is  a  saving  arm :  "  He  that  believcth  shall 
be  saved."  There  is  an  inseparable  connexion  established, 
by  the  ordination  of  Heaven,  between  faith  and  salvation, 
John.  iii.  16 :  "  Whosoever  believcth,  shall  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life."  Although,  indeed,  there  is  no  connex- 
ion of  causality,  yet  there  is  an  undoubted  connexion  of  or- 
der. Faith  cannot  but  carry  salvation  along  with  it,  seeing 
it  takes  up  Christ  the  salvation  of  God  in  its  arms,  as  you  see 
Simeon  did. 

The  third  thing  proposed  here  was,  to  inquire  how  this 
arm  of  faith  embraces  Christ '?  In  general,  I  answer,  it  cm- 
braces  him  just  as  God  offers  him  in  the  gospel.  There  is 
a  manifest  proportion  betwixt  God's  offer,  and  faith's  recep- 
tion of  Christ;  which  I  shall  illustrate  in  the  four  following 
particulars: — 

1.  Christ  IS  freely  offered  in  the  gospel.  Is.  Iv.  1;  Rev.  xxii. 
17 ;  so  faith  embraces  him  as  the  free  crift  of  God.  There 
is  a  natural  propensity  in  the  heart  of  man,  to  give  somethmg 
or  otlier  of  our  own,  by  way  of  exchange  or  equivalent,  for 
Christ,  and  the  blessings  of  his  purchase.  Proud  nature  can- 
not think  of  being  so  much  beholden  to  God,  as  to  take  Christ 
and  salvation  from  him  for  nothing  at  all;  and  therefore  it 
would  always  be  bringing  in  this  or  the  other  qualification, 
as  a  price  in  its  hand  to  fit  it  for  Christ ;  I  must  be  so  peni- 
tent, so  humble,  so  clean  and  holy  before  I  come  to  Christ, 
and  then  I  will  be  welcome,  he  will  pardon  and  save  me. 
But,  sirs,  whatever  you  may  think  of  it,  this  is  but  a  remnant 
of  the  old  covenant  of  works,  and  all  one  as  if  a  man  should 
say,  I  must  first  heal  myself  before  I  go  to  the  physician;  L 
will  first  wash  myself  clean,  before  I  go  to  the  "fountain 


220  CHRIST  IN  THE  BEHEVEr's  ARMS.  [SER, 

opened  up  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness."  Beware  of  this,  for 
it  is  a  secret  subverting  of  the  order  and  method  which  God 
has  estabhshed  in  the  covenant  of  grace;  this  being  the  very 
money  and  price  which  he  forbids  us  to  bring  to  the  market 
of  free  grace.  Faith  argues  at  another  rate  in  its  embracing 
of  Christ:  'O!'  says  the  poor  soul,  'I  am  a  diseased  sinner  from 
the  sole  of  the  foot  to  the  crown  of  the  head;  and  tiiis  quali- 
fies me  for  the  Physician  of  souls :  I  am  a  polluted  sinner, 
black,  like  the  Ethiopian,  spotted  like  the  leopard  ;  and  there- 
fore I  will  go  to  the  fountain :  I  am  naked ;  and  therefore  I 
will  take  the  white  raiment  offered  me,  to  cover  the  shame 
of  my  nakedness :  I  am  blind  ;  and  therefore  I  w  ill  take  the 
eye-salve,  which  recovers  sight  to  the  blind.'  Thus,  1  say, 
faith  embraces  Christ  as  he  is  freely  offered. 

2.  Christ  is  fully  and  u-holly  offered  in  the  gospel;  and  ac- 
cordingly faith  embraces  him  wholly  without  dividing  him. 
I  own,  indeed,  that  the  first  flight  of  faith  is  to  Christ  as  a  Sa- 
viour, Christ  as  priest,  fulfilling  the  law,  satisfying  justice, 
and  thereby  bringing  in  everlasting  righteousness ;  this  being 
the  only  thing  that  can  answer  the  present  strait  and  neces- 
sity of  the  soul,  under  the  awful  apprehensions  of  vindictive 
justice  and  wrath;  and  therefore  thither  it  flees  for  refuge, 
in  the  first  act  of  believing.  But  now,  although  faith  at  first 
fixes  upon  Christ  as  a  priest;  yet  at  the  same  time  it  embraces 
him  as  a  prophet,  submitting  to  his  instruction,  and  subjects 
itself  to  him  as  a  king,  receiving  the  law  from  his  mouth: 
'O!'  says  the  soul,  ' "  I  am  more  brutish  than  any  man,  and 
have  not  the  understanding  of  a-  man  ;"  but  this  Saviour  "  has 
pity  on  the  ignorant,  and  them  that  are  out  of  the  way  :"  he 
opens  the  book,  and  looses  the  seven  seals  thereof;"  and  there- 
fore I  will  sit  down  at  his  feet,  and  receive  the  whole  revela- 
tion of  the  mind  and  will  of  God  from  him  :  I  am  a  poor  cap- 
tive andvassel  of  hell;  "Other  lords  have  had  dominion  over 
me,  but,"  now  "  I  will  make  mention  of  his  name:"  he  is 
"my  Judge,  my  Lawgiver,  and  my  King,"  even  he  that 
"  saves  me."  '  Thus,  I  say,  the  arm  of  faith  embraces  a 
whole  Christ.  '  There  is  nothing  of  Christ,'  says  the  soul, '  that 
1  can  want ;  I  must  have  him  all,  and  have  him  all  as  mine 
own,  as  my  Prophet,  my  Priest,  and  my  King.  And  herein 
the  faith  of  the  hypocrite,  or  temporary  believer,  comes  short 
of  the  faith  of  God's  elect.  The  hypocrite,  halves  Christ,  or 
else  inverts  the  order  of  his  office,  in  his  way  of  receiving 
him:  either  he  receives  him  as  a  Saviour,  only  to  keep  him 
out  of  hell,  but  waves  the  acceptance  of  him  as  a  King  to 
rule  him;  or  else  he  professedly  subjects  himself  to  Christ's 
authority  as  a  King  and  a  Lawgiver,  hoping,  upon  that 
score,  that  Christ  will  save  him,  by  his  blood  and  righteous- 


IX.]  CHRIST  ly  THE  BELIEVER'S  ARMS.  221 

ness,  as  a  priest ;  and  [thus  endeavours  to]  make  up  the  de 
fects  of  his  lame  obedience ;  which  is,  upon  the  matter,  to 
"  put  a  piece  of  new  cloth  unto  an  old  garment,  ichereby  the 
rent  is  made  worse." 

3.  God  gives  Christ  cordiallij  and  ajfeclionatchj  in  the  gos- 
pel :  his  very  heart,  as  it  were,  goes  out  after  sinners,  in  the 
call  and  oilier  of  it.  It  is  not  possible  to  conceive  any  thing 
more  afFectionale,  than  the  word  in  which  ho  bespeaks  sinners: 
Ezek.  xxxiii.  11 :  "^As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no 
pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn 
from  his  way  and  live:  turn  yc,  turn  ye  from  your  evil  ways," 
for  why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel!"  Hos.  xi.  8:  "How 
shall  I  give  thee  up,  Ephraim  ?  how  shall  I  deliver  thee,  Israel? 
how  shall  I  make  thee  as  Admah?  how  shall  I  set  thee  as 
Zei)oim?  mine  heart  is  turned  within  me;  my  rcpentings  are 
kindled  together."  Is.  Iv.  1 — 3  :  "  Ho,  every  oiie  that  thirsteth, 
come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money  ;  come  ye, 
buy  and  cat,  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and  milk  without  money, 
and  without  price.  Wherefore  do  ye  spend  money  for  that 
which  is  not  bread?  and  your  labour  for  that  which  satistieth 
not  ?  hearken  diligently  unto  me,  and  eat  ye  that  which  is  good, 
and  let  your  soul  delight  itself  in  fatness.  Incline  your  ear, 
and  come  unto  me:  hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live,  and  I  will 
make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mer- 
cies of  David."  Now,  I  say,  as  God  oilers  Christ  most  afFec- 
tionately  and  cordially,  in  like  manner  does  faith  embrace 
him.  He  embraces  a  whole  Christ,  with  the  whole  heart  and 
soul ;  the  love,  joy,  delight,  and  complacency  of  the  soul,  run 
out  upon  him  as  their  very  centre  of  rest :  and  these  allections, 
like  so  many  springs  of  gospel  obedience,  set  all  the  members 
of  the  body  at  work  in  his  service;  so  that  the  head  will  study 
for  him,  the  hand  work  for  him,  the  feet  run  his  errands, 
and  the  tongue  be  ready  to  plead  his  cause. 

4.  Christ  is  offered  parlicularlij,  to  everij  man.  There  is 
not  a  soul  hearing  me,  but,  in  God's  name,  I  offer  Christ  to 
him,  as  if  called  b}'^  name  and  surname.  Now,  as  (he  oiler 
is  particular  to  every  individual  person,  so  faith  embraces 
Christ  with  particular  application  to  the  soul  itself  When  I 
embrace  a  Saviotu",  I  do  not  embrace  for  salvation  to  another 
man;  no,  but  I  enibrace  him  as  my  Saviour,  for  salvation  to 
my  own  soul  in  particular.  Beware,  my  friends,  of  a  general 
doubtsome  faith,  abjured  in  our  national  covenant  as  a  branch 
of  Popery.  A  general  persuasion  of  the  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ,  and  of  Christ's  ability  and  willingness  to  save  all  that 
come  to  him,  will  not  do  the  business;  no,  devils  and  repro- 
bates may,  and  do  actually  believe  it.  There  must  therefore 
of  necessity  be  a  persuasion  and  l)elief  of  this,  with  particulaf 

19* 


222  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER's  ARMS.  [SER. 

application  thereof  to  a  man's  own  soul ;  for  if  the  mercy  of 
God  in  Christ  be  offered  to  every  man  in  particular,  then 
surely  faith,  which,  as  I  was  saying,  is  but  the  echo  of  the 
soul  to  the  gospel  call,  must  embrace  Christ,  and  the  mercy 
of  God  in  him,  with  particular  application  to  itself,  otherwise 
it  does  not  answer  God's  offer  ;  consequently,  cannot  be  of  a 
saving  nature.  So  much  for  the  Jirsl  general  head  proposed 
in  the  prosecution  of  the  doctrine. 

II.  The  second  thing  proposed  was,  to  lake  notice  of  some  of 
these  so7igs,  -which  readily  the  soul  has  i?i  its  mouth,  vhen,  like 
Simeon,  it  gets  Christ  embraced  in  the  arms  of  faith.  We  are 
said  to  be  "filled  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing;"  by 
faith  in  an  unseen  Christ,  the  soul  is  replenished  nilhjoy  un- 
speakable,  and  full  of  glory.  And  when  this  is  the  soul's  case, 
it  cannot  but  bless  God,  as  Simeon  did,  and  vent  its  heart  in 
these  or  the  like  songs  of  praise. 

1.  It  cannot  but  bless  him  for  electing  and  everlasting  love. 
Faith's  embraces  of  Christ  help  the  soul  to  trace  the  streams 
of  divine  love  to  their  fountain  head,  and  to  read  its  own 
name  in  the  book  of  life,  among  the  living  in  Jerusalem.  'O 
blessed  be  God,'  will  the  soul  say, '  that  ever  I,  wretched  I,  mi- 
serable I,  should  have  been  upon  God's  heart,  before  the  foun- 
dations of  the  world  were  laid  :  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest," 
who  hath  "drawn  me  with  loving-kindness,"  by  which  1  iTnow 
that  he  "  hath  loved  me  with  an  everlasting  love."  ' 

2.  The  soul,  in  such  a  case,  cannot  but  bless  God  for  Christ, 
and  redeeming  love  through  him,  saying  with  the  apostle, 
"Thanks  be  unto  him  for  his  unspeakable  gift."  Glory  to 
him  in  the  highest,  that  "  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a 
son  is  given,  whose  name  is  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Migh- 
ty God,  the  everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of  peace."  And 
then  when  the  soul  views  the  glorious  retinue  of  blessings  that 
come  along  with  Christ,  it  cannot  shun  to  join  issue  with  the 
apostle  in  his  triumphant  doxology,  Eph.  i.  2,  saying,  "  Bless- 
ed be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath 
blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in 
Christ."  And  there  are  these  few,  among  innumerable  bless- 
ings, that  come  along  with  Christ,  for  which  the  soul  will  rea- 
dily bless  God,  in  the  case  mentioned. 

1st,  *  O  blessed  be  God,'  will  the  soul  say,  '  that  in  Christ  he 
is  become  my  God,  even  my  own  God.  I  was  once  u'ithout 
God  in  the  world;  but  O  what  a  happy  turn  is  this!  Now  I 
can  view  him  in  Christ,  and  say,  "  He  is  my  God,  my  Father, 
and  the  Rock  of  my  salvation;  the  portion  of  my  cup:  awrf 
therefore  the  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in  pleasant  places;  yea, 
I  have  a  goodly  heritage."  ' 

2c//y, '  O  blessed  be  God,'  will  the  soul  say, '  that  in  Christ  the 


IX.]  CHRIST  Iff  THE  BELIEVER's  ARMS.  223 

fiery  tribunal  is  turned  into  a  nnercy-scat  by  his  obedience  and 
death.  The  law  and  justice  having  got  a  complete  satisfac- 
tion, a  way  is  made  for  the  empire  of  sovereign  grace  :  so  that 
now  "  grace  reigns  through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life,  by 
Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,"  Rom.  v.  21.  And  as  it  is  the  will  of 
God  that  grace  should  reign,  so  it  is  the  desire  of  my  soul,  to 
make  this  name  of  his  to  be  remembered  to  all  generations. 
O  let  grace  wear  the  crown,  and  sway  the  sceptre  for  ever; 
and  let  all  the  hallelujahs  of  the  higher  house  be  "  to  the 
praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace."  ' 

3f////, '  O  blessed  be  God,'  will  the  soul  say,  *  that  in  Christ  he 
has  "  blotted  out  all  mine  iniquities,  as  a  cloud,  and  as  a  thick 
cloud."  There  was  a  cloud  of  sin  pregnant  with  wrath  ho- 
vering above  my  head  ;  but  in  Christ  I  see  it  scattered :  "  We 
have  redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness  of 
sins."  And  therefore,  "  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul :  and  all 
that  is  within  me,  bless  his  holy  name.  Who  forgiveth  all 
thine  iniquities."  ' 

4lhlt/,  '  O  blessed  be  God,'  will  the  soul  say,  '  that  in  Christ  I 
am  blessed  with  an  cverlasl'uig  and  law-abiding  righteoi/sfiess. 
Cljrist,  my  ever- blessed  Surety,  was  made  under  the  laic,  and 
has  ma<r?iijied  if,  and  made  it  lionourahle ;  and  the  Lord  is  veil 
pleased  for  his  righteousness"  sake ;  and  in  him,  and  through  him, 
the  righleotisness  of  the  laioi  is  fuljilled  in  me :  and,  therefore, 
*'  I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  my  soul  shall  be  joyful  in 
my  God  ;  for  he  hath  clothed  me  with  the  garments  of  salva- 
tion, he  hath  covered  me  with  the  robe  of  righteousness,  as  a 
bridegroom  decketh  himself  with  ornaments,  and  as  a  bride 
adorneth  herself  with  her  jewels,"  '  Is.  Ixi,  10. 

5//i/y,  'O  blessed  be  God,'  will  the  soul  say, '  that  in  Christ  he 
is  become  a  Father  of  the  fatherless,  and  blessed  me  with  the 
blessing  of  adoption  and  sonship.  I  may  seal  it,  from  my  ex- 
perience, that  "in  him  the  fatherless  findeth  mercy."  I  was 
like  an  outcast  infant  and  helpless  orphan,  but  the  everlasting 
Father  took  me  up,  and  "  gave  a  place  and  a  name  in  his 
house,  and  witliin  his  walls,  better  than  of  sons  and  of  daugh- 
ters, even  an  everlasting  name  that  shall  not  be  cut  olf!  Be- 
hold what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon 
me,  that  I  should  be  called  a  son  of  God,"  '  1  John  iii.  1. 

iJthltj',  '  O  glory  to  (lod,'  will  the  soul  say,  '  for  the  open  door 
of  "  access  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus."  The  door 
was  once  barred  against  me  and  all  Adam's  posterity,  by  the 
breach  of  the  first  covenant;  but  in  Christ  it  is  again  opened, 
so  that  we  may  "  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that 
we  may  ol)tain  mercy,  and  fmd  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need." 
An  incarnate  Deity  is  now  become  the  way  to  God  and  glory.' 

I  might  tell  you  of  many  other  blessings  that  the  soul  is 


224  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER  S  ARMS.  [SER. 

ready  to  bless  God  for,  when  it  gets  Christ  in  the  arms  of 
faith ;  but  I  do  not  insist.  I  conclude  this  head  by  referring 
you  to  two  or  three  scriptural  songs  which  will  readily  occur 
in  such  a  case.  The  first  you  have,  1  Pet.  i.  3,  4:  "Blessed 
be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who,  ac- 
cording to  his  abundant  mercy,  hath  begotten  us  again  unto 
a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the 
dead,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  and  that 
fadeth  not  away,"  &.c.  Another  you  have,  Rom.  viii.  33,  to 
the  end  of  the  chapter :  "  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  justifielh:  who  is  he 
that  condemneth  V  Slc.  A  third  you  have,  1  Cor.  xv.  55, 
56:  "O  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  O  grave,  where  is  thy 
victory?"  &c.  Another,  with  which  I  conclude  this  head,  is 
that  which  concludes  the  Bible,  Rev.  xxii.  20 :  "  Even  so, 
come,  Lord  Jesus." 

III.  The  third  thing  proposed  was,  to  inquire  zohence  it  is 
that  faith's  embraces  of  Christ  thus  f  II  the  mouth  ziith  praise  ? 

Answ.  1-.  This  flows  from  the  certainty  that  is  in  faith. 
Faith  is  not  a  doubting  grace ;  no,  doubts  and  jealousies  va- 
nish before  it,  as  the  clouds  and  darkness  of  the  night  va- 
nish at  the  appearance  of  the  sun.  And  the  certainty  of 
faith  flows  from  the  stability  of  these  foundations  upon  which 
it  builds,  which  are  more  firm  than  the  pillars  of  heaven,  and 
the  fotuidations  of  the  earth.  It  builds  upon  the  word  of  God, 
the  oath  of  God,  the  blood  of  God,  the  righteousness  of  God, 
the  power  of  God,  the  veracity  of  God  :  and  seeing  it  builds 
upon  such  immoveable  foundations,  how  can  it  miss  to  have  a 
certainty  in  it  proportioned,  in  some  measure,  to  the  grounds 
upon  which  it  stands?  And  hence  it  comes,  that  it  fills  the 
mouth  with  praise.  Let  news  be  ever  so  good,  yet  if  we 
have  no  certainty  in  our  belief  of  them,  it  exceedingly  mars 
our  joy  and  comfort.  But  as  regards  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
gospel,  they  are  no  flying  uncertain  reports  ;  no,  it  is  God, 
that  cannot  lie,  who  speaks :  and  thence  comes  the  certainty 
of  faith. 

2.  This  flows  from  the  applying  and  appropriating  nature 
of  faith ;  which  I  hinted  at  already.  Let  news  be  ever  so 
true,  though  ever  so  great  and  good,  yet  if  we  have  no  inte- 
rest or  concern  in  them,  it  mars  the  sweetness  and  comfort 
of  them.  Tell  a  poor  man  of  mountains  of  gold  and  silver, 
what  relief  will  that  afford  him,  if  he  has  no  access  to  it,  or 
interest  in  it?  But  tell  him,  that  all  these  treasures  are  his, 
and  that  he  has  the  owner's  warrant  and  command  to  take 
and  use  them  as  his  own,  this  will  make  him  rejoice  indeed. 
Tell  a  hungry  and  starving  man  of  a  rich  feast  or  banquet; 
what  is  that  to  him,  if  he  be  not  allowed  to  taste  it  ?     Tell  a 


IX.]  CHRIST  IS  THE  BELIEVEr's  ARMS.  225 

naked  man,  exposed  to  the  injuries  of  the  wind  and  weather, 
of  fine  robes  and  excellent  garments ;  what  will  it  avail  him, 
if  they  be  not  for  him,  or  for  his  use?  But  tell  the  hungry 
man  that  the  feast  is  for  iiim ;  and  the  naked  man  that  the 
clothing  is  for  him,  this  will  create  joy  and  triumph.  So, 
here,  the  gospel  report  does  not  tell  us  of  a  Saviour  and  sal- 
vation that  we  have  no  interest  in  ;  no,  it  tells  us,  that  to  us 
is  the  word  of  this  salvatiofi  sent;  that  unto  tis  is  this  child  born, 
u?ito  us  is  this  son  given :  that  he  is  "  made  of  God  unto  us 
wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and  redemp- 
tion ;"  and  that,  as  the  great  Trustee  of  Heaven,  he  "  re- 
ceived gifts  for  men ;  yea,  for  the  rebellious  also."  Now, 
faith,  accordingly,  applies  all  these  good  news,  this  Saviour, 
and  his  w'hole  salvatiop,  to  itself  in  particular.  And  hence 
it  comes,  that  it  fills  the  heart  with  joy,  and  the  tongue  with 
praise. 

3.  This  flows  from  that  sensible  assurance  of  God's  love, 
and  of  grace  and  salvation,  which  commonly  follows  upon 
believing;  according  to  what  you  have,  Eph.  i.  13:  "After 
that  ye  believed,  ye  w  ere  sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  pro- 
mise." There  is  a  certainty  of  sense,  which  very  frequently 
accompanies  or  follows  upon  the  certainty  of  faith,  as  a  na- 
tural fruit  of  it ;  and  yet  is  not  of  the  nature  and  essence  of 
it,  because  there  may  be  true  faith  where  there  is  not  this 
sensible  or  reflex  assurance  of  grace  and  salvation.  The 
certainty  of  faith  is  built  upon  the  word  of  God,  the  record  of 
God,  and  the  promise  of  God,  which  is  a  believing,  because 
God  hath  spoken :  Psal.  Ix.  6,  7,  compared.  God  had  made 
a  promise  of  the  kingdom  to  David,  "God  hath  spoken  in  his 
holiness,"  says  he,  "  I  will  rejoice ;"  and,  in  the  faith  of  this 
word  of  promise,  he  speaks  with  such  certainty,  as  if  he  were 
already  in  possession,  "Gilead  is  mine,  and  Manasseh  is 
mine,"  &-c.  But  now  the  certainty  of  sense  is  a  knowing 
that  we  have  believed,  or  the  soul's  reflecting  upon  its  own 
act  of  believing.  The  certainty  of  faith  is  like  the  certainty 
that  a  man  has  of  his  money  in  a  good  and  suflicient  bond, 
or  the  certainty  that  a  man  has  of  his  estate,  by  a  good  and 
sufficient  charter ;  he  rests  upon  his  bonds  and  charters  as 
good  securities  to  him.  But  the  certainty  of  sense  is  like  the 
certainty  that  a  man  has  of  his  money,  when  he  is  iiandling 
it  with  his  fingers,  or  taking  in  his  rents.  By  the  certainty 
of  faith,  Abraham  believed,  without  staggering,  because  he 
had  God's  word  of  promise  for  it ;  but  by  the  certainty  of 
sense,  he  knew  it,  whoti  he  saw  Sarah  delivered  of  his  son 
Isaac,  and  got  him  in  his  arms.  Now,  I  say,  faith  commonly 
produces  this  sensible  assurance,  sweet  and  reviving  experi- 
ences of  the  Lord's  lo\c  t(j  our  souls :  and  hence  it  comes, 
that  it  fills  the  mouth  with  praise. 


226  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIKVEr's  ARMS.  [SER. 

IV.  The  fourth  thing  was,  the  application  of  the  doctrine. 
And  the  Jirst  use  shall  be  of  information.  This  doctrine  in- 
forms us, 

1.  Of  the  excellency  of  the  grace  of  faith.  It  cannot  but 
be  an  excellent  grace,  because  it  embraces  precious  Christ. 
Hence  it  is,  that  God  puts  such  an  estimate  upon  it,  that  he 
cares  for  nothing  we  do,  if  that  be  wanting :  "  Without  faith 
it  is  impossible  to  please  God :  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is 
sin."  Suppose  it  were  possible  for  a  man  to  attain  such  a 
pitch  of  morality,  as  to  be,  touching  the  law,  blameless ;  yet 
all  his  obedience,  moral  and  religious,  stands  for  a  cipher  in 
God's  reckoning  ;  yea,  is  like  the  cutting  off  a  dog's  neck,  and 
the  offering  of  szvine^s  blood  upon  God's  altar,  if  faith  be  want- 
ing. Thus,  then,  I  say,  faith  is  an  excellent  grace,  of  abso- 
lute necessity  in  order  to  our  acceptance  before  God.  Only 
let  it  be  here  carefully  remembered,  that  it  is  not  the  act  of 
faith,  but  its  glorious  and  ever-blessed  object,  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  it  embraces,  that  renders  us  acceptable  to  God.  In 
point  of  acceptance,  faith  renounces  its  own  actings,  and 
looks  for  acceptance  only  "  in  the  Beloved :"  it  "  rejoiceth 
in  Christ  Jesus"  only,  and  has  "  no  confidence  in  the  flesh." 

2.  See  from  this  doctrine  what  a  happy  and  privileged 
person  the  believer  is.  He  gets  Christ  the  Lamb  of  God  in 
the  embraces  of  his  soul !  and  O  what  can  the  most  enlarged 
heart  or  soul  of  man  wish  for  more  !  This  was  the  one  thing 
that  David  desired,  Psal.  xxvii.  4.  We  read  of  one  in  the 
gospel  that  sftid  to  Christ,  "  Blessed  is  the  womb  that  bare 
thee,  and  the  paps  which  thou  hast  sucked ;"  to  which  Christ 
answered,  "  Yea,  rather  blessed  are  they  that  hear  the  word 
of  God  and  keep  it,"  Luke  xi.  27,  28.  And  who  are  they 
that  hear  the  word  of  God  and  keep  it,  but  believers,  who 
have  him  "  formed  in  their  hearts,"  and  clasped  in  the  arms 
of  faith  ?  for  he  that  thus  hath  the  Sofi,  hath  life.  And,  con- 
cerning such,  I  may  say,  as  Moses  said  concerning  Israel, 
Deut.  xxxiii.  29 :  "  Happy  art  thou,  O  Israel :  who  is  like 
unto  thee,  O  people,  saved  by  the  Lord !"  Notice  the  expres- 
sion, they  are  a  people  already  saved,  they  have  everlasting 
life.  That  day  that  Christ  comes  into  the  heart,  the  salvation 
of  God  comes,  as  it  is  said  to  Zaccheus,  "  This  day  is  salva- 
tion come  to  thy  house." 

3.  See,  from  this  doctrine,  the  true  way  of  joy  and  comfort. 
Perhaps  there  may  be  some  poor  soul  going  mourning  with- 
out the  sun,  saying,  "  Oh  that  I  were  as  in  months  past." 
Once  in  a  day  I  thought  I  could  say,  "  The  candle  of  the 
Lord  shined  upon  my  head ;"  but,  alas !  the  scene  is  now  al- 
tered ;  "  the  Comforter  that  should  relieve  my  soul  is  far  from 
me :"  how  shall  I  recover  my  wonted  joy  in  the  Lord  ?  Well, 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVEr's  ARMS.  227 

here  is  the  way  to  it ;  go  fortii  out  of  yourselves,  by  a  direct 
act  of  faith ;  take  Christ  anew,  in  the  embraces  of  your  souls, 
upon  the  free  call  and  offer  of  the  gospel ;  and,  with  Simeon, 
you  shall  be  made  to  bless  God.  It  is  the  wreck  of  the  com- 
fort of  the  generality  of  God's  people,  in  our  day,  that  they 
continue  poring  within  themselves,  upon  their  frames,  their 
graces,  their  experiences,  their  attainments,  without  going 
forth,  by  faith,  to  the  fulness  of  a  Redeemer  for  relief  And 
while  we  do  so,  we  are  just  like  mariners  at  sea:  while  they 
sail  among  shallow  waters,  near  the  shore,  they  are  always 
afraid  of  striking  upon  rocks,  or  running  upon  sands,  because 
they  want  deepness  of  water ;  but  when  they  launch  forth  into 
the  main  ocean,  they  are  delivered  of  these  fears,  being  carried 
faj  above  rocks  and  sands :  so  while  the  believer  continues 
among  the  shallow  waters  of  his  graces,  duties,  experiences, 
and  attainments,  he  cannot  miss  to  be  harassed  with  continual 
fears,  because  the  waters  of  divine  grace  are  but  ebb,  while 
we  stay  there;  but  when  by  faith  we  launch  out  into  that  full 
ocean  of  grace  that  is  in  Christ,  then  fears,  doubts,  and  per- 
plexities vanish;  the  soul  is  carried  up  above  all  these,  being 
slro7ig,  not  in  the  created  grace  that  is  in  itself,  but  "  in  the 
grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  in  whom  dwells  all  the  fulness  of 
the  Godhead."  So  then,  I  say,  if  you  would  surmount  your 
fears,  and  recover  your  joy  and  comfort  in  the  Lord,  study 
to  "  live  by  faith  upon  the  Son  of  God ;"  for  we  are  "  filled 
with  joy  and  peace  in  believing." 

4.  From  this  doctrine  we  may  gather  what  a  lightsome 
place  heaven  will  be,  where  the  soul  shall  live  in  Christ's  em- 
braces for  ever.  If  the  believers  heart  be  so  refreshed  when 
he  gets  Clu'ist  embraced  by  faith,  what  overpowering  floods 
of  joy  must  flow  upon  his  soul,  when  he  comes  to  immediate 
fruition,  where  no  clouds  shall  ever  intercept  the  rays  of  the 
Sun  of  righteousness  from  him,  through  an  endless  eternity ! 
No  wonder,  though  sometimes  the  believer  break  forth  into 
such  longing  expressions,  when  he  thinks  of  immediate  enjoy- 
ment, as  that  of  Paul :  "  I  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with 
Christ ;  which  is  far  better." 

Use  2(1,  may  be  of  trial.  Sirs,  you  have  been  in  the  temple 
this  day;  I  would  ask,  Have  you  seen  the  Lord's  Messiah 
there'?  Have  you  got  him,  like  Simeon,  in  the  arms  and  em- 
braces of  faith?  O !  say  you,  how  shall  1  know  if  I  ever  had 
him  in  my  arms !  For  answer,  take  these  following  things  as 
marks: — 

1.  If  ever  you  have  embraced  Christ,  Christ  has  embraced 
you  first ;  for  tlierc  is  a  mutual  embracinrf  betwixt  Christ  and 
the  believer,  and  it  begins  on  (-hrist's  side ;  he  first  gripes  the 
soul  by  his  Spirit,  before  the  soul  gripes  him  by  faith :  Phil. 


228  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVEr's  ARMS.  [sER. 

iii.  12:  "I  follow  after,  if  that  I  may  apprehend  that  for 
which  also  I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus."  *  O!'  will  the 
soul  say,  *  I  was  wandering,  like  a  lost  sheep,  among  the  moun- 
tains of  vanity ;  I  had  gone  into  a  far  country,  with  the  prodi- 
gal, and  never  had  a  thought  of  Christ,  till  he,  by  his  sove- 
reign grace,  seized  and  drew  me  with  the  cords  of  victorious 
love  and  grace,  and  then  my  heart  grasped  and  apprehended 
him.'  Never  a  soul  yet  came  really  to  believe  in  Christ,  but 
will  be  ready  to  own,  that  it  was  not  free  will,  but  free  grace 
that  began  the  work :  "  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the 
Father,  which  hath  sent  me,  draw  him." 

2.  If  ever  you  had  Christ  really  in  the  embraces  of  faith, 
you  have  been  made  to  quit  the  embraces  of  other  lovers : 
"  Ephraim  shall  say.  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  ?" 
Particularly,  have  you  been  made  to  part  with  the  law  as  a  bus- 
band  'i  Rom.  vii.  4 :  "  Ye  are  become  dead  to  the  law  by  the 
body  of  Christ;  that  ye  should  be  married  to  a  better  husband, 
even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the  dead."  O  sirs !  it  is  a 
harder  business  than  many  are  aware  of,  to  make  a  divorce 
between  a  sinner  and  the  law,  so  as  to  make  him  renounce  all 
hopes  of  salvation  and  righteousness  from  that  quarter.  It  is 
much  easier  to  pull  his  lusts  out  of  his  arms,  than  to  pull  the 
law,  as  a  husband,  out  of  his  embraces.  And  the  reason  of 
this  is  plain,  because  the  law  gives  a  promise  of  life  to  them 
that  obey  it,  "  He  that  doth  these  things,  shall  live  in  them ;" 
which  sin  and  lust  cannot  do,  in  regard  they  carry  the  stamp 
of  hell  and  wrath  visibl  v  upon  them,  to  the  eye  of  a  natural 
conscience.  So  that  it  is  much  easier  to  convince  a  man  that 
his  sin  is  an  evil  thing,  than  to  convince  him  that  his  righte- 
ousness is  so :  hence  Clirist  tells  the  Pharisees,  those  self-righ- 
teous wretches,  "  that  publicans  and  harlots  should  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God  before  them."  Publicans  and  harlots, 
and  such  sort  of  persons,  lie  more  open  to  the  sharp  arrows 
of  conviction,  than  self-righteous  persons,  who  make,  as 
it  were,  a  barricade  of  the  law  itself,  and  their  obedience  to 
it,  behind  which  they  lie,  intrenched  and  fortified,  against  all 
the  curses  and  threatcnings  of  the  law  that  are  denounced 
against  them ;  they  still  take  the  law  for  a  friend,  while  they 
obey  it  as  well  as  they  can,  never  dreaming  that  nothing  will 
satisfy  the  law,  but  an  obedience  that  is  every  way  complete. 
But  now,  I  say,  if  ever  you  have  embraced  Christ,  you  have 
been  made  to  part  with  the  law  as  a  covenant,  and  with  your 
own  righteousness  by  the  law,  as  "  filthy  rags,"  saying  with 
Paul,  "I  through  the  law  am  dead  to  the  law."  At  the  same 
time  that  the  soul  quits  tlie  embraces  of  the  law  as  a  husband, 
it  parts  with  "  other  lovers  "  also.  The  first  view  of  Christ 
by  faith,  makes  all  the  twinkling  stars  of  created  enjoyments 


IX.]  CHRIST  lir  THE  BELIEVEr's  ARMS.  229 

to  vanish  and  disappear;  so  that  the  soul  joins  issue  with 
David,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25.  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and 
there  15  fione  vpon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee. 

3.  If  ever  Christ  was  in  the  embraces  of  thy  soul,  thou 
maycst  know  it  by  the  desirable  concomitants  and  effects 
thereof.  I  shall  not  stand  upon  them;  only,  in  so  many  words. 
Your  estimate  of  Christ  will  be  raised ;  for  "  unto  you  which 
believe  he  is  precious."  Your  love  to  him  will  be  inflamed ; 
for  "  faith  worketh  by  love."  Your  joy  and  peace  will  be  in- 
creased ;  for  "  believing,  we  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable,  and 
full  of  glory."  Heart-holiness  will  be  promoted;  for  "  faith 
purifieth  the  heart."  And,  in  a  word,  yonr  souls  will  make 
their  boast  in  him ;  for  "  in  him  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel  be 
justified,  and  shall  glory." 

Use  3f/,  shall  be  of  exhortation  to  all  in  general.  Sirs,  be- 
fore we  part  this  evening,  I  would  fain  have  every  soul  hear- 
ing me,  going  home  with  the  great  Messiah,  the  Son  of  God, 
in  the  arms  and  embraces  of  their  souls ;  and  then  I  am  sure 
you  would  go  away,  blessing  God  that  ever  you  come  here. 
We  must  deal  with  you  as  reasonable  creatures,  and  persuade 
you  in  a  moral  way:  and  when  we  are  so  doing,  look  up  to 
God  for  the  concurring  efficacy  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  whose 
prerogative  it  is  to  persuade  and  enable  you  to  embrace  Je- 
sus Christ,  as  he  is  offered  to  you  in  the  gospel.  And  there- 
fore, by  way  of  motive,  consider, 

1.  The  absolute  need  you  have  of  this  Christ,  whom  we 
offer  to  you.  Without  him  you  are  "condemned  already;" 
without  him  you  are  "  without  God  in  the  world  ;  God  is  an- 
gry with  yoii  every  day  ;  the  law  and  justice  of  God,  like  the 
avenger  of  blood,  is  pursuing  you.  And  therefore,  O  sinners, 
flee  to  a  Saviour,  "  Turn  ye  to  your  strong  hold,  ye  prisoners 
of  hope." 

2.  Consider  the  matchless  excellency  of  that  Saviour  whom 
we  call  you  to  embrace.  Angels  and  men  are  at  an  everlast- 
ing stand  to  speak  of  his  worth  and  glory;  he  is  best  known 
by  his  own  and  his  Father's  testimony  cor.cerning  him  ;  and 
if  you  would  know  the  record  of  God  concerning  him,  search 
the  scriptures,  for  these  are  tliey  that  testify  of  him  :  it  is  in 
this  glass  that  "  we  behold  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only 
begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth."  I  despair, 
that  ever  a  sinner  will  embrace  Christ,  till  there  be  an  up- 
taking  of  his  personal  excellency,  as  Immanuel  God-man. 
There  is  a  seeing  of  the  Son,  which,  in  order  of  nature,  al- 
though not  in  order  of  time,  goes  before  the  soul's  believing 
in  him,  John  vi.  40. 

3.  Consider  the  ability  and  sufHciency  of  this  Saviour  whom 
we  call  you  to  embrace.     Take  the  Father's  testimony  of  his 

VOL.  i!  20 


230  CHRIST  IN  THE. believer's  ARMS.  [SER. 

ability,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  20  :  "I  have  laid  help  upon  one  that  is 
mighty."  Take  his  own4estimony,  Is.  Ixiii.  1 :  "  I  that  speak 
in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save."  Take  the  Spirit's  testimo- 
ny, in  the  mouth  of  the  apostle  Paul,  Heb.  vii.  25 ;  declaring 
him  "  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost,  that  come  unto 
God  by  him."  Thus,  you  have  the  "  three  that  bear  record  in 
heaven,"  attesting  the  sufficiency  of  this  Saviour.  O,  then, 
"  set  to  your  seal,  that  God  is  true,  by  believing  the  record 
that  God  gives  of  his  Son ;"  for  if  you  do  not,  your  unbelief 
gives  the  lie  to  a  whole  Trinity,  1  John  v.  10,  11. 

4.  Consider  that  this  sufficient  Saviour  is  the  se?it  of  God. 
This  is  a  designation  given  to  Christ  thirty  or  forty  times  in 
the  gospel  according  to  John,  and  the  ordinary  argument 
with  which  Christ  persuades  sinners  to  embrace  and  receive 
him.  And  nothing  could  have  greater  influence  than  this  de- 
signation, if  the  weight  of  it  were  but  duly  weighed.  O  con- 
sider in  what  quality  and  capacity  his  Father  has  sent  him : 
shall  not  God's  Ambassador-extraordinary  get  a  hearing 
among  a  company  of  condemned  rebels  ?  He  is  sent  as  a 
Redeemer  to  liberate  captives ;  and  shall  not  captives  em- 
brace him '!  He  is  sent  as  a  Surety ;  and  will  not  debtors 
and  bankrupts  embrace  a  cautioner?  He  is  sent  as  a  Phy- 
sician ;  and  will  not  the  wounded  and  diseased  sinner  embrace 
him,  and  his  healing  balm?  &c. 

5.  Consider,  that  his  heart  and  his  arms  are  open  and 
ready  to  embrace  all  that  are  willing  to  be  embraced  by  him. 
O,  may  the  soul  say,  fain  would  I  embrace  him,  but  I  doubt 
of  his  wiUingness  to  embrace  me.  I  tell  you  good  news ;  he 
is  more  walling  to  embrace  you  by  far,  than  you  are  to  be 
embraced  by  him.  He  says  he  is  willing  and  you  may  be- 
lieve his  word,  for  he  is,  "  the  Amen,  the  faithful  and  true 
Witness;"  and  he  says,  that  he  will  cast  out  none  that  come 
to  him :  he  swears  he  is  willing,  and  will  you  not  believe  his 
oath?  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11 :  "  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I 
have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked;  but  that  the 
wicked  turn  from  his  way,  and  live."  Pray  tell  me,  why  did 
he  engage  from  eternity,  and  voluntarily  give  his  hand  to  the 
Father  in  the  council  of  peace,  saying,  "  Lo,  I  come: — I  de- 
light to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God  ?"  Why  did  he  assume  the 
nature  of  man,  and  the  sinless  infirmities  of  it  ?  Why  did 
he  who  is  the  great  Lawgiver,  subject  himself  to  his  own 
Law  1  Why  did  he  who  is  the  Lord  of  life  and  glory,  sub- 
mit to  the  stroke  of  death  ignominiously  upon  a  cross  ?  Why 
does  he  send  out  his  ministers  to  you,  with  call  upon  call  ? 
Why  does  he  wait  all  the  day  long,  saying,  "  Behold  me,  be- 
hold me  ?"  Why  does  he  expostulate  the  matter  with  you  ? 
Why  is  he  grieved  at  the  obstinacy  of  your  hearts,  if  he  be 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER's  ARMS.  231 

not  willing  that  you  should  embrace  him?  For  the  Lord's 
sake,  therefore,  consider  these  things,  and  do  not  "  reject  the 
counsel  of  God  against  yourselves." 

6.  Consider  what  a  glorious  train  and  retinue  of  blessings 
come  along  with  him,  when  he  is  embraced  in  the  arms  of 
faith:  such  as  pardon  of  sin;  Heb.  viii.  12;  peace  with  God, 
Rom.  V.  1;  a  complete  justifying  righteousness,  Rom.  viii.  3, 
4;  adoption  and  sonship,  John  i.  12;  sanctification,  both  in 
the  root  and  fruit  of  it,  1  Cor.  i.  30 ;  saving  knowledge  of 
God,  and  the  mysteries  of  his  covenant,  2  Cor.  iv.  6 ;  the 
crown  of  eternal  glory  at  last,  John  iii.  16.  All  these  might 
be  particularly  enlarged  on ;  but  I  do  not  insist,  but  proceed 
to  obviate  some  objections  that  some  may  make  against  com- 
plying with  this  exhortation. 

Object.  1.  Some  poor  soul  may  be  ready  to  say,  *  Gladly 
would  I  embrace  Christ,  with  my  very  soul;  but  still  I  enter- 
tain a  jealousy  of  my  right  and  warrant  to  meddle  with  the 
unspeakable  gift  of  God ;  he  is  such  a  great  good,  that  I  am 
afraid  it  would  be  but  presumption  in  me  to  attempt  the  em- 
bracing of  him.'  Now,  for  removing  any  jealousies  of  this 
nature,  I  shall  lay  before  you  a  few  of  these  warrants,  upon 
which  a  lost  sinner  may  receive  and  embrace  this  Saviour. 

1.  hei  desperate  and  absolute  necessity  be  your  warrant. 
You  must  cither  do  or  die;  there  is  no  medium:  "He  that 
believeth,  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be 
damned."  Do  not  stand  to  dispute  the  matter ;  there  is  no 
time,  no,  not  one  moment  of  time,  in  which  a  man  is  allowed 
to  toss  this  question  in  his  breast,  after  the  revelation  of 
Christ  to  him  in  the  gospel;  Shall  I  believe,  or  shall  I  not? 
Or,  if  you  will  dispute  the  matter,  will  you  argue  as  the  Sa- 
maritan lepers  did:  "  If  we  sit  still  here,  we  perish ;  but  if  we 
go  into  the  camp  of  the  Assyrians,  peradvcnture  we  shall 
live."  So  you,  '  If  we  sit  still  in  this  sinful  and  miserable  con- 
dition, without  God,  and  without  Christ  in  the  world,  we  un- 
avoidably perish ;  but  if  we  throw  ourselves  into  the  arms  of 
a  Redeemer,  and  upon  the  mercy  of  God  in  him,  beyond 
peradvcnture  .we  shall  be  saved.'  And  therefore,  I  say,  let 
absolute  necessity  be  your  warrant. 

2.  Venture  to  embrace  this  Saviour  in  the  arms  of  faith, 
upon  the  warrant  of  the  very  design  of  his  incarnation.  Why 
is  there  a  Savioiu'  i)rovided?  Why  was  he  manifested  in  the 
flesh?  Upon  what  errand  was  he  sent  into  the  world,  but 
"to  seek  and  save  that  which w^as  lost?"  Well, since  this  is 
the  very  design  of  God  in  giving  a  Saviour,  that  sinners 
might  be  saved  by  him  ;  what  can  be  more  agreeable  to  him, 
or  his  Father  that  sent  him,  than  that  a  lost  sinner  should 
embrace  and  receive  him  ? 


232  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVEr's  ARMS.  [sEK. 

3.  Let  the  revelation  of  this  incarnate  Deity,  in  the  glo- 
rious gospel,  be  your  warrant  to  embrace  and  receive  him ; 
a  bare  revelation  of  a  Saviour,  without  any  more,  is  enough 
to  induce  a  sinner  to  believe  in  him.  Why  was  the  brazen 
serpent  in  the  wilderness  lifted  up  on  the  pole,  but  that  every 
one  in  the  camp  of  Israel,  who  were  stung  with  the  fiery  ser- 
pents, might  look  to  it,  and  be  healed  1  The  very  lifting  up 
of  the  brazen  serpent  was  a  sufficient  warrant  to  any  man 
to  look  to  it :  so  the  Son  of  man,  being  lifted  up  on  the  pole 
of  the  everlasting  gospel,  warrants  every  man  to  believe  in 
him,  John  iii.  14,  15. 

4.  Besides  the  revelation  of  Christ,  you  have  a  full,  free, 
and  unhampered  offer  of  him  in  the  external  call  of  the  gos- 
pel ;  and  this  directed  to  every  one,  without  exception,  Is.  Iv. 
1 — 3;  Rev.  xxii,  17;  Mark  xvi.  15;  Prov.  viii.  4.  Sirs,  we 
offer  a  Christ  to  you,  and  the  whole  fulness  of  grace  and 
glory,  merit  and  Spirit,  that  is  in  him,  as  the  h'eo  gift  of  God, 
without  the  money  and  price  of  your  own  works  and  quali- 
fications ;  if  you  bring  any  such  price,  to  make  a  purchase 
of  the  pearl  of  great  price,  you  shall  lose  him  for  ever :  God 
loves  to  give  his  Christ  freely,  but  he  scorns  to  receive  any 
thing  for  him.  Let  this  then  be  your  warrant,  that  Christ  is 
gifted  and  offered  of  God  in  this  gospel :  and  let  it  be  remem- 
bered, that  in  the  matter  of  a  gift,  there  is  no  difterence  be*- 
tween  man  and  man  ;  the  poorest,  as  well  as  the  richest,  may 
receive  a  gift  presented  to  him :  a  condemned  malefactor  has 
as  good  a  right  to  I'eceive  a  gift  presented  to  him  by  the 
king,  as  the  greatest  favourite  in  the  court ;  his  being  a  guilty 
criminal  is  no  prejudice  at  all  to  his  receiving  a  gift ;  yea, 
his  being  so  qualifies  him  for  receiving  the  pardon.  So,  here, 
Christ's  being  the  gift  of  God,  freely  offered  and  presented, 
wari'ants  the  sinner  to  receive  him,  without  respect  to  any 
qualifications  but  that  of  his  being  a  sinner.  Hunger  is  the 
best  disposing  qualification  for  meat,  nakedness  fits  a  man  for 
clothing,  &c.  And  that  Christ  seeks  no  other  qualifications 
is  evident  from  his  counsel  to  Laodicea,  Rev.  iii.  17,  18: 
"  Thou  art  wretched  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and 
naked.  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire, 
that  thou  mayst  be  rich ;  and  white  raiment  that  thou  mayst 
be  clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  ap- 
pear ;  and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve  that  thou  mayst 
see." 

5.  You  have  not  only  an  offer  of  Christ,  but  an  express  com- 
mand requiring  you  to  embrace  him,  for  your  warrant:  1  John 
iii.  23 :  "  This  is  his  commandment,  that  we  should  believe 
on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  Sirs,  it  is  not  a  thing 
left  optional  to  you,  to  embrace  Christ  or  not,  as  you  please  ; 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN'  THE  BELIEVEr'S  ARMS.  933 

no,  you  are  concluded  under  a  law,  fenced  with  the  severest 
penalty ;  "  lie  that  bclievelh  not,  is  condemned  already,  and 
the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  The  unbelieving  sinner 
counteracts  the  authority  of  Heaven  ;  and  thus  rushes  upon 
"  God's  neck,  upon  the  thick  bosses  of  his  buckler."  You 
have  no  reason  to  doubt  but  that  the  command  of  believing 
is  to  vou  ;  for  if  you  were  not  commanded  to  believe,  your 
unbelief  could  not  be  your  sin:  "  Where  no  law  is,  there  is 
no  transgression."  You  do  not  doubt,  but  you  are  commanded 
by  the  word  of  God,  to  read,  hear,  pray,  sanctify  the  Sabbath, 
and  to  perform  the  other  duties  of  the  moral  law;  and  be- 
cause they  are  commanded,  you  aim  at  obedience.  Now, 
believing  is  as  peremptorily  enjoined,  yea  rather  more  than 
any  other,  duty,  inasmuch  as  the  successful  and  acceptable 
performance  of  all  other  duties  depends  upon  it.  And,  there- 
fore, do  not  stand  disputing  your  warrant,  against  the  express 
authority  of  Heaven. 

0.  Besides  the  command  of  God,  you  have  a  promise  of 
welcome  to  encourage  you  in  believing :  John  vi.  37 :  "  Him 
that  Cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  John  iii.  16: 
"  Whosoever  believeth  in  him,  shall  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life."  But,  say  you,  these  promises  may  be  to  others, 
and  not  to  me.  I  answer.  The  promise  is  endorsed  to  you, 
directed  to  you,  in  the  external  call  and  dispensation  of  the 
gospel.  Acts  ii.  39.  There  the  apostle  is  preaching  to  a  com- 
pany of  men,  whose  hands  had  lately  been  dipped  in  the 
blood  of  the  Son  of  God.  He  calls  them  to  faith  and  repent- 
ance. By  what  argument  does  he  enforce  the  exhortation? 
W^hy,  he  tells  them,  "  The  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your 
children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the 
Lord  our  God  shall  call."  Where,  it  is  plain,  the  j)romise  is 
extended,  iirst  to  the  Jews,  and  then  to  the  Gentiles,  who  at 
that  time  were  afar  oiT:  and  then  indefinitely,  both  to  Jew 
and  genlilc,  to  whom  the  call  of  the  gosj)cl  should  reach  ;  the 
external  call,  which  is  only  here  intended,  howsoevt.'r  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  did  internally, concur,  being  the  alone  foun- 
dation upon  which  the  promise  is  to  be  received,  and  not  the 
inteinal  call  of  one  person,  which  can  never  be  a  warrant  of 
bcslieving  to  another.  And,  therefore,  as  the  apostle  said  to 
them,  so  say  I  to  you,  in  the  name  of  God,  The  promise  is  unto 
1/ou,  I  mean,  the  jiromise  of  welcome;  JV/iosocver  of  you  be- 
lievclh.  sludl  not  jxrish.  This  promise  is  not  made  to  believers 
exclusively  of  otlicrs,  but  to  everyone  that  hears  this  gosj)el ; 
for  if  so,  we  could  call  none  to  believe  but  such  as  have  be- 
lieved, which  is  most  absurd.  Well,  then,  let  God's  promise 
warrant  you  to  believe  in  Christ;  and  if  you  do  not  think 
this  sulficient,   take   his   promise  of  welcome,   ratified   with 

20* 


234  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER's  ARMS.  [sER. 

his  oath,   Ezek.  xxxiii.  11 :  these  being  the  "  two  immutable 
things  wherein  it  is  impossible  for  God  to  lie." 

7.  Let  the  indefinite  and  absolute  nature  of  the  covenant 
of  grace  be  your  warrant  for  embracing  the  Lord  Jesus.  The 
covenant  of  grace,  as  it  lies  in  the  external  dispensation  of 
the  gospel,  is  conceived  in  the  form  of  a  blank  bond  or  testa- 
mentary deed,  where  there  is  room  left  to  every  man  to  till 
up  his  name,  by  the  hand  of  faith.  The  strain  and  tenor  of 
it  is,  "  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people  :  I 
will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  their  flesh,  and  will 
give  them  a  heart  of  flesh :  I  will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon 
them:  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  them:  I  will  be  merciful 
to  their  unrighteousness  :  I  will  subdue  their  iniquities." — 
Where,  you  see,  the  grant  runs  in  an  indefinite  way  ;  no 
man's  name  mentioned,  neither  any  by  name  excluded.  Why, 
what  is  the  design  of  this,  but  that  every  man  may  be  en- 
couraged to  subscribe  his  name,  or  to  make  application  thereof 
to  his  own  soul,  in  a  way  of  believing,  by  which  we  are  said 
to  take  hold  of  God''s  coveimnt  1  O  sirs  !  the  covenant  of  grace, 
as  it  lies  in  the  external  dispensation  of  the  gospel,  (for  now 
I  abstract  from  his  secret  purposes,  which  are  not  at  all  the 
measure  or  rule  of  faith,)  is  just  like  a  rope  cast  in  among  a 
company  of  drowning  men  ;  he  that  throws  it  in,  cries  to 
every  one  of  them  to  take  hold  of  the  rope,  promising  to 
draw  them  safe  to  shore  :  so,  God,  in  the  gospel-dispensation, 
proposes  his  covenant  to  every  one  as  a  ground  of  faith, 
assuring  them,  that  whosoever  takes  hold  of  his  covenant, 
and  receives  his  Ch^^t,  whom  he  hath  "given  for  a  covenant 
of  the  people, — shall  not  perish,  hut  have  everlasting  life." 
For  tlie  Lord's  sake,  do  not  put  this  rope  of  salvation  away 
from  you,  under  a  pretence  that  you  know  not  if  it  be  de- 
signed for  you.  Would  you  not  reckon  it  ridiculous  madness 
in  any  of  these  drowning  men  now  mentioned,  to  fall  to  dis- 
puting whether  the  rope  were  cast  in  to  them,  when  they 
are  at  the  very  point  of  sinking  to  the  bottom  !  Would  not 
every  one  of  them  gripe  at  it,  with  the  utmost  strength  and 
vigour,  without  putting  any  question?  Now,  this  is  the  very 
case,  O  sinner  ;  thou  art  going  down  to  the  pit  of  eternal 
misery  ;  God,  by  his  ministers,  cries  to  you  to  take  hold  of 
this  rope  of  salvation  :  O  then  ?  "  see  that  you  refuse  not  him 
that  spcaketh  from  heaven  ;"  do  not  dispute  yourselves  away 
from  your  own  mercy. 

8.  Let  the  welcome  that  others  have  met  with  in  coming 
to  Christ  be  your  encouragement  to  venture  also.  Never 
any  really  came  to  him  but  they  met  with  a  kindly  reception. 
Ask  the  prodigal  son,  ask  Mary  Magdalene,  Paul,  and  others, 
what  entertainment  they  met  with  from  this  Saviour ;  they 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER's  ARMS.  235 

will  be  ready  to  tell  you,  that  they  obtaitied  mercy.  Now,  the 
same  mercy  that  saved  them,  is  as  ready  to  save  you.  You 
do  not  doubt  that  Moses,  David,  Peter,  Paul,  and  other  saints 
who  are  now  in  glory,  had  sufficient  warrant  to  believe.  Sirs, 
you  have  the  same  grounds  of  faith  as  ever  they  had,  the 
same  God,  the  same  Saviour,  the  same  Bible,  the  same  co- 
venant, the  same  promises,  the  eame  faithfulness,  of  God  to 
lean  to,  as  ever  they  had ;  and  these  grounds  of  faith  are  so 
firm,  that  they  never  disappointed  any  that  leaned  to  them  : 
and  therefore  be  encouraged  to  believe,  as  they  did.  O  how 
will  it  for  ever  gall  and  torment  unbelieving  sinners  in  hell 
when  they  see  others,  who  believed  upon  the  same  grounds 
that  were  common  to  them  also,  sitting  down  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  and  themselves  shut  up  in  utter  darkness,  with 
devils  and  damned  spirits,  because  of  their  unbelief!  And 
how  will  the  devil  himself  upbraid  unbeiievers  in  hell,  when 
fallen  under  the  same  condemnation  with  himself,  that  they 
had  such  fairwarrants  to  believe  in  Christ,  which  he  never  had ! 

Object.  2.  '  You  tell  me  embrace  Christ ;  but,  alas!  he  is  far 
away  out  of  my  reach  :  Christ  is  in  heaven,  how  shall  I  win 
at  him  ? ' 

A/ts.  Seeing  you  cannot  come  up  to  Christ,  Christ  is  come 
down  to  3'ou  ;  and  we  bring  him  near  to  you,  in  "  this  word 
of  salvation  which  we  picach  :"  Is.  xlvi.  12,  13  :  "  Hearken 
unto  me,  ye  stout-liearted,  that  are  far  from  righteousness. 
I  bring  near  my  righteousness:  it  shall  not  be  far  ofF,  and  my 
salvation  shall  not  tarry."  And  therefore,  "  say  not  in  thine 
heart,  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  '(  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ 
down  from  above ;)  or.  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep? 
(that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  from  the  dead  ;)  for  the  word 
is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart :  that  is,  the 
word  of  faith,  which  we  preach,''  Rom.  x.  0 — 8  :  Sirs,  Christ 
is  in  this  gospel,  this  word  of  faith  and  grace,  which  we,  in  the 
name  of  God  deliver  to  you :  and  your  faith  must  terminate  im- 
mediately upon  this  word,  otherwise  you  can  never  embrace  him. 
As  1  believe  or  tiust  a  man  by  his  verbal  or  written  promise ;  so 
I  embrace  Christ  by  the  word  of  faith,  or  promises  in  the  gos- 
pel. Suppose  a  responsible  man  residing  in  America,  should 
send  me  his  bill  for  any  sum  of  money,  that  man  and  his 
money  are  brought  near  to  me  by  his  hill  and  security  which 
he  sends  me  :  so  here,  though  Christ  be  in  heaven,  and  we 
upon  earth,  yet  the  word  of  faith,  which  we  preach,  brings 
him,  his  kingdom,  righteousness,  salvation,  and  whole  fulness, 
nigh  to  every  one  of  us,  so  that  we  need  not  ascend  into  hea- 
ven, or  descend  into  hdl,  in  quest  of  him.     * 

Object.  3.  '  My  arms  have  been  so  dctiled  with  the  embraces 
of  other  lovers,  that  1  am  afraid  Christ  will  never  allow  me 


236  CHRIST  m  THE  believer's  arms.  [ser. 

to  embrace  him.'  For  answer,  I  only  refer  you  to  Jer.  iii.  1: 
"  Though  thou  hast  played  the  harlot  with  many  lovers ;  yet 
return  again  to  me,  saith  the  Lord."  '  But,'  say  you,' '  my  sins 
are  highly  aggravated.'  A?is.  Is.  i.  18 :  "  Come  now,  and  let  us 
reason  together,  saith  the  Lord :  though  your  sins  be  as  scar- 
let, they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow  ;  though  they  be  red  like 
crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool." 

Object.  4.  '  You  tell  me  embrace  him ;  but,  alas !  I  want  an 
arm ;  I  have  no  power  to  embrace  him.'  A?isw.  If  thou  hast 
a  will  to  embrace  him,  the  great  difficulty  is  over,  for  there 
lies  the  principal  stop  :  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  mc,  that  ye 
might  have  life."  Where  God  gives  to  znll,  he  gives  also  to 
do  of  his  onm  good  pleasure.  You  say,  you  want  the  arm  to 
embrace  him :  then  do  as  the  man  with  the  withered  hand 
did,  attempt  to  "  stretch  it  forth,"  in  obedience  to  the  com- 
mand of  Christ.  Believing  is  a  thing  we  must  be  essaying, 
even  before  we  can  lind  tlie  Spirit  of  God  working  it  in  us 
effectually.  We  cannot  pray,  we  cannot  sanctify  the  Sabbath, 
we  cannot  think  a  good  thought,  till  the  Spirit  of  God  work 
it  in  us ;  and  yet  we  do  not  forbear  these  duties  because  we 
have  no  power  to  do  them ;  so,  although  we  have  no  power 
to  believe,  yet  we  should  be  trying  to  believe.  The  way  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  works  faith  in  the  souls  of  the  elect,  is,  by 
making  them  sensible  of  their  own  inability,  that  they  may 
turn  the  work  over  upon  his  own  hand,  who  "  worketh  all 
our  works  in  us,  and  for  us." 

Object.  5.  '  Let  me  aim  at  believing  as  much  as  I  will,  I 
shall  never  be  able  to  etFecl  it,  if  I  be  not  among  God's  elect; 
for  it  is  only  they  that  arc  "  ordained  to  eternal  life,"  that"  do 
believe."  '  Ans.  Tliis  is  an  ordinary  sophism  of  the  grand  ene- 
my of  salvation,  by  which  he  discourages  sinners  from  be- 
lieving in  the  Lord  Jesus:  and  the  fallacy  or  weakness  of  it 
will  easily  appear,  by  applying  the  objection  to  the  ordinary 
business  of  human  life.  When  meat  is  set  before  you,  do 
you  decline  to  take  or  use  it,  for  this  reason,  that  you  do  not 
know  whether  God  has  ordained  it  for  you  1  Do  you  not  say, 
Meat  is  for  the  use  of  man,  and  this  meat  is  set  before  me, 
and  therefore  I  will  take  it.  You  do  not  say,  I  will  not 
plough  or  sow  my  ground,  because  I  know  not  if  ever  God 
has  decreed  that  it  shall  bring  forth  ;  or,  I  will  not  go  home  to 
my  house,  because  I  know  not  if  ever  God  has  decreed  I  should 
come  the  length.  You  would  reckon  a  man  mad,  or  beside 
himself,  who  would  argue  in  this  manner,  in  affairs  of  this  na- 
ture. Why,  the  case  is  the  very  same :  as  the  secret  decrees 
of  Heaven  lie  quite  out  of  the  road  in  the  management  of  the 
affairs  of  this  life  ;  so  neither  are  they  at  all  to  be  the  measure 
or  rule  of  our  actings  in  the  great  concerns  of  eternity  :  "  Se- 


IX.]  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIEVER's  ARMS.  237 

cret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God ;  but  those  things 
which  are  revealed,  belong  unto  us,  and  to  our  children." 
And  the  ground  of  your  condemnation  at  the  great  day  will 
not  be,  because  you  were  not  elected,  but  because  you  would 
not  believe.  The  reprobate  Jews  were  cut  olf,  "  because  of 
their  unbelief,"  Rom.  xi.  7  and  20.  1  shall  only  add,  tbat  as 
you  cannot  know  that  the  meat  set  before  you  is  yours,  in  pos- 
session, till  you  take  it :  so  neither  can  you  ever  know  that 
Christ  was  ordained  for  you,  till  you  take  him  into  your  pos- 
session by  faith.  And  therefore,  you  must  believe  in  Christ, 
before  you  know  your  election ;  otherwise  you  shall  never 
know  it,  and  shall  never  believe  either.  So  much  by  way 
of  exhortation. 

I  shall  conclude  this  discourse  with  a  short  word  to  two 
sorts  of  persons. 

First,  To  you  who,  like  Simeon,  have  got  him  in  the  em- 
braces of  your  souls,  and  who  perhaps  can  say,  to  your  sweet 
experience,  with  the  spouse,  "  I  have  found  him  whom  my 
soul  loveth."  All  I  say  to  you,  shall  be  comprised  in  these 
two  or  three  words. 

1.  O  bless  God,  as  Simeon  did,  for  such  a  privilege;  "let 
the  high  praises  of  God  be  in  your  mouths."  I  told  you  al- 
ready, of  several  songs  you  have  ground  and  reason  to  sing, 
which  I  shall  not  stand  to  resume.  Only,  to  engage  you  to 
bless  him,  consider,  that  this  is  all  the  tribute  he  expects  from 
you.  Who  will  ever  bless  him,  if  not  the  "  people  that  he 
has  formed  for  himself  1"  Consider  again,  that  this  is  the  way 
to  have  blessings  multiplied  upon  you  ;  the  thankful  beggar 
is  best  served  at  the  door  both  of  God  and  man.  The  trumpeter 
loves  to  sound  where  there  is  an  echo,  which  brings  back  the 
sound  to  his  ears  ;  so  God  loves  to  bestow  his  blessings,  where 
he  hears  of  them  again  in  songs  of  praise  and  gratitude. 
Praise  is  the  work  of  heaven,  through  a  long  eternity :  now, 
they  who  are  bound  to  that  land  afar  off,  should  be  lisping 
out  the  language  of  the  land  before  they  reach  there. 

2.  Have  you  got  Christ  in  the  arms  of  your  souls  ?  O  then 
improve  your  golden  season  :  and  while  you  are  allowed  to 
ride  with  the  King,  in  the  chariot  of  the  wood  of  Lebanon,  im- 
prove your  interest  with  him,  both  for  yourselves  and  others; 
particularly,  entreat  him,  that  he  would  revive  his  own  work, 
which  is  under  such  a  sad  decay  in  our  land  at  this  day  ; 
study  to  "  bring  him  into  your  mother's  house,  and  into  the 
chamber  of  her  that  conceived  you." 

3.  Have  you  got  him  in  your  arms?  Then  follow  the 
spouse's  practice,  Cant.  iii.  4  :  "  I  held  him,  and  would  not 
let  him  go."  Okeep  him  in  the  embraces  of  your  souls  ;  his 
presence  dispels  clouds,  and  turns  the  shadows  of  death  into 


238  CHRIST  IN  THE  BELIE VER's  ARMS.  [SER. 

the  morning ;  it  is  like  oil  to  the  chariot-wheels  of  the  soul : 
light,  life,  liberty,  peace,  pardon,  and  plenty,  are  his  continual 
attendants.  And,  remember,  that  his  departure  is  of  a  very 
dangerous  consequence.  It  is  true,  his  real  presence  shall 
never  depart ;  but  yet  his  quickening,  strengthening,  and  up- 
holding presence  may  be  withdrawn  to  such  a  degree,  that 
you  may  go  "  mourning  without  the  sun  :"  and  if,  through  un- 
tenderness,  you  provoke  him  to  withdraw,  the  quarrel  may 
be  pursued  even  to  the  gates  of  hell;  so  that  you  may  be  made 
to  cry  out,  "  The  arrows  of  the  Almighty  are  within  me, 
the  poison  whereof  drinketh  up  my  spirit :  the  terrors  of  God 
do  set  themselves  in  array  against  me,"  Job  vi.  4. 

And,  in  order  to  your  keeping  him  in  the  embraces  of  your 
souls, 

1st,  Beware  of  every  thing  that  may  provoke  him  to  with- 
draw ;  particularly  beware  of  security,  which  made  him  to 
withdraw  from  the  spouse,  Cant.  v.  3,  and  6,  compared.  Be- 
ware of  pride  ;  for  "  God  resisteth  the  proud,"  and  "  beholds 
them  afar  ofi?'  Beware  of  worldly-mindedness  :  "  For  the 
iniquity  of  his  covetousness  was  I  wroth,  and  smote  him,"  Is. 
Ivii.  17.  Beware  of  unbelief,  that  root  of  bitterness,  which 
causes  to  "  depart  from  the  living  God."  Distrust  and  "jea- 
lousy is  the  rage  of  a  man ;"  much  more  is  it  provoking  to 
God.  Under  the  law,  God  appointed  porters  to  keep  watch 
at  the  door  of  the  temple,  that  nothing  might  be  suffered  to 
enter,  which  might  defile  the  dwelling-place  of  his  name ;  thy 
soul  and  body,  believer,  is  the  temple  of  God ;  therefore  guard 
against  every  thing  that  may  defile  the  same. 

2dly,  If  you  would  hold  Christ  in  the  embraces  of  your 
souls,  keep  grace  in  lively  exercise ;  for  these  are  the  spike- 
nard and  spices  that  send  but  a  fragrant  smell  for  his  enter- 
tainment. Keep  the  arm  of  faith  continually  about  him  ;  let 
the  fire  of  divine  love  burn  continually  upon  the  altar  of  thy 
heart ;  let  the  anchor  of  hope  be  fixed  within  the  veil ;  let 
the  fountain  of  evangelical  repentance  be  still  running ;  and 
under  your  greatest  attainments  be  humble,  and  take  care  to 
set  the  crown  upon  Christ's  head,  saying,  "  Not  unto  us,  not 
unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  be  the  glory." 

The  second  sort  of  persons  I  would  speak  a  little  to,  are 
those  who,  perhaps,  are  complaining  of  hidings  and  withdraw- 
ings,  and  are  perhaps  saying,  I  came  to  the  temple  to  see  if 
I  could  get  Christ  in  my  arms,  but  I  am  disappointed ;  yea, 
matters  are  come  that  length  with  me,  that  I  am  ready  to 
"  raze  foundations,"  and  to  conclude  that  I  am  an  utter  stran- 
ger to  him.  All  I  have  to  offer  to  you,  shall  be  comprised  in 
these  two  or  three  things,  with  which  I  conclude. 

1.  Allow  me  to  ask,  If  there  be  not  a  void  and  emptiness 


X.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  239 

in  thy  heart  which  the  whole  creation  cannot  fill,  till  Christ 
himself  come  and  fill  it  1  Are  not  ordinances,  ministers,  word, 
and  sacrament,  empty  without  him,  like  dry  breasts'?  That 
says,  thou  art  not  altogether  a  stranger  to  him.  And,  therefore, 
do  not  entertain  harsh  thoughts  of  thyself;  thy  case  is  not  at 
all  unprecedented.  What  think  ye  of  David,  Psal.  xiii. ;  of 
Asa})h,  Psal.  Ixxvii. ;  of  Heman,  Psal.  Ixxxviii. ;  yea,  of  Christ 
himself,  who,  through  the  withdrawing  of  his  Father's  love, 
was  made  to  utter  that  heart-rending  cry,  "  My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  V 

2.  Know,  for  thy  comfort,  that  thy  hiding  Lord  will  return 
again :  "  Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh 
in  the  morning,"  Psal.  xxx.  4,  5 :  Isa.  liv.  7,  8.  The  very 
breathings  and  longings  of  thy  soul  after  him,  are  a  pledge  of 
his  return ;  for  "  he  satisficth  the  longing  soul,  and  filleth  the 
hungry  soul  with  goodness." 

3.  When  you  cannot  get  Christ  himself  embraced,  study  to 
embrace  his  word  of  promise,  as  the  Old  Testament  saints 
did,  Heb.  xi.  13.  As  a  loving  wife  will  lay  the  letters  of  her 
absent  husband  in  her  breast,  and  perhaps  kiss  his  hand-writ- 
ing ;  so  lay  the  sweet  promises  of  thy  best  Husband  in  thy 
bosom,  and  between  thy  breasts,  until  he  himself  return. 

4.  Lastly,  Maintain  your  claim  to  him  on  the  ground  of 
the  covenant,  when  you  cannot  maintain  it  upon  a  ground  of 
sense ;  as  a  wife  will  maintain  her  relation  to  her  husband, 
though  he  be  both  angry  and  absent.  The  Lord  loves  to 
have  his  people  pleading  kindness,  and  maintaining  their 
claim  upon  the  marriage  contract  of  the  new  covenant,  when 
they  "  walkin  darkness,  and  see  no  light,"  Is.  1.  10 ;  and  such 
a  carriage  as  this,  commonly  lands  in  a  happy  meeting  be- 
twixt Christ  and  the  souls  of  his  people ;  for  after  believing, 
comes  scaling. 


O.V  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE. 
Justice  and  judgment  are  the  luibltation  of  thy  throne. — Psal.  lxxxix.  14. 

This  psalm  elegantly  describes  God's  covenant  of  grace 
made  with  Christ,  and  liis  s|>iritual  seed  in  him,  under  the  type 
of  God's  covenant  of  royaUy  with  David  and  his  posterity ; 
as  is  plain  from  many  passages  of  the  psalm,  which  arc  too 


240  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [sER. 

sublime  and  lofty  to  be  restrained  to  David's  temporary  reign, 
or  to  that  of  his  posterity,  over  the  tribes  of  Israel,  which 
quite  expired  in  the  revolution  of  a  few  ages. 

The  words  read  are  a  description  of  the  nature  of  the  Mes- 
siah's kingdom  and  administration :  Justice  and  judgment  are 
the  habitation  of  thy  throne. 

Where  we  may  notice,  1.  The  royal  person  who  is  the 
subject-matter  of  my  text,  and  of  the  greatest  part  of  the 
psalm  :  he  is  pointed  at  in  the  pronoun  thy.  This  is  none  other 
than  Christ,  the  true  David,  who  was  to  reign  in  the  latter 
days ;  and  in  whom  David's  family  and  kingdom  shall  be  per- 
petuated for  ever.  This  is  the  king  who  rules  in  righteousness, 
and  Vk'hose  seed  is  to  be  established  for  ever,  whose  throne 
shall  be  built  up  to  all  generations,  ver.  4. 

2.  We  have  a  badge  of  royal  majesty  and  sovereignty 
ascribed  to  him ;  a  throfie.  We  frequently  read  in  scripture 
of  Christ's  throne,  Psal.  xlv.  6,  compared  with  Heb.  i.  8: 
*'  Thy  throne,  O  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever."  God's  throne  is 
threefold.  (1.)  His  throne  of  glory ;  by  which  1  understand 
the  essential  glory  and  majesty  of  the  divine  nature.  This 
throne  is  inaccessible  by  finite  creatures ;  hence  1  Tim.  vi. 
16,  he  is  said  to  '*  dwell  in  the  light  which  no  man  can  ap- 
proach unto,  whom  no  man  hath  seen,  nor  can  see."  The 
light  of  glory  that  breaks  forth  from  this  throne  of  essential 
glory,  is  too  bright  and  overwhelming  either  for  men  or  an- 
gels immediately  to  behold.  Hence  tlie  Seraphims,  Is.  vi.  are 
represented  as  covering  their  faces  with  their  wings,  to  veil 
their  eyes  from  that  dazzling  glory  of  divine  holiness  shining 
forth  from  his  glorious  throne,  which  is  high  and  lifted  up. — 
O  "  who  "  of  Adam's  fallen  posterity  "  shall  stand  in  his  holy 
place  !"  (2.)  There  is  his  throne  of  justice,  where  he  judges 
sinners  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  law  or  broken  covenant 
of  works.  At  this  bar,  every  unbeliever  is  condemned  already ; 
and  from  this  throne,  their  final  and  irreversible  doom  will 
pass  at  the  last  day;  "Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,"  &c. — 
Before  this  throne,  no  flesh  living  can  be  justified:  "If  thou, 
Lord,  shouldst  mark  iniquities,  O  Lord,  who  shall  stand?  Psal. 
cxxx.  3.  (3.)  We  read  of  a  throne  of  grace,  Heb.  iv.  16: 
"  Let  us,  therefore,  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that 
we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need." 
And  this  is  the  throne  intended  in  my  text,  as  is  plain  from 
the  close  of  the  verse,  and  what  follows,  "  Mercy  and  truth 
go  before  the  face"  of  him  that  sits  on  it;  a  "joyful  sound" 
of  peace,  pardon,  and  salvation,  issues  forth  from  it  to  perish- 
ing sinners.  "  They  walk  in  the  light  of"  the  King's  "  coun- 
tenance, rejoice"  in  his  "name,  and  are  exalted  in"  his  "right- 
eousness," &c.     Terror  and  amazement,  death  and  ruin,  are 


X.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  241 

the  fruits  of  God's  appearing  to  sinners  from  a  throne  of  glo- 
ry, or  justice ;  and  therefore,  1  say,  it  nnust  be  a  throne  of 
grace  that  is  iiere  intended. 

3.  In  the  words  we  have  the  firm  foundation  upon  which 
this  throne  of  grace  stands ;  its  habitation,  or  (as  in  the  mar- 
gin) establishment,  '\s  justice  and  judgment :  the  firmest  founda- 
tion upon  wiiich  any  throne  can  be  settled.  The  thrones  of 
many  earthly  potentates  are  reared  and  built  up  with  violence 
and  oppression;  but  the  throne  of  God's  kingdom  of  grace  is 
established  in  righteousness.  The  Son  of  God,  as  the  Surety 
of  sinners,  submitted  to  satisfy  justice,  and  to  undergo  the 
judgment  and  the  condemnation  of  the  broken  law,  by  whicii 
he  brings  in  everlasting  righteousness;  and  upon  this  bottom 
or  foundation  the  throne  of  grace  is  established,  and  upon  this 
basis  (as  Pool  reads  it)  will  it  stand  for  ever. 

The  doctrine  I  design  to  prosecute  from  the  words  is  this : — 
DooT. — "  That  God's  administration  of  grace  is  founded 
upon  the  complete  satisfaction  of  justice  by  his  eternal  Son 
as  our  Surety."  Or  take  it  thus:  "That  justice  satisfied, 
and  judgment  executed  upon  Christ  as^our  Surety,  is  the  ba- 
sis and  foundation  of  a  throne  of  grace.  Justice  and  judg- 
ment are  the  habitation  of  thy  throne." 

I  only  name  two  other  places  of  holy  writ  for  confirmation 
of  the  doctrine.  The  one  we  have,  Rom.  iii.  24 — 26,  where 
the  apostle  tells  us,  "We  are  justified  freely  by  his  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ:  whom  God 
hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood, 
to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are 
past; — to  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time  his  righteousness:  that 
he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in 
Jesus."  Where  it  is  plain,  that  the  grace  of  God  in  pardon- 
ing and  justifying  the  ungodly  sinner,  is  founded  upon  the 
propitiatory  sacrifice  of  the  death  of  Christ;  and  grace's  ad- 
ministration being  built  upon  this  ground,  God  is  just  in  par- 
doning the  sitnier  that  believes  in  Jesus.  Another  clear  text 
to  the  same  purpose  we  have,  Roin.  v.  21  ;  where  grace  is 
said  to  "reign  through  riij;hteousness  unto  eternal  life,  by  Je- 
sus Christ  our  l^ord."  The  government  of  grace  is  founded 
on  righteousness;  that  is,  upon  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
by  which  justice  was  satistied  in  the  execution  of  judgment 
upon  the  Surety. 

In  handling  this  doctrine,  I  sliall,  through  divine  assistance, 
observe  the  following  method  : — 

I.  I  shall  speak  a  little  of  this  throne. 

II.  Of  the  basis  or  foundation  of  this  throne. 
VOL.  1.  21 


242  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [sER» 

III.  Notice  some  pillars  with  which  the  throne  is  surround- 
ed and  supported. 

IV.  Inquire  why  God  will  have  justice  and  judgment  for 
the  foundation  of  his  throne  of  grace. 

V.  Apply  the  whole. 

1.  I  say,  I  would  take  a  view  of  the  throne.  Where  again  I 
shall,  1.  Show  what  this  throne  is,  and  why  so  called.  2.  In- 
quire what  comfortable  views  of  God  a  guilty  sinner  may 
have  from  this  throne.  3,  Offer  a  few  scriptural  remarks 
concerning  it. 

First,  Wh^t  is  this  throne,  and  why  so  called?  In  one 
word,  then,  By  this  throne  of  grace  we  are  just  to  understand 
God  manifesting  himself  in  our  own  nature,  and  dealing  with 
sinners  through  Christ  according  to  the  grace  of  the  gospel. 
I  take  that  word  of  the  apostle,  2  Cor.  v.  19,  20,  to  be  a  just 
account  of  what  is  intended  by  a  throne  of  grace  ;  "  To  wit, 
that  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself, 
not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them ;"  issuing  forth  a 
word  of  peace  and  reconciliation,  that  sinners  might  no  more 
continue  in  their  enmity,  by  dreading  God  as  an  implacable 
judge,  or  inexorable  enemy,  but  might  return  to  him  as  a 
reconciled  God  and  Father.  The  reason  of  all  which  is  sub- 
joined, ver.  21 :  "  For  he  iiath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who 
knew  no  sin ;  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of 
God  in  him." 

Now,  God's  administration  of  grace  toward  guilty  sinners 
through  Christ,  may  be  called  a  throne,  either, 

1.  With  allusion  to  the  mercy-seat  in  the  typical  temple 
of  Jerusalem.  Israel  was  a  theocracy ;  the  Holy  one  of  Is- 
rael was  their  King,  and  the  mercy-seat  was  his  throne.  It 
was  an  eminent  type  of  Christ,  and  the  most  solemn  and  sa- 
cred thing  in  all  that  typical  administration.  God  is  said  to 
"dwell  between  the  cherubims:  Shine  forth,  O  thou  that 
dwellest  between  the  cherubims :"  so  God  dwelleth  in  Christ ; 
yea,  "  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily." 
And  through  him  God  dw-ellclh  with  man  upon  earth  in  a 
way  of  grace :  through  him  we  have  entrance  into  the  holi- 
est, as  Israel  entered  in  the  person  of  their  high  priest :  in  him 
we  make  atonement  for  our  sins ;  and  through  him  we  re- 
ceive the  oracles  of  God,  the  revelations  of  the  divine  will: 
in  him  God  meets  and  communes  with  us,  as  he  did  from  the 
mercy-seat  in  the  material  temple,  Exod.  xxv.  17,  22.     Or, 

2.  It  may  be  called  a  throne,  because  of  the  glorious  great- 
ness and  royal  majesty  of  God  that  shines  in  this  administra- 
tion of  grace  through  Christ.  A  throne,  you  know,  is  a  seat 
of  majesty,  peculiar  to  sovereigns.     Let  none  imagine,  that 


X.]  OW  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  243 

the  glory  of  God  is  any  thing  lessened  by  his  sitting  upon  a. 
throne  of  grace,  or  that  less  reverence  is  due  to  him  here, 
than  upon  a  throne  of  glory  or  justice.  Indeed,  the  boldness 
of  faith  is  both  allowed  and  commanded  in  our  approaches 
to  this  throne ;  but  this  does  not  diminish,  but  increase  the 
soul's  reverence  and  holy  fear ;  Psal.  xcix.  1 :  "  Tlie  Lord 
reigneth,  lot  the  people  tremble:  he  sittcth  between  the  che- 
rubims,  let  the  earth  be  moved."  Every  thing  in  and  about 
God's  throne  of  grace  appears  great.  "  For  the  beauty  of 
his  throne,  he  hath  set  it  in  majesty."  For  instance,  take 
these  few  particulars : — 

1st,  There  is  royal  majesty  in  the  very  name  of  him  that 
sits  on  the  throne.  What  is  his  name?  O  happy  they  that 
know  it,  and  by  the  eye  of  faith  can  read  it  written  on  his 
thigh  and  vesture,  "  The  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  gf  lords," 
Rev.  xix.  10.  His  name  is  "  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  The 
mighty  God,  The  everlasting  Father,  The  Prince  of  peace." 

2(lli/,  There  is  majesty  in  his  looks:  "Honour  and  majesty 
are  before  his  face.  His  countenance  is  as  Lebanon,  excel- 
lent as  the  cedars;  yea,  as  the  sun  shining  in  his  strength." 
There  is  such  a  majestic  sweetness  in  the  looks  of  his  recon- 
ciled face,  as  "  turns  the  shadow  of  death  into  the  morning," 
and  puts  more  gladness  in  the  heart,  than  wdien  corn,  wine, 
and  oil  doth  abound. 

3dli/,  There  is  majesty  in  his  words  and  voice  ;  and  every 
one  that  knows  it  will  be  ready  to  say,  as  in  the  words  fol- 
lowing my  text,  "  Blessed  is  the  people  that  know  the  joyful 
sound."  "  The  voice  of  the  Lord,"  even  from  a  throne  of 
grace,  "  is  powerful ;  the  voice  of  the  Lord  is  full  of  majesty." 
This  voice  is  "the  power  of  God  unto  salvation."  God's 
voice  in  the  thunder  makes  the  hinds  to  calve ;  but  his  voice 
from  a  throne  of  grace  makes  the  dead  to  live,  the  dumb  to 
sing,  the  lame  man  to  leap  like  a  hart :  and  no  wonder,  for 
his  words  are  "  spirit  and  life,"  yea,  "  words  of  eternal  life." 
Christ  speaks  but  a  word  to  Mary,  calls  her  by  her  name, 
Mat-y ;  and  immediately  hei-  heart  flutters  with  joy,  and  she 
cries  out,  "Rabboni,  My  Master."  Cant.  ii.  8:  "  The  voice 
of  my  beloved!  behold,  he  cometh,"  &,c. 

4l/ilij,  There  is  majesty  in  his  vesture.  He  is  "  clothed 
with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot;"  a  robe  of  righteousness,  a 
garment  of  salvation.  His  whole  mystical  body,  and  every 
the  least  member  is  covered  with  it.  When  he  sits  on  his 
throne,  "  his  train,"  or,  as  in  the  margin.  Is.  vi.  "the  skirts 
thereof,  fillcth  the  temple.  "All"  his  "garments  smell  of 
myrrh,  and  aloes,  and  cassia ;  out  of  the  ivory  palaces,  where- 
by "  the  attendants  of  his  throne  are  "  made  glad." 

5thli/,  There  is  majesty  in  his  sceptre.  We  read  of  the 
sceptre  of  Christ's  kingdom,  Psal.  x\v.  called  "  the  rod  of  his 


244  OW  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE*  [sER. 

Strength,"  Psal.  ex.  2 ;  by  which  we  are  to  understand  the 
gospel  accompanied  with  the  efficacy  of  his  Spirit.  There 
is  such  a  majesty  in  this  sceptre,  when  he  sways  it  from  a 
throne  of  grace,  that  it  makes  a  "  wilhng  people  "  come  in  to 
him  in  the  day  of  his  armies. 

blhly,  There  is  majesty  in  the  acts  that  are  passed  at  a 
throne  of  grace  ;  they  are  suitable  to  the  nature  of  the  throne. 
Acts  of  grace  only  pass  at  a  throne  of  grace ;  acts  of  mercy 
at  a  mercy-seat.  What  an  air  of  infinite  majesty  does  God 
display  from  his  throne  of  grace,  when,  beyond  the  expecta- 
tion of  men  and  angels,  he  issues  forth  that  royal  act  of  grace 
indemnifying  rebels  !  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy 
transgressions  for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy 
sins!"     Is.  xliii.  25. 

Ithly,  The  majesty  of  this  throne  appears  from  the  heralds 
that  are  employed  to  intimate  and  proclaim  the  acts  of  grace 
that  pass  at  it.  Apostles,  prophets,  evangelists,  pastors,  and 
teachers,  and  all  the  ministers  of  Christ,  what  are  they  but 
so  many  heralds  ordained  by  the  King,  who  sits  upon  this 
throne,  to  intimate  and  proclaim  his  will  of  grace  to  a  lost 
world?  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world,"  says  he,  "and  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature."  As  if  he  had  said,  '  Go  pub- 
lish the  acts  of  grace  that  are  passed  in  favour  of  lost  sinners 
at  a  throne  of  grace.' 

8lhly,  There  is  majesty  in  the  tributes  and  revenues  of  this 
throne.  God's  administration  of  grace  in  Christ  brings  in  a 
large  revenue  of  glory  and  praise  to  the  crown  of  Heaven. 
Christ's  kingdom  of  grace  is  wide  and  large.  By  his  Father's 
grant  "  the  Heathen,  and  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  are 
given  to  him  for  a  possession."  Psal.  ii.  And  in  all  corners 
of  his  extended  inheritance  there  is  a  tribute  of  glory  and 
praise  levied  to  him  :  Is.  xxiv.  16  :  "  From  the  uttermost  part," 
or  wing,  "  of  the  earth  have  we  heard  songs,  even  glory  to 
the  righteous ;"  that  is,  glory  to  "  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous." 
The  church  militant  will  be  paying  this  tribute  while  the 
world  stands.  "  Men  are  blessed  in  him  ;"  and  therefore  "  all 
nations,"  and  all  generations,  "  shall  call  him  blessed,"  saying, 
"  Blessed  be  his  glorious  name  for  ever ;  and  let  the  whole 
earth  be  filled  with  his  glory."  Psal.  Ixxii.  17,  19.  The 
church  triumphant  in  heaven  will  be  paying  this  tribute  of 
praise  to  a  throne  of  grace  through  an  endless  eternity  :  Rev. 
iv.  10 :  "  They  cast  their  crowns  before  the  throne,  saying, 
Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honour,  and 
power,"  &c.  Rev.  v.  8,  12. 

Qthly,  There  is  majesty  in  the  gifts  and  distributions  which 
are  made  from  this  throne,  and  in  the  manner  of  his  giving 
them.  The  gifts  are  worthy  of  the  giver  who  sits  on  the 
throne.    He  gives  himself,  saying,  "  I  will  be  their  God,"     He 


X.j  0>r  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  245 

gives  his  Son,  John  iii.  16.  He  gives  his  Spirit,  Luke  xi.  13. 
He  gives  grace  and  glory,  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  11.  In  a  word,  he 
gives  all  the  sure  mercies  of  David.  Whatever  comes  from  a 
throne  of  grace,  must  needs  come  in  a  way  of  gift,  otherwise  it 
would  not  siiit  the  nature  of  the  throne.  It  is  below  the  ma- 
jesty of  the  great  King,  whose  name  is  gracious,  to  receive 
money  or  price  from  us.  Wiiat  he  gives,  he  gives  freely, 
without  regard  to  any  qualifications  in  us,  Is.  Iv,  1  ;  Rev. 
xxii.  17. 

Secondly,  I  come  to  inquire  what  comfortable  views  of  God 
are  to  be  had  by  a  guilty  trembling  sinner  from  this  throne 
of  grace.  In  general,  every  view  of  God  here  is  inviting  and 
encouraging.  Unbelief  is  said  to  turn  us  away  from  the 
living  God,  Ileb.  iii.  12.  And  the  way  that  it  turns  us  away 
from  him,  is  either  by  viewing  him  as  upon  a  throne  of  ab- 
solute mercy;  and  so  it  turns  us  into  a  presumptuous  confi- 
dence of  safety,  in  a  way  of  sin ;  or  else  it  views  him  as  upon 
a  throne  of  inexorable  justice ;  and  so  it  turns  us  into  the  way 
of  despair,  and  makes  us  fly  and  slum  his  ])resence  as  a  de- 
stroying enemy.  But  faith  views  God  as  upon  a  throne  of 
grace ;  and  there  it  sees  every  perfection  of  the  divine  nature 
looking  toward  the  sinner  with  an  encouraijing  smile.  More 
particularly, 

1.  God  upon  a  throne  of  grace  is  to  be  seen  as  *'  the  God 
and  Father  of  our  Lord  .lesus  Christ,"  Eph.  i.  3.  "  Blessed 
be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  1  Pet.  i.  3. 
This  is  the  great  New  Testament  title  of  God ;  and  O!  what 
amazing  grace  and  sweetness  is  in  it !  Christ  is  "our  Lord, 
our  Jesus,  our  Christ;"  for  "  unto  us  "  tliis  "child  is  born, 
unto  us  "  this  "  son  is  given  :"  he  is  our  Gael,  or  "  kinsman," 
our  Elder  Brother;  and  he  being  so  near  of  kin  to  us,  our 
blood  relation,  his  relation  to  God  descends  to  us  through  iiim, 
insomuch  that  his  (rod  is  our  God,  and  his  Father  is  our 
Father.  Hence,  Christ  directs  Mary,  John  xx.  17,  to  go  to 
his  "brethren,  and  say  unto  them,  1  ascend  unto  my  Father 
and  your  Father,  and  to  my  God  and  your  God."  O  what 
can  be  more  encouraging!  He  is  "your  Father,"  because 
he  is  "my  Father;"  and  "your  God,"  because  he  is  "my 
God."  There  is  a  rich  mine  of  grace  here,  which  angels  de- 
sire to  pry  into.  And  it  is  some  view  of  God  in  this  relation 
to  Christ,  and  to  us  through  Christ,  that  first  influences  the 
sinner  to  turn  to  God.  "  I  will  arise,"  says  the  prodigal, 
"  and  go  to  my  Father,"  Luke  xv.  18.  "  Behold  we  coine 
unto  thee,  for  thou  art  the  Lord  our  God,"  Jer.  iii.  22.  And 
a  law-condemned  sinner  can  never  view  him  as  his  God  and 
Father,  but  only  as  Ik;  is  upon  a  throne  of  grace,  or  as  he  re» 
\euls  himself  in  Christ. 

21* 


246  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [sER. 

2.  From  a  throne  of  grace,  God  is  to  be  seen  as  a  God  of 
love  :  yea,  as  love  itself:  1  John  iv.  16 :  "  God  is  love."  Ver. 
10  :  "  Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved 
us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins."  So 
John  iii.  16 :  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotton  Son,"  &c.  This  love  of  God  to  lost  sinners  lay  hid 
under  a  veil  of  wrath  and  justice,  till  the  veil  was  rent  by  the 
satisfaction  of  Christ;  and  then  indeed  the  love  and  kindness 
of  God  toward  naan  appeared,  venting  itself  in  a  most  glorious 
and  triumphant  manner.  O  how  encouraging  is  this  view 
of  God,  to  come  to  his  throne,  with  the  confidence  of  faith, 

.  for  grace  and  mercy  to  help !  It  was  this  view  that  made 
David  to  cry,  Psal.  xxxvi.  7,  "  How  excellent  is  thy  loving- 
kindness,  O  God  !  therefore  the  children  of  men  put  their  trust 
under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings."  ' 

3.  From  a  throne  of  grace,  a  guilty  sinner  may  view  him 
as -a  God  of  peace  :  Heb.  xiii.  20 :  "  Now,  the  God  of  peace, 
that  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,"  &c.  God's 
anger  and  fury  began  to  burn  against  Adam,  and  all  his  pos- 
terity, immediately  after  the  fall ;  and  if  a  stop  had  not  been 
put  to  it,  it  had  consumed  the  earth  with  its  increase,  and 
burnt  into  the  lowest  hell :  but  no  sooner  did  he  receive  the 
atonement,  either  in  the  promise,  or  actual  payment  of  it, 
from  our  blessed  Surety,  but  the  flaming  sword  of  justice  is 
put  up  in  its  scabbard,  arid  a  gracious  declaration  issued  forth, 
that  "/wry  is  not  i?i  him.'^  Indeed,  if  sinners  will  still  deal  with 
him  as  upon  a  thrown  of  justice  or  according  to  the  terms  of 
the  law-covenant,  they  will  find  him  to  be  "  a  consuming  Jire,^'' 
But,  oh  1  who  will  be  so  mad  as  to  set  briers  and  thorns  in 
battle  against  devouring  flames  T  If  they  do,  he  "will  go  through 
them,  and  consume  them  together."  Shall  we  not  rather  turn 
toward  him  as  upon  a  throne  of  grace,  where  we  shall  iiear 
him  saying  to  the  rebellious  sinner,  "  Or  let  him  take  hold  of 
my  strength,  that  he  may  make  peace  with  me,  and  he  shall 
make  peace  with  me?"     Is.  xxvii.  4,  5. 

4.  From  a  throne  of  grace  God  is  to  be  seen  as  a  God  with 
us:  Matth.  i.  23,  compared  with  Is.  vii.  14:  "Behold,  a  vir- 
gin shall  conceive,  and  bring  forth  a  son,  and  they  shall  call 
his  name  Iminanuel,  which,  being  interpreted,  is  God  with 
us."  In  Christ  he  is  God  with  us,  to  avenge  our  quarrel  upon 
the  serpent,  by  bruising  his  head.  "  The  day  of  vengeance 
is  in  mine  heart."  With  us,  to  save  from  law,  justice,  the 
world,  and  all  them  that  would  condemn  our  souls,  Psal.  cix. 
31.  With  us,  to  strengthen,  help,  and  uphold  ns  in  all  dif- 
ficulties and  dangers,  with  the  right  hand  of  his  righteous- 
pess.  And,  oh  !  "  if  God  be  with  us,  who  can  be  against  us?" 
Hence  is  that  triumphant  song  of  the  church,  Psal.  xlvi. 


X.]  Olf  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  247 

"The  Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us,  the  God  of  Jacob  is  our  re- 
fuge. Therefore  will  not  we  fear,  though  the  earth  be  re- 
moved, and  though  the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst 
of  the  sea,"  &.c. 

5.  Again,  let  us  view  him  from  a  throne  of  grace,  and  we 
shall  see  him  to  be  a  promising  God.  The  absolute  God  is 
to  a  sinner  a  threatening  God.  Nothing  is  to  be  heard  from 
a  throne  of  justice,  but  curses  against  every  one  that  conti- 
nues not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them.  But,  O  sirs,  come  to  a  throne  of  grace,  to  God  in 
Christ,  and  you  shall  see  a  promising  God.  2  Cor.  i.  20,  we 
are  told,-"  all  the  promises  of  God  are  in  Christ,  and  in  him 
yea  and  amen."  Wherever  we  meet  with  any  promise  of 
God  in  the  scriptures  of  truth,  be  it  a  promise  of  pardon,  of 
peace,  of  counsel,  of  grace,  or  glory,  for  this  life,  or  that 
which  is  to  come;  we  should  still  remember,  that  they  come 
from  a  God  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  himself.  Christ, 
having  fulfilled  the  proper  condition  of  the  promise  by  his 
obedience  unto  death,  aU  the  promises  are  his  in  the  first  in- 
stance; he  is  the  first  heir  of  them  all :  and  in  him.  and  through 
him,  they  are  given  out  to  us  in  the  word  as  ihe  immediate 
ground  and  foundation  of  our  faith,  with  that  intimation  and 
advertisement,  "  The  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  chil- 
dren, and  to  all  that  arc  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  "  lie  within 
the  compass  of  the  gospel  call.  Acts  ii.  39.  O  sirs,  here  is  good 
news  from  a  throne  of  grace,  if  you  can  but  receive  and  cre- 
dit it,  with  ai)plication  to  your  own  souls.  As  all  threat- 
eningsof  the  word  ajc  spoken  to  the  sinner  in  particular  from 
a  throne  of  justice,  as  if  he  were  spoken  to  by  name  and  sur- 
name ;  so  all  the  promises  of  the  word  are  directed  to  you  in 
particular  from  a  throne  of  grace,  as  though  you  were  ex- 
pressed in  them  by  name.  There  is  not  a  son  of  Adam,  but 
has  as  much  concern  with  that  promise,  Gen.  iii.  15:  "The 
seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head,"  as  Adam 
himself  had,  in  whose  hearing  it  was  uttered.  Thus,  I  say, 
God  iVom  a  throne  of  grace  is  to  be  seen  as  a  promising  God. 

0.  View  God  upon  his  throne,  and  you  shall  sec  him  to  be 
a  God  matching  with  our  family.  There  is  a  twofold  match 
that  the  great  Jehovah  makes  with  the  family  of  Adam. 
(1.)  He  matches  with  our  nature,  joining  it  to  himself  by 
a  hypostatical  union  in  the  person  of  his  eternal  Son ;  and 
thus,  by  marrying  our  nature  into  a  personal  union,  he  be- 
comes related  to  the  whole  family  of  Adam,  Jew  and  gentile. 
And  this  is  "  good  tidings  of  great  joy  unto  all  people,  that 
unto  us,"  not  to  fallen  angels,  "  is  born  in  the  city  of  David, 
a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord,"  Luke  ii.  10,  11.  (2.) 
God,  having  married  our  nature,  and,  as  it  were,  conie  upon 


248  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [SER. 

a  level  with  us,  that  the  inequality  of  the  parties  might  be 
no  stop,  he  proclaims  his  purpose  of  marriage  with  our  very 
persons  in  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel.  This  proposal  and 
proclamation  of  marriage  coming  forth  from  the  throne  of 
grace,  is  made  to  all  without  exception  in  the  call  of  the  gos- 
pel, Matth.  xxii.  4.  Yea,  all  the  members  of  the  visible 
church  are  in  some  sense  married  to  the  Son  of  God,  Jer. 
iii.  14.  And  if  it  were  not  so,  they  could  not  be  charged 
with  adultery,  or  playing  the  harlot  with  other  lovers  as  they 
are,  ver.  1.  But  besides  all  this,  in  a  day  of  power  he  de- 
termines the  poor  soul  whom  he  hath  loved  with  an  ever- 
lasting love,  to  give  its  hearty  assent  and  consent  to  the  pro- 
mise and  proposal  of  marriage  made  by  Christ  in  the  gospel, 
saying,  "lam  the  Lord's,"  Is.  xliv,  5. 

Thus  he  fulfils  his  promise,  chap.  liv.  5  :  "Thy  Maker  is 
thine  Husband,  (the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name;)  and  thy 
Redeemer  the  holy  One  of  Israel,  the  God  of  the  whole  earth 
shall  he  be  called.""  See  also  Hos.  ii.  19, 20 :  "I  will  betroth 
thee  unto  me  for  ever." 

7.  God  from  a  throne  of  grace  is  to  be  viewed  as  a  pardon- 
ing God,  issuing  forth  indemnities  to  guilty  rehels,  who  have 
violated  his  laws,  and  trampled  upon  his  authority.  From  a 
throne  of  justice  he  can  only  be  viewed  as  a  condemning 
God,  pronouncing  and  executing  the  righteous  sentence  of  a 
broken  lav\'upon  sinners  who  have  transgressed  it ;  and  when 
the  holiest  of  saints  that  ever  breathed  come  to  deal  with 
God  upon  this  footing,  they  are  made  to  cry  out,  "O  Lord, 
who  shall  stand?"  Nothing  but  "tribulation  and  anguish, 
indignation  and  wrath,  to  every  soul  of  man  that  doth  evil." 
But  O  glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  that  by  the  reign  of  grace, 
through  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  he  appears  in  quite  an- 
other view,  namely,  as  a  "  God  forgiving  iniquity,  and  trans- 
gression, and  sin  ;"  yea,  glorying  in  it  as  his  prerogative.  Is. 
xliii.  25  ;  offering  and  bestowing  his  pardons  upon  the  guil- 
tiest of  criminals.  Is.  i.  18  :  "  Come  now,  and  let  us  reason 
together, saith  the  Lord:  though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they 
shall  be  as  white  as  snow :  though  they  be  red  like  crimson, 
they  shall  be  as  wool." 

8.  From  a  throne  of  grace  God  appears  to  us  as  a  God  of 
infinite  bounty  and  liberality.  And  O  what  a  pleasant  view 
is  this  to  the  poor  and  needy!  Jam.  i.  5 :  "  If  any  man  lack 
wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally, 
and  upbraidcth  not;  and  it  shall  be  given  him."  From  a 
throne  of  grace  he  "  gives,"  and  gives  "  liberally,"  and  gives 
"without  upbraiding."  O  sirs,  grace  is  not  for  inholding,  but 
for  outgiving  ;  grace  could  not  be  grace  if  it  were  otherwise. 
Never  was  there  a  throne  like  this  throne  of  grace,  which 


X]  OPT  THE  THRONE  OP  GRACE.  249 

has  its  very  nature  and  standing  by  liberality.  How  soon 
would  it  spend  the  substance  of  the  greatest  and  richest  kings 
upon  earth,  to  give  to  every  one  that  had  a  mind  to  ask  !  If 
they  kept  open  doors  and  open  treasures  for  all,  and  made 
every  one  welcome  to  come  and  take  whatever  they  pleased, 
how  soon  would  their  treasuries  be  emptied.  But,  the  trea- 
suries of  this  throne  are  not  only  inexhaustible,  but  they  are 
not  in  the  least  impaired  by  outgiving  :  however  much  grace 
has  been  given  out  from  this  throne  to  the  sons  of  men,  (and 
the  distributions  already  have  been  very  large,)  yet  there  is 
as  much  grace  behind  as  ever.  Yea,  the  very  glory,  riches, 
and  splendour  of  this  throne,  lie  in  the  large,  free,  and  liberal 
distributions  that  are  made  to  poor  and  needy  sinners,  who 
come  to  it  for  grace  and  mercy  ;  and  the  King  makes  all  wel- 
come without  exception :  Is.  Iv.  1 :  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirst- 
eth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,"  &c. 

9.  He  is  to  be  viewed  from  a  throne  of  grace  as  a  prayer- 
hearing  God:  Psal.  Ixv.  2:  "O  thou  that  hearest  prayer, 
unto  thee  shall  all  flesh  come."  He  sits  upon  this  throne  en- 
couraging all  who  have  any  business  with  him  to  come  for- 
ward with  boldness,  and  present  their  petitions  to  him, assuring 
them  that  their  bills  of  request  shall  not  be  cast  over  bar  : 
Matth.  vii.  7 :  "  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and 
ye  shall  find  ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you."  The 
prayer  of  faith  is  the  stated  means  of  God's  appointment  for 
drawing  forth  promised  mercy  and  grace  :  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37 : 
"Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired  of 
by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them."  So  open-hearted 
is  the  King,  that  his  heart  opens  his  ear  to  hear,  and  his  hand 
to  give.  When  we  have  asked  great  things  of  him,  he  chides 
us,  because  we  have  not  asked  more  and  greater  things  ;  and 
bids  us  ask,  and  we  shall  "  receive,  that  our  joy  may  be  full." 
The  voice  of  prayer  makes  a  sweet  and  melodious  sound  at 
this  throne:  Cant.  ii.  14:  "Let  me  see  thy  countenance,  let 
me  hear  thy  voice :  for  sweet  is  thy  voice,  and  thy  coun- 
tenance is  comely." 

10.  Laslli/,  View  him  upon  a  throne  of  grace,  and  you 
shall  see  him  as  your  own  God.  Wherever  we  find  God  in 
all  the  word  appearing  from  a  throne  of  grace  to  sinners,  we 
shall  still  fnid  him  asserting  himself  to  be  thrir  God  in  Christ. 
Upon  this  throne  he  appears  to  Abraham:  and  what  says  he 
to  him?  (ien.  xvii.  7:  "I  will  establish  my  covenant  be- 
tween me  and  thee,  and  thy  seed  after  thee,  in  their  gene- 
rations, for  an  everlasting  covenant ;  to  be  a  God  unto  thee, 
and  to  thy  seed  after  thee."  When  this  covenant  was  renew- 
ed, or  of  new  published  at  Mount  Sinai,  he  says,  "  I  am  the 
Lord  thy  God."     This  is  the  ordinary  style  of  the  covenant 


250  ON  THE  THROXE  OF  GRACE.  [sER. 

of  grace  which  issues  from  a  throne  of  grace;  *'I  will  be 
their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people."  Now,  what  can 
be  God's  design  in  appearing  to  us  sinners  after  such  a  man- 
ner, but  that  we,  who  had  forfeited  all  claim  to  him  by  the 
breach  of  the  first  covenant  may  claim  him  as  our  God,  even 
our  own  God,  upon  the  footing  of  free  grace.  There  is  so 
much  sweetness,  grace,  mercy,  love,  and  salvation  in  God 
manifesting  himself  from  a  throne  of  grace,  that  the  soul, 
whenever  it  views  him  by  faith,  is  laid  under  an  invincible, 
though  sweet  necessity,  to  claim  him  as  its  own  God  in  Christ, 
saying  with  Thomas,  •"  My  Lord,  and  my  God.  He  that  is 
my  God,  is  the  God  of  salvation;  and  unto  God  the  Lord  be- 
long the  issues  from  death.  And  faith  having  once  fixed  the 
soul's  claim  to  God  in  Christ  upon  the  covenant  ground  and 
grant,  it  will  maintain  its  claim  to  him  upon  the  same  ground, 
even  when  clouds  and  darkness  are  round  about  him  ;  as  the 
church  does.  Is.  xlix.  14  :  "  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and 
my  Lord  hath  forgotten  me."  Thus  you  see  what  amiable 
views  of  the  divine  Majesty  are  to  be  had  from  a  throne  of 
grace,  or  from  God  manifesting  himself  in  the  flesh,  dealing 
with  sinners  according  to  gospel-grace. 

I  come,  in  the  third  place,  to  offer  a  few  scriptural  remarks 
respecting  tliis  throne. 

1.  I  remark,  that  this  throne  is  called  "  the  throne  of  God, 
and  of  the  Lamb,"  Rev.  xxii.  1.  By  which  expression  we 
are  taught,  that  both  Father  and  Son  are  equally  glorified  in 
this  administration  of  grace  ;  there  is  no  disjoining  of  them, 
either  as  to  their  essence,  interests,  glory,  or  administration. 
"  My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  I  work,"  says  Christ.  As 
they  act  by  a  joint  power  in  the  kingdom  of  providence ;  so 
they  act  in  the  same  manner  in  the  kingdom  of  grace.  And 
it  is  the  will  of  God  "  that  all  men  should  honour  the  Son, 
even  as  they  honour  the  Father;  and  every  tongue  must  con- 
fess, that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  Gocf  the  Father." 
If  the  thronti  were  only  called,  "  The  throne  of  God,"  it  were 
enough  to  scare  a  guilty  sinner  from  ever  looking  towards  it : 
but  when  it  is  called,  "  The  throne  of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb," 
this  furnishes  our  souls  with  a  more  amiable  view  of  the  di- 
vine Majesty,  and  declares  him  to  be  a  God  of  peace,  and 
that  he  is  like  a  meek  lamb  to  every  soul  that  comes  to  him 
in  the  way  of  his  own  ordination  :  his  terror  needs  not  make 
us  afraid. 

2.  I  remark,  that  "  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  clear  as 
crystal,  proceeds  out  of"  this  throne.  Rev.  xxii.  1.  By  which 
I  know  some  (and  I  v^'as  once  of  their  mind)  understand 
only  those  "  rivers  of  pleasures,"  and  that  "  fulness  of  joy," 
which  the  saints  in  glory  are  possessed  of  in  the  immediate 


X<}  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE*  251 

vision  and  fruition  of  God  for  evermore :  I  do  not  exclude 
this  meaning.  But  to  me  it  is  clear,  from  the  17th  verse  of 
the  same  chapter,  that  the  river  of  water  of  hfe,  spoken  of 
in  the  1st  verse,  has  a  respect  even  to  the  church  miHtant 
here  upon  earth;  because,  vcr.  17,  there  is  an  invitation  by 
the  Spirit  and  the  bride  given  to  all  to  come,  and  take  of 
these  waters  of  life  freely,  which  proceed,  ver.  1,  from  the 
throne  of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb ;  and  therefore  I  do  think 
that,  by  this  river  issuing  from  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb,  we  are  to  understand  tlie  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  which 
proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  with  his  quickening, 
cleansing,  and  comforting  influences.  This  is  compared  fre- 
quently to  a  river  or  flood  in  scripture,  Is.  xxxv.  G,  7,  and 
xliv.  3.  Not  a  rivulet  or  brook,  but  a  river,  to  signify  the 
plentiful,  free,  and  liberal  communications  of  the  Spirit  and 
grace  of  God  that  sliould  follow  upon  Christ's  exaltation  to 
the'  throne  in  our  nature.  And  this  is  not  a  muddy  pool,  but 
a  "  pure"  river:  the  Spiiit  of  Christ  is  a  Holy  Spirit,  and 
purities  the  soul  from  the  filth  of  sin.  It  is  a  river  of  "  water 
of  life,"  because  he  has  life  in  himself,  and  quickens  the  soul 
that  is  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  It  is  said  to  be  "clear  as 
crystal,"  because  he  is  a  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  and 
opens  the  eye-sight  of  the  blinded  understanding  to  know  the 
things  that  are  freely  given  us  of  God." 

3.  I  remark,  titat  the  Lamb  is  said  to  he  "  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne,"  Rev.  v.  6,  and  vii.  17  ;  which  not  only  signities  the 
glory  of  his  exalted  state,  having  all  power  in  heaven  and  in 
earth,  but  more  especially  I  judge  this  expression  designed 
for  the  encouragement  of  faith,  that  we  may  "  come  with  bold- 
ness to  the  throne,  for  grace  and  mercy  to  help  in  time  of 
need."  Why,  the  meek  and  mild  Latnb  is  "  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,"  ready  to  take  us  by  the  hand,  to  hear  and  plead  our 
cause.  He  is  a  ready  and  diligent  Advocate  ;  he  is  never  out 
of  the  way,  or  absent  when  our  cause  is  tabled,  as  other  ad- 
vocates and  friends  many  times  are,  when  we  have  most  need 
of  them,  and  of  their  moyen  and  interest.  "  We  have  a 
great  High  Priest,  that  is  passed  info  the  heavens,  Jesus 
the  Son  of  God."  We  have  him  as  our  Advocate  with  the 
Father,  continually  appearing  in  the  presence  of  God  for 
us. 

4.  I  remaik,  (hat  "  the  seven  Spirits  are  before  the  throne," 
Rev.  i.  4.  So  Rev.  v.  6  :  "  The  seven  Spirits  are  sent  forth 
from  the  Lamb  as  it  were  slain,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne, 
into  all  the  earth."  By  which  is  signified  the  peculiar  office 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  application  of  the  redemption  pur- 
chased by  Christ ;  called  "  seven,"  because  of  the  variety  of 
his  influences  and  operations.  These  are  said  to  be  "  before  the 


252  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [SER. 

throne"  to  show  how  ready  the  Spirit  of  God  is  to  execute  all 
the  acts  of  grace  that  are  emitted  from  the  throne  of  grace, 
and  to  make  them  effectual  by  his  infinite  energy  and  power. 
And  these  seven  spirits  of  God  are  said  to  be  "  sent  forth 
from  the  Lamb  as  it  were  slain,"  to  let  us  know,  that  the 
sending,  or  down-pouring  of  the  Spirit,  and  of  his  influences, 
is  the  fruit  and  effect  of  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ's  death, 
and  of  his  prevalent  intercession,  grounded  upon  his  propitia- 
tion. 

5.  I  remark,  that  this  throne  "  standeth  on  mount  Zion," 
Rev.  xiv.  1.  The  Lamb  stands  there,  and  where  the  Lamb 
stands,  there  must  the  throne  stand  also,  for  he  is  always  in 
the  midst  of  it.  By  "  mount  Zion,"  which  is  an  Old  Testa- 
ment expression,  I  understand  the  church  of  God,  which  is 
partly  militant  on  earth,  find  partly  triumphant  in  heaven. — 
They  are  all  surrounding  the  same  throne;  like  Jacob's  lad- 
der, the- foot  of  it  stood  in  Bethel  upon  earth,  but  the  top  of 
it  reached  the  heavens.  So  this  throne  of  grace  stands  upon 
the  earth  in  Bethel,  the  house  of  the  living  God,  though  in- 
deed the  top  of  it  is  high  and  lifted  up  above  the  height  of 
the  highest  heavens:  and  all  believers  are  come  to  it,  whe- 
ther they  be  in  heaven  or  earth,  though  some  be  a  step  higher 
than  others,  the  glory  of  saints  militant  and  triumphant  dif- 
fering only  in  degrees.  Let  a  believer  be  in  what  part  of 
the  world  he  will,  still  he  will  by  faith  make  his  way  to  a 
throne  of  grace,  that  is,  to  a  reconciled  God  in  Christ,  who 
is  every  where  present,  and  a  very  present  help  in  the  time  of 
need. 

6.  I  remark,  that  this  throne  is  surrounded  with  a  "  rain- 
bow:"  Rev.  iv.  3:  "There  was  a  rainbo\v  round  about  the 
throne,  in  sight  like  unto  an  emerald."  Which  I  pass  at  pre- 
sent, because  I  intend  a  discourse  upon  it  apart. 

7.  I  remark,  that  this  throne  is  crowded  with  innumerable 
attendants  in  the  church  militant  and  triumphant,  who  are 
all  paying  the  tribute  of  worship  and  homage  to  him  that  sits 
upon  it:  Rev.  v.  11 — 13:  "And  I  beheld,  and  I  heard  the 
voice  of  many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and  the  beasts 
and  the  elders :  and  the  number  of  them  was  ten  thousand 
times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of  thousands ;  saying  with 
a  loud  voice.  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  receive 
power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honour,  and 
glory,  and  blessing.  And  every  creature,  which  is  in  heaven, 
and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the 
sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I,  saying.  Blessing,  and 
honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon 
the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever."  Where 
you  see  all  the  saints  in  heaven  and  earth  are  surrounding 


X.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  253 

this  glorious  throne  of  which  we  now  speak.  O  blessed  are 
they  whom  he  chooses  and  causes  to  approach  to  liim  among 
this  numerous  company. 

8.  I  remark,  that  the  basis  and  foundation  of  this  throne 
is  "  the  riG;htcousncss  of  Christ."  It  is  laid  in  justice  satis- 
fied, and  judgment  executed  upon  the  Son  of  God.  "  Justice 
and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of  his  throne."  But  this 
leads  to, 

II.  The  second  thing  proposed  in  the  method,  which  is  to 
speak  of  the  foundation  of  this  throne,  and  that  is  justice  and 
judgment. 

For  clearing  of  this,  1.  Take  a  few  propositions.  2.  A  few 
properties  of  this  foundation. 

First,  Take  a  few  propositions. 

1.  '  When  God  had  created  man,  he  entered  into  a  covenant 
of  life  with  him,  upon  condition  of  perfect  obedience  ;  forbid- 
ding him  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil, 
upon  the  pain  of  death.' 

2.  Man,  by  the  breach  of  this  covenant,  has  incurred  the 
penalty  thereof,  'whereby  all  mankind  have  lost  communion 
with  God,  are  under  his  wrath  and  curse,  and  so  made  liable 
to  all  the  miseries  in  this  life,  to  death  itself,  and  to  the  pairs 
of  hell  for  ever.' 

3.  God,  in  his  amazing  grace  and  love  both  admitted  of  a 
Surety,  and  provided  one,  even  his  eternal  Son,  who  volunta- 
rily undertook  our  redemption,  and  was  actually  substituted 
in  our  room.     He  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all, 

4.  The  Son  of  God,  in  consequence  of  his  undertaking  as 
our  Surety,  having  assumed  our  nature,  and  put  himself  in 
our  law-place,  a  cry  was  made  in  heaven  by  justice,  'Awake, 
O  sword,  against  my  shepherd,  and  against  the  man  that  is  my 

fellow :  smite  the  shepherd,  make  thyself  drunk  with  his  royal 
blood ;  do  not  spare  him,  exact  the  debt  of  him  to  the  utmost 
farthing.'  lie  endured  the  curse  in  our  room,  being  made  a 
curse  for  us. 

5.  Whatever  justice  demanded  of  the  Surety,  it  was  exe- 
cuted upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Did  justice  demand  that 
the  cautioner  should  be  of  one  common  nature  with  the  sin- 
ner 1  This  accordingly  is  executed ;  for  "  the  word  was  made 
flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us;"  he  was  made  of  a  woman,  and 
took  part  of  the  children's  flesh;  he  became  our  kinsman,  that 
the  right  of  redemption  might  belong  to  him.  Did  justice  de- 
mand that  the  honour  of  the  holy  law  should  be  repaired  by 
a  perfect  obedience?  This  accordingly  is  executed  by  the 
Surety  ;  for  he  "  fulfilled  all  righteousness,  he  magnified  the 
law,  and  made  it  honourable."  Did  justice  demand  that  the 
curse  and  penalty  of  the  law  should  be  endured  ?     This  is  ac- 

voL.  I.  22 


254  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [sER< 

cordingly  executed ;  for  he  "  was  made  a  curse  for  us,"  that 
he  might  "redeem  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law."  Did  jus- 
tice demand  that  the  head  of  the  old  serpent  should  be  bruised, 
and  that  vengeance  should  be  executed  upon  the  grand  ene- 
my of  God's  glory,  and  of  man's  good  and  happiness?  This 
accordingly  is  done ;  for  he  "  spoiled  principalities  and  powers, 
and  triumphed  over  them  in  his  cross."  Did  justice  demand 
that  sin,  the  first-born  of  the  devil,  should  be  put  out  of  the 
way?  This  accordingly  is  done;  for  he  "finished  transgres- 
sion, and  made  an  end  of  sin :  he  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh, 
that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us." 

6.  Justice  being  satisfied,  and  the  law  magnified,  and  the 
Lord  well  pleased  for  the  righteousness'  sake  of  the  glorious 
Surety,  God  thereupon  rears  up  a  throne  of  grace,  and  pro- 
claims himself  to  be  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and 
gracious, — forgiving  iniquity  and  transgression,  and  sin,"&c.; 
and  accordingly  passes  acts  of  grace  from  this  throne,  saying, 
"  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people :  I  will  be 
merciful  to  their  unrighteousness:  1  will  sprinkle  them  with 
clean  water ;"  and  the  like.  And  thus  you  see  upon  what 
basis  or  foundation  the  throne  of  grace  is  reared. 

Secondly,  I  shall  give  you  a  few  qualities  or  properties  of 
the  foundation  of  this  throne,  where  grace  reigns  through 
righteousness. 

L  It  is  an  ancient  foundation  ;  for  Christ  was  "  set  up  from 
everlasting,  or  ever  the  earth  was;"  he  is  "  the  Lamb  slain 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  And  upon  the  credit  of 
his  promise  to  satisfy  justice  in  the  fulness  of  time,  all  the  Old 
Testament  saints  were  saved. 

2.  It  is  a  foundation  of  God's  own  laying ;  "  Behold,  I  lay 
in  Zion  a  foundation."  He  had  pleasure  in  laying  it.  When 
he  laid  it  decretively  from  all  eternity,  he  did  it  with  plea- 
sure: "I  have  found  a  ransom:"  he  speaks  of  it  with  a  kind 
of  gloriation  and  boasting :  "  I  have  laid  help  upon  one  that 
is  mighty:  I  have  found  David  my  servant."  When  he  laid 
it  actually  in  his  incarnation,  he  did  it  with  pleasure:  "It 
pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him."  When  he  laid  this  founda- 
tion doctrinally  in  Zion,  he  did  it  with  pleasure.  Is.  xxviii.  16, 
he  proclaims  to  the  world,  declaring,  that  "  whosoever  builds 
upon  it,  shall  not  be  ashamed." 

3.  It  is  a  firm  foundation  upon  which  God  has  built  his 
throne  of  grace ;  it  is  the  surest  foundation  on  which  a  throne 
can  be  built.  The  throne  of  iniquity,  or  the  throne  that  is 
founded  upon  injustice,  shall  surely  be  overturned  :  but  here 
is  a  throne  built  upon  justice  and  judgment.  Christ  is  called 
a  rocA:,  "  Upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church  ;"  and  the 
church  and  the  throne  of  grace  have  the  same  bottom. 


X.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  255 

4.  It  is  a  tried  foundation.  Justice  tried  it,  and  found  it  firm 
and  stable ;  when  mountains  of  wrath  and  vengeance  were 
rolled  upon  it,  it  bore  up  under  all.  The  powers  of  hell  tried 
to  overturn  this  foundation ;  but  their  kingdom  and  power 
was  broken  in  pieces  in  the  enterprise ;  the  little  stone  cut 
out  of  the  mountain,  broke  the  head  of  the  great  Goliah.  The 
saints  have  all  tried  this  foundation,  and  proclaim  it  sufficient 
to  bear  their  weight;  yea,  it  is  sufficient  to  bear  the  weight 
of  all  mankind,  yea,  of  millions  of  worlds,  if  they  existed,  and 
would  venture  upon  it ;  "  He  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost, 
all  that  come  unto  God  by  him." 

5.  It  is  a  precious  foundation  :  "  We  are  not  redeemed  with 
corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gold;  but  with  the  precious 
blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish  and  without 
spot."  The  gold  and  silver  cannot  equal  it;  the  topaz  of 
Ethiopia  is  not  to  be  named  in  one  day  with  it;  it  is  more 
glorious  and  excellent  by  far  than  all  the  mountains  of  prey. 

6.  It  is  a  most  beautiful  foundation.  What  God  says  of 
his  church.  Is.  liv.  11,  is  much  more  true  of  the  throne  of 
grace,  "  Behold,  I  will  lay  thy  stones  with  fair  colours,  and 
lay  thy  foundations  with  sapphires."  There  is  such  a  beauty 
in  this  foundation  of  the  throne  of  grace,  that  it  reflects  a 
beauty  upon  every  one  that  approaches  it ;  so  that  they  come 
away  from  it  *'  like  the  wings  of  a  dove  covered  with  silver, 
and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold." 

7.  To  crown  all,  it  is  a  perpetual,  durable,  and  everlasting 
foundation :  and  hence  comes  the  perpetuity  of  the  throne  it- 
self, Psal.  Ixxxix.  4:  "  Thy  seed  will  I  establish  for  ever,  and 
build  up  thy  throne  to  all  generations."  So  Psal.  Ixxii.  17 : 
"  His  name  shall  endure  for  ever ;  his  name  shall  be  continued 
as  long  as  the  sun."  The  priesthood  of  Christ  is  the  founda- 
tion of  the  throne  of  grace ;  and  this  priesthood  is  to  continue, 
by  the  oath  of  God  :  Psal.  ex.  4 :  **  The  Lord  hath  sworn,  and 
will  not  repent,  Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever  after  the  order  of 
Melchizedek."     I  proceed  now  to, 

III.  The  third  general  head  in  the  method.  Having  viewed 
the  foundation,  let  us  next  take  a  view  of  some  pillars  with 
which  this  throne,  this  royal  administration  of  grace,  is  sup- 
ported, and  which  contribute  not  a  little  to  its  stability.  And, 
not  to  enlarge  upon  particulars,  the  foundation  of  this  throne 
being  laid  in  the  satisfaction  of  justice,  all  the  other  perfec- 
tions, or  attributes  of  the  divine  nature,  fall  in  for  the  support 
of  the  reign  and  administration  of  grace.  "Mercy  and  truth 
are  met  together;  righteousness  and  peace  kiss  each  other;" 
they  sweetly  join  hands  in  promoting  this  glorious  design,  as 
you  see  in  the  context.  O,  says  infinite  wisdom,  all  my  im- 
mense treasures  shall  dwell  bodily  in  the  maa  Christ  Jesus, 


256  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [sER. 

he  shall  be  "  the  wisdom  of  God  in  a  mystery,"  that  so  he 
may  be  in  a  capacity  to  hold  the  reins,  and  manage  all  things 
in  heaven  and  earth,  for  the  advancement  of  the  glory  of  free 
grace,  reigning  through  righteousness  to  eternal  life.  O,  says 
infinite  power,  "  with  him  my  hand  shall  be  established :  mine 
arm  also  shall  .strengthen  him  "  in  his  undertaking.  "  I  will 
beat  down  his  foes  before  his  face,  and  greatly  plague  them 
that  hate  him."  O,  says  holiness,  although  I  be  "  of  purer 
eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity,"  yet  1  plainly  see,  that  justice 
being  satisfied  for  the  guilt  of  sin  in  the  death  of  the  Son  of 
God,  the  filth  of  it  shall  be  hid  out  of  my  sight,  and  his  blood 
shall  be  a  laver  to  wash  it  away,  that  I  be  not  offended :  and 
therefore  I  am  so  far  from  hindering  this  administration  of 
grace  through  Christ,  that  I  lay  myself  in  pledge  to  promote 
and  carry  on  the  glorious  design :  "  Once  have  I  sworn  by 
my  holiness,  that  I  will  not  lie  unto  David."  O,  says  mercy, 
I  am  so  related  to  grace,  that  I  cannot  shun  to  give  my  vote, 
that  the  throne  of  grace  should  go  on  apace, "  My  mercy  will 
I  keep  for  him  for  evermore.  My  mercy  shall  be  with  him : 
and  in  my  name  shall  his  horn  be  exalted."  O,  says  the 
faithfulness  and  veracity  of  God,  whatever  promises  grace 
has  made,  in  a  covenant  of  grace,  I  bind  and  oblige  myself 
to  make  them  good :  "  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 
but  one  jot  or  tittle  "  of  God's  word  of  grace  shall  never  fall 
to  the  ground.  "  I  will  not  take  my  love  from  him,  nor  suf- 
fer my  faithfulness  to  fail.  My  covenant  will  I  not  break, 
nor  alter  the  thing  that  is  gone  out  of  my  lips."  And  thus  I 
have  given  you  a  short  view  of  these  glorious  pillars  which 
contribute  to  the  establishment  of  the  throne  of  grace,  upon 
the  foundation  of  justice  and  judgment. 

IV.  The  foiirih  thing  is,  to  inquire  zvhy  it  is  God  zoill  have 
justice  satisfied,  and  judgment  executed  upon  the  Surety,  to  be  the 
foundation  of  his  thro?ie  of  grace? 

I  shall  not  multiply  reasons  for  this,  but  shall  only  touch 
upon  one  for  all,  which  the  apostle  gives,  Rom.  v.  31 ;  name- 
ly, "  That  grace  might  reign  through  righteousness  unto  eter- 
nal life,  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  So  that,  if  it  be  asked, 
Why  will  God  have  it  so,  that  justice  satisfied,  and  judgment 
executed  on  the  Surety,  should  be  the  foundation  of  the  throne 
of  grace  ?  The  answer  is,  "That  grace  might  reign  through 
righteousness ;"  that  the  glory  of  grace  might  be  displayed 
in  consistency  with  the  honour  of  divine  justice. 

Here  a  question  offers.  How  does  grace  reign,  or  how  is 
the  glory  of  grace  displayed  in  and  by  the  righteousness  of  a 
surety  ? 

Answ.  1.  Grace  reigns  and  is  displayed  in  the  contrivance 
of  this  righteousness ;  for  it  is  the  device  of  infinite  wisdom, 


X.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  257 

animated  and  inspired  by  free  grace.  When  man  had  fallen 
under  the  sentence  of  the  law,  justice  was  ready  to  execute 
judgment  upon  him :  but  grace  cries,  Stop,  and  stay  thy  hand, 
for  "  I  have  found  a  ransom."  2  Sam.  xiv.  14:  "God  doth 
devise  means,  that  his  banished  be  not  expelled."  Our  first 
parents  provoked  God  to  drive  them  out  of  Paradise,  and  ac- 
cordingly they  were  actually  driven  out  of  his  presence ;  but 
infinite  wisdom,  actuated  and  animated  by  the  bowels  of 
mercv,  contrives  a  way  in  which  banished  man  may  be 
brought  home  again  in  consistency  with  justice,  and  that  is 
by  the  righteousness  of  the  Messiah. 

'  2.  Grace  reigns  and  is  displayed  in  the  acceptation  of  this 
righteousness.  What  but  infinite  love  and  grace  could  pre- 
vail with  inexorable  justice,  so  far  to  dispense  with  the  rigour 
of  the  law,  as  to  admit  of  a  surety's  righteousness  in  the  room 
of  the  sinner !  But  this  I  touched  upon  already.  And  there- 
fore, 

3.  Grace  reigns  in  the  impetration  of  this  righteousness ; 
for  "  God,"  in  his  amazing  grace,  "  sent  forth  his  Son,  made 
of  a  woman,  inade  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were 
under  the  law."  That  righteousness  by  which  we  are  justi- 
fied, is  the  very  righteousness  of  God  in  our  nature;  he 
wrought  it  by  his  doing  and  dying.  O,  how  does  grace  reign 
here !  Faith's  views  of  this  may  fill  us  all  with  wonder,  and 
make  us  cry  with  the  church,  Is.  Ixiii.  1,  "  Who  is  this  that 
Cometh  from  Edom,  with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah?  this 
that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel,  travelling  in  the  greatness  of 
his  strength?" 

4.  Grace  reigns  in  the  revelation  of  this  righteousness. 
Grace  was  not  content  to  contrive  and  bring  about  this  right- 
eousness, but  the  news  of  it  must  be  published  and  proclaimed 
to  a  lost  world,  as  it  were  by  sound  of  trumpet.  Hence  the 
apostle,  Horn.  i.  17,  when  he  would  give  us  an  account  of 
the  sum  and  substance  of  the  gospel,  does  it  in  one  word, 
"The  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation;  for  therein 
is  revealed  the  righteousness  of  God."  O  how  forward  was 
the  grace  of  God,  to  have  the  proclamation  respecting  the  sa- 
tisfaction of  justice  by  a  surety  issued  out  ?  Adam  had  scarce 
sinned,  till  grace  intiiuates  the  plot  to  him  in  the  first  pro- 
mise; "  The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  head  of  the 
serpent."  The  Messiah  is  scarce  born  in  Bethlohom,  till  an 
angel  is  dospatclicd  from  heaven  to  notify  it  to  tho  shepherds ; 
"  Unto  you  is  born  this  day,  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour, 
which  is  Christ  the  Lord." 

5.  Grace  reigns  and  is  displayed  in  the  appropinquation, 
or  the  bringing  near  of  this  righteousness  to  the  sinner  in  a 
preached  gospel.    Not  only  does  grace  rQveal  the  righteous- 

22* 


258  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [SER. 

ness  of  God,  but  it  brings  it  near  to  the  sinner,  in  order  to  be 
accepted  and  received:  Is.  xlvi.  12,  13 :  "Hearken  unto  me, 
ye  stout-hearted,  that  are  far  from  righteousness.  I  bring 
near  my  righteousness :  it  shall  not  be  far  off,"  &c.  It  is 
brought  near  to  the  sinner,  just  as  the  manna  was  brought 
near  to  Israel,  when  it  fell  about  their  tent-doors ;  they  had 
not  far  to  go  for  it. 

6.  Grace  reigns  and  is  displayed  in  the  imputation  of  this 
righteousness.  And,  indeed,  there  is  a  great  mystery  of  grace 
here,  that  cannot  be  expressed  in  words;  how  a  guilty  sin- 
ner, that  has  violated  the  law,  and  is  obnoxious  to  justice, 
comes  to  be  sustained  in  the  sight  of  God  as  though  he  had 
fulfilled  the  law,  and  satisfied  justice  in  his  own  person,  and 
to  be  put  in  a  condition  to  say,  "Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to 
my  charge  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth :  who  is  he  that  con- 
demneth  ?" 

7.  Grace  reigns  in  the  soul's  acceptation  of  this  righteous- 
ness by  foith.  There  is  nothing  in  all  the  world  that  runs  so 
cross  to  proud  nature,  as  to  renounce  all  its  own  righteous- 
ness, its  obedience,  duties,  endeavours,  its  own  grace  and  ho- 
liness, in  point  of  acceptance,  and  to  submit  to  the  rif^hteous- 
ness  of  another,  and  to  be  obliged  to  the  doing  and  dying  of 
the  Son  of  God  alone.  This  was  a  stone  of  stumbling  to  the 
Jews;  they  could  never  imagine  any  other  way  of  justifica- 
tion before  God,  but  "by  the  works  of  the  law;"  and  there- 
fore they  "  went  about  to  establish  a  righteousness  of  their 
own,  and  would  not  submit  unto  the  righteousness  of  God," 
Now,  I  say,  to  unhinge  a  sinner  from  this  legal  foundation, 
to  bring  down  these  towering  imaginations  of  a  righteousness 
in  ourselves,  to  cast  down  the  "  refuge  of  lies,  and  to  bring 
the  proud  conceited  sinner  that  length,  as  to  own  and  ac- 
knowledge, that  his  own  righteousness  is  but  "  as  filthy  rags," 
saying,  "  Surely  in  the  Lord  "  only  "  have  I  righteousness  and 
strength  ;  in  him  "  will  I  "  be  justified,  and  in  him  "  alone  will 
I  "  glory."  I  say,  grace  reigns,  and  is  wonderfully  displayed 
in  all  this. 

8.  Grace  reigns  through  righteousness,  inasmuch  as  that 
it  is  by  the  revelation  of  this  justice-satisfying  righteousness, 
that  grace  conquers  and  powerfully  subdues  sinners,  brings 
them  under  its  own  government  and  dominion.  The  apostle, 
speaking  of  believers,  Rom.  vi.  14,  says,  "  Ye  are  not  under 
the  law,  but  under  grace ;"  that  is,  ye  are  brought  in  under 
the  government  and  administration  of  grace.  But  what  way 
is  it  that  grace  conquers  them  1  what  is  the  great  engine 
made  use  of  for  this  end  1  It  is  just  the  revelation  of  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  in  the  gospel,  Rom.  i.  15:  "  The  gos- 
pel is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.'^     What  ^yay  ?  Mark 


X.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  259 

the  expression,  ver.  17  :  "  For  therein  is  the  righteousness  of 
God  revealed  from  faith  to  faith."  Fronn  which  it  is  plain, 
that  the  preaching  of  an  imputed  righteousness,  as  the  alone 
ground  of  a  sinner's  acceptance,  is  the  very  pith  and  marrow 
of  the  gosjiel.  Some,  now-a-days,  have  Rot  a  way  of  preach- 
ing, w^hich,  I  believe,  will  never  convert  a  soul ;  they  deliver 
fine  elegant  harangues  of  morality,  adorning  them  with  all 
the  flowers  of  rhetoric ;  but,  in  the  mean  time,  they  do  but 
stink  in  the  nostrils  of  a  solid  Christian.  Why  ?  Because 
though  they  preach  up  a  moral  righteousness,  yet  they  have 
little  or  nothing  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  w'hich  is  the 
very  basis  and  foundation  of  a  throne  of  grace :  and  when 
that  is  wanting,  they  want  the  true  Shibboleth  of  the  gospel ; 
for  the  gospel  is  a  revelation  of  "  the  righteousness  of  God ;" 
and  this  makes  it  to  be  "  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation." 

Here  I  judge  it  not  amiss,  to  subjoin  a  quotation  from  the 
great  and  judicious  Owen  to  this  purpose,  in  his  commentary 
on  the  Hebrews,  chap.  v.  7 :  '  Some  are  of  the  mind,'  says 
he,  '  that  the  whole  business  of  ministers  is  to  be  conversant 
in  and  about  morality.  For  this  fountain  and  spring  of  grace,' 
the  righteousness  and  satisfaction  of  Christ;  *  this  basis  of 
eternal  glory ;  this  evidence  and  demonstration  of  divine  wis- 
dom, holiness,  righteousness,  and  love,  this  great  discovery 
of  the  purity  of  the  law,  and  vileness  of  sin;  this  first,  great, 
principal  subject  of  the  gospel,  and  motive  of  faith  and  obe- 
dience ;  this  root  and  cause  of  all  peace  with  God,  all  sin- 
cere and  incorrupted  love  toward  him,  and  all  joy  and  con- 
solation from  him,  they  think  it  scarcely  deserves  a  place  in 
the  objects  of  their  contemplation,  and  are  ready  to  guess, 
that  what  men  write  and  talk  about  it,  is  but  phrases,  cfuil'wg, 
an(\  fanatical.  But  such  as  are  admitted  into  the  fellowship 
of  the  sullerings  of  Christ,  will  not  so  easily  part  with  their 
immortal  interest  and  concern  therein.  Yea,  I  fear  not  to 
say,  that  he  is  likely  to  be  the  best,  the  most  humble,  the 
most  holy  and  fruitful  Christian,  who  is  most  sedulous  and 
diligent  in  spiritual  inquiries  into  this  great  mystery,  of  the 
reconciliation  of  God  unto  sinners  by  the  blood  of  tlie  cross, 
and  in  the  exercise  of  faith  about  it.  Nor  is  there  any  such 
powerful  means  of  preserving  the  soul  in  a  constant  abhor- 
rence of  sin,  and  watchfulness  against  it,  as  a  due  apprehen- 
sion of  what  it  cost  to  make  atonement  for  it." 

V.  The  fifth  thing  was  the  applicutio?i  of  the  doctrine. 
And  the  Jin  I  use  shall  be  o{  irfurmation,  in  the  following  par- 
ticulars : — 

1.  Is  it  so  that  justice  satisfied,  and  judgment  executed  upon 
the  ever-blessed  Surety,  is  the  foundation  of  a  throne  of 
grace?  then,  hence  we  may  see  what  an  expensive  j)iece  of 


260  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [SER. 

work  a  throne  of  grace  is.  Why,  the  foundation  of  it  is  laid 
in  the  death  and  blood  of  the  Son  of  God.  When  God  is 
about  to  erect  a  throne  of  glory  for  himself,  as  the  great 
Creator  and  Governor  of  the  world,  he  makes  little  or  no 
ceremony  about  it ;  he  only  says,  Let  it  be,  and  immediately 
heaven,  which  is  his  throne,  and  the  earth,  which  is  his  foot- 
stool, springs  out  of  nothing  in  wonderful  order ;  but  when 
the  throne  of  grace  is  to  be  reared,  justice  must  be  satisfied, 
and  judgment  executed  upon  the  Son  of  God ;  he  must  "  be- 
come sin  for  us,  and  a  curse  for  us,  that  the  righteousness  of 
the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  and  we  made  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  him." 

2.  See  from  this  doctrine,  the  glory  of  a  gospel-dispen- 
sation. We  read  sometimes  of  the  glorious  gosped  of  the  blessed 
God;  why,  here  is  the  reason  of  the  denomination,  the  royal 
majesty  of  the  grace  of  God  reigning  through  the  righteous- 
ness of  his  (eternal  Son,  is  here  displayed  and  manifested. 
God  has  erected  a  glorious  high  throne  for  the  place  of  his 
sanctuary ;  and  "  for  the  beauty  of  his  ornament,  he  hath  set 
it  in  majesty,"  Ezek.  vii.  20.  There  was  much  of  the  divine 
glory  manifested  in  the  delivery  of  the  law  on  mount  Sinai, 
and  in  the  typical  dispensation  of  the  Old  Testament :  but,  O! 
all  that  glory  vanished,  like  a  shadow,  at  the  greater  glory 
that  is  manifested  in  the  actual  erection  of  a  throne  of  grace, 
by  the  incarnation,  obedience,  death,  resurrection,  and  as- 
cension of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  manifestation  of 
him  that  is  made  by  the  word  now  under  the  New  Testa- 
ment: 2  Cor.  iii.  7 — 11.  "But  if  the  ministration  of  death, 
written  and  engraven  in  stones,  was  glorious,  so  that  the 
children  of  Israel  could  not  steadfastly  behold  the  face  of 
Moses,  for  the  glory  of  his  countenance,  which  glory  was  to 
be  done  away;  how  shall  not  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit  be 
rather  glorious?  For  if  the  ministration  of  condemnation  be 
glory,  much  more  doth  the  ministration  of  righteousness  ex- 
ceed in  glory.  For  even  that  which  was  made  glorious,  had 
no  glory  in  this  respect,  by  reason  of  the  glory  that  excelleth. 
For  if  that  which  is  done  away  was  glorious,  much  more  that 
which  remaineth  is  glorious."  O  let  us  prize  our  mercy, 
who  live  under  the  New  Testament  dispensation,  in  which 
"  all  we  with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of 
the  Lord,  may  be  changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory 
to  glory,  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord." 

3.  If  it  be  so  that  justice  satisfied,  and  judgment  executed 
upon  Christ,  is  the  foundation  of  a  throne  of  grace ;  then,  see 
hence,  that  the  salvation  of  a  lost  sinner  by  grace  is  very  con- 
sistent with  the  honour  of  divine  justice ;  why,  justice  and 
judgment  are  the  very  habitation  of  this  throne.     Some  poor 


X.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  2G1 

souls,  when  they  fall  under  the  challenges  and  awakenings  ot 
conscience,  are  ready  to  think  and  say,  O  it  is  needless  for 
me  ever  to  think  that  God  will  extend  his  grace  and  mercy 
to  me :  why,  my  sins  are  of  such  a  bloody  hue,  of  such  an 
aggravated  nature,  that  I  cannot  think  that  ever  it  will  stand 
with  the  justice  of  God  to  pity  and  pardon,  or  save  the  like 
of  me.  But,  O  sirs,  will  you  consider,  that  God  has  already 
taken  care  for  the  satisfaction  of  his  justice,  in  the  death  and 
blood  of  his  eternal  Son,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  his  throne 
of  grace  upon  that.  And  therefore,  you  are  not  to  think  or 
imagine,  that  justice  will  be  your  enemy  in  coming  for  grace 
and  mercy  to  a  throne  of  grace:  no,  no;  God  is  just  and 
righteous  in  saving  the  sinner  that  comes  to  this  throne,  as 
well  as  in  damning  the  sinner  that  will  not  come.  Yea,  let 
me  tell  you,  that  the  justice  of  God  gets  more  glory  in  saving 
of  sinners  through  the  blood  and  satisfaction  of  Jesus,  than  in 
the  damnation  and  ruin  of  all  the  reprobates  and  unbelievers 
in  the  world ;  for  the  believing  sinner  takes  the  ransom  that 
God  has  found,  and  presents  that  to  justice,  and  the  Lord  is 
well  pleased  with  this ;  he  smells  a  sweet  savour  in  this  pro- 
pitiatory sacritice. 

4.  See  hence,  the  excellency  and  infinite  value  of  the  blood 
of  Jesus,  and  how  much  we  owe  to  it;  why,  by  this  blood 
justice  is  satisfied,  and  thereby  a  foundation  laid  for  a  throne 
of  grace,  to  which  we  are  called  to  come  with  boldness: 
Heb.  X.  19:  "Having,  therefore,  brethren,- boldness  to  enter 
into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus."  There  are  these  two 
things  effected  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  from  which  our  obliga- 
tions to  it  will  especially  appear.  (1.)  By  this  blood  sprinkled 
upon  the  tribunal  of  justice,  the  tribunal  itself  is  turned  into  a 
mercy-seat:  an  angry  God  is  reconciled  and  pacified,  and  in- 
vites the  guilty  sinner  to  come  for  grace  and  mercy  to  help 
him.  (2.)  By  this  blood  the  curse  of  the  law  is  abolished. 
The  curse  of  a  broken  law  stands  as  an  insuperable  bar  in  the 
way  of  our  access  to  God ;  but  now,  by  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
this  hand-writing  that  was  against  us  is  cancelled,  being 
nailed  to  the  cross.  And  whenever  this  blood  is  applied  by 
faith,  the  sentence  goes  forth  from  a  throne  of  grace.  There 
is  no  more  condemnation  for  the  man,  for  he  is  in  Christ,  un- 
der the  covert  of  blood.  It  is  God  that  justifieth  him;  who  is 
ho  that  dare  condemn  him?  God,  the  great  Lawgiv^er,  justi- 
fieth; and  what  has  any  other  to  say  against  him,  if  the  Law- 
giver acquit  him? 

5.  Has  God  erected  a  throne  of  grace  at  the  expense  of 
the  death  and  satisfaction  of  his  eternal  Son?  Then  I  would 
have  you  try,  whetheq  you  be  courtiers  about  this  throne. 
Wast  thou  ever  at  a  throne  of  grace,  man,  woman?     Perhaps 


262  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [sER. 

you  may  think  this  a  very  strange  question.  *  Why,'  say  you, 
'  have  you  so  little  charity  as  to  think  that  we  never  prayed? 
Blessed  be  God,  we  are  at  a  throne  of  grace  every  morning 
and  evening;  we  read,  hear,  pray,  communicate,  and  yet  will 
you  ask,  if  ever  we  were  at  a  throne  of  grace  V  I  answer, 
A  man  may  do  all  that,  and  never  yet  really  come  to  this 
throne,  that  has  judgment  and  justice  for  its  foundation  and 
habitation.  What,  then,  is  it  to  come  to  a  throne  of  grace? 
Ans.  It  is  to  come  out  of  yourself  to  a  God  in  Christ,  as  your 
only  hope  and  help;  it  is  to  receive  Christ  and  rest  on  him  ;  for 
all  those  ends  and  uses  for  which  he  is  revealed  and  offered  in 
the  glorious  gospel.  In  one  word,  to  come  to  a  throne  of  grace, 
is,  by  faith  in  the  blood  of  Jesus,  to  enter  into  the  presence  of 
a  holy  God.  '  How  shall  I  know  if  ever  I  thus  came  to  this 
throne?'  A7is.  There  are  a  few  things  in  the  context  which 
follows  my  text,  which  may  be  improved  as  marks  for  your 
trial.     As, 

1st,  If  ever  you  have  come  to  a  throne  of  grace,  you  have 
seen  mercy  and  truth  going  before  the  face  of  him  that  sits 
on  the  throne.  Justice  and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of  his 
throTie;  and  what  follows?  Mercy  and  truth  shall  go  before  his 
face:  that  is,  not  only  mercy  in  the  abstract,  but  mercy  con- 
nected with,  and  conveyed  in  a  word  of  truth.  I  think  it 
very  remarkable,  that  these  two,  mercy  and  truth,  are  com- 
monly linked  together  in  scripture,  Psal.  Ixxxv.  10  :  "  Mercy 
and  truth  are  met  together."  John  i.  17:  "Grace  and  truth 
came  by  Jesus  Christ ;"  and  ver.  14 :  Christ  is  said  to  be  full 
of  grace  and  truth.  Why  are  these  joined  together  ?  The 
plain  reason  is,  because  all  the  mercy  that  is  in  the  heart  of 
God,  is  conveyed  in  a  true  and  faithful  word  of  promise :  so 
that  whatever  mercy  we  want  from  God,  we  must  always  look 
for  it  in  a  promise  or  word  of  truth :  "  What  God  has  joined, 
no  man  must  put  asunder."  Some  have  a  way  of  grasping 
at  the  mercy  of  God  absolutely  considered,  never  viewing  it 
as  it  is  in  Christ,  or  as  it  is  in  the  covenant  and  word  of  truth. 
But,  sirs,  the  mercy  of  God  in  this  view  never  saved  a  sinner: 
they  who  really  come  to  a  throne  of  grace,  and  view  God  as  he 
is  in  Christ,  see  mercy,  and  truth  coupled  together,  and  they 
dare  not  claim  mercy,  but  upon  the  ground  of  the  promise  or 
covenant  established  in  Christ;  and  this  is  all  their  salvation. 

2dly,  If  ever  you  were  really  at  the  throne,  you  have  heard 
the  joyful  sound  that  issues  out  from  the  throne :  ver.  15 : 
"Blessed  is  the  people  that  know  the  joyful  sound,"  namely, 
the  joyful  sound  of  the  King's  voice  that  sits  on  the  throne  of 
grace.  The  voice  of  God  in  Christ  has  a  certain  peculiar  air 
with  it,  by  which  the  believer  know^  it  from  the  voice  of  a 
stranger :  "  My  sheep,"  says  Christ,  "  know  my  voice."  Cant. 


X.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  263 

ii.  8,  no  sooner  does  Christ  speak,  but  immediately  the  spouse 
cries,  "  It  is  the  voice  of  my  beloved  !  behold,  he  cometh." 
O,  sirs,  you  are  all  hearing  the  sound  of  a  man's  voice  ;  but 
I  ask,  Do  you  hear  the  voice  of  Christ  coming  forth  from  a 
throne  of  grace  ^  His  words  are  spiril,  and  they  are  life. 
They  have  such  a  divine  majesty  and  melody  in  them,  that 
they  make  an  echo  of  praise  to  rebound  back  to  heaven: 
hence  we  read,  that,  upon  the  publication  of  the  gospel  among 
the  gentiles,  songs  are  heard  ascending  upward.  Is.  xxiv.  10. 

3dly,  If  ever  you  came  to  this  throne,  and  saw  the  King 
upon  the  throne,  you  will  highly  value  the  light  of  his  coun- 
tenance; you  will  put  such  a  value  upon  his  smiles,  that  you 
cannot  think  of  living  without  them.  His  countenance  will 
make  day  with  you ;  and  when  he  withdraws,  all  the  stars  of 
created  comforts  cannot  supply  his  room. 

4//i/y,  The  King's  name  will  be  like  "  ointment  poured 
forth:"  ver.  IC:  "In  thy  name  shall  they  rejoice  all  the  day." 
His  name  will  be  a  strong  tower  to  you,  to  which  you  will 
flee  for  safety ;  and  there  will  be  such  a  savour  in  it  to  thy 
soul,  that  thou  wilt  be  ambitious  to  cause  his  name  to  be  re- 
membered to  all  generations,  that  the  people  may  praise  hinj 
for  ever  and  ever. 

5thly,  If  ever  you  were  at  this  throne,  and  dignified  with 
his  acceptance  and  approbation,  you  will  look  upori  his  right- 
eousness as  the  only  ground  of  your  promotion  and  advance- 
ment: ver.  16:  "  In  thy  righteousness  shall  they  be  exalted." 
*0,'  will  the  poor  soul  say,  'it  was  not  my  goodness,  my  holi- 
ness, my  righteousness,  that  brought  me  to  this  honour:  no,  it 
was  the  obedience  and  death  of  my  Surety,  the  righteousness 
that  he  brought  in:  "In  him  have  I  righteousness;  and  I  count 
all  things  but  loss  and  dung  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found 
in  him,  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the 
law,  but  that  which  is  through  faith"  in  him.' 

Gthli/,  He  will  be  "  the  glory  of  your  strength,"  and  his 
strength  will  be  your  glory,  ver.  17.  When  you  are  helped 
to  the  exercise  of  any  grace,  to  do  or  sulfer  any  thing  for 
him,  you  will  ascribe  the  glory  of  it  to  him  alone  :  "  Not  I, 
but  the  grace  of  Cod  in  nie :  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto 
us,  but  unto  thy  name  be  the  glory." 

Ithly,  If  ever  you  were  at  this  throne  of  grace,  you  will  be 
much  taken  np  in  adniiring  the  freedom  of  his  grace  and  love 
reigning  through  imputed  righteousness;  you  will  see  grace 
written  in  capital  letters  on  every  step  of  the  throne  of  grace, 
and  in  every  step  of  your  salvation  :  ver.  17  :  "  In  thy  favour 
our  horn  shall  be  exalted."  Was  1  elected  from  eternity  ? 
My  election  is  of  grace.  Was  I  redeemed  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus  ?     This  is  "  according  to  the  riches  of  his  tirace."    Am 


264  ON   THE  THRONE    OF  GRACE.  [sER. 

I  justified,  sanctified,  adopted,  or  effectually  called?  It  is 
grace,  grace  that  has  done  all ;  "  by  the  grace  of  God  I  am 
what  I  am." 

Slhly.  If  you  be  acquainted  with  a  throne  of  grace,  a  God 
of  grace  will  be  your  only  sanctuary,  ver.  18:  "  The  Lord 
is  our  defence;"  and  what  time  you  are  afraid,  you  will  trust 
in  him.  He  will  be  to  you  "  a  hiding-place  from  the  wind, 
and  a  covert  from  the  tempest ;  as  the  shadow  of  a  great  rock 
in  a  weary  land :  for  he  is  the  strength  of  the  poor,  and  of 
the  needy  in  his  distress,  a  refuge  from  the  storm,  a  shadow 
from  the  heat,  when  the  blast  of  the  terrible  ones  is  as  a  storm 
against  the  wall."  When  you  are  pursued  by  sin,  by  Satan, 
by  the  law,  by  conscience ;  when  you  are  surrounded  with 
trouble  from  without,  or  from  within,  you  will  turn  to  him 
as  your  "  strong  hold,"  as  it  is  said  of  the  "  prisoners  of 
hope." 

blhli/,  If  you  be  acquainted  with  a  throne  of  grace,  the  King 
that  sits  upon  the  throne  will  be  your  only  Lord  and  Sove- 
reign: ver.  18:  "The  holy  One  of  Israel  is  our  King." 
You  will  renounce  allegiance  to  other  lords,  and  make  men- 
tion of  his  name,  saying,  "  The  Lord  is  my  judge,  the  Lord 
is  my  lawgiver,  the  Lord  is  my  king;  he  will  save  me."  And 
you  will  love  your  King  so  well,  that  you  will  love  his  law, 
and  approve  of  it  as  "  holy,  just,  and  good,"  because  it  is  a 
transcript  of  the  holiness  of  his  nature;  you  will  say,  with 
David,  "  I  esteem  all  his  precepts  concerning  all  things  to  be 
right :  His  yoke  is  easy,  and  his  burden  is  light."  Now,  try 
j^ourselvcs  by  these  things,  whether  you  be  courtiers  at  this 
throne  of  grace,  which  hath  justice  satisfied,  and  judgment 
executed  on  the  Surety,  for  its  basis  or  foundation.  You  may 
easily  remember  these  marks,  because  they  are  all  in  the 
text,  and  the  tlu'ee  following  verses. 

6.  Is  it  so,  that  God  has  erected  a  throne  of  grace  at  the 
expense  of  the  satisfaction  of  his  justice?  O  then,  sirs,  I 
would  invite  you  all  to  come  to  this  throne.  People  usually 
need  little  entreaty  to  come  to  the  thrones  of  earthly  princes; 
every  body  is  ambitious  to  be  near  the  throne.  Well,  I  in- 
vite, I  call,  beseech,  and  entreat  you  to  draw  near  to  the 
throne  of  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  the  King  of 
kings,  and  Lord  of  lords.  Now,  that  I  may  carry  home  the 
exhortation  the  more  effectually  upon  your  souls,  I  shall  en- 
deavour to  answer  and  obviate  a  few  practical  questions, 
which  will  readily  arise  in  your  minds  upon  such  a  call  or 
exhortation. 

Quest.  1.  Who  is  it  that  calls  us?  We  hear  you  that  are 
ministers  calling  us  to  come  to  the  throne  of  grace ;  that  is 
not  enough  to  us,  we  would  know  if  the  King  himself  would 


X.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  265 

make  us  •welcome,  I  answer,  It  is  not  we,  but  the  King 
himself  that  calls  you  to  come  to  his  throne.  We  that  arc 
ministers  are  only  ihe  heralds  sent  forth  to  intimate  and  pro- 
claim the  King's  pleasure ;  and  if  you  ask  for  our  instructions 
or  commission,  we  shall  very  readily  {jroduce  them,  that  you 
may  read  them  with  your  own  eyes  under  the  King's  hand. 
2  Cor.  V.  19 — 21 :  "  God  was  in  Christ,  reconcihng  the  world 
unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them;"  (there 
is  the  throne  of  grace,  to  wit,  "  God  reconciling  the  world 
to  himself;"  our  commission  follows  in  the  close  of  the 
19th,  and  in  the  20th  verses;)  "and  hath  committed  unto  us 
the  word  of  reconciliation.  Now,  then,  we  are  ambassadors 
for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us ;  we  pray 
you,  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God.  For  he  hath 
made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin ;  that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  Now,  there  is 
our  commission,  the  word  of  reconciliation  is  committed  to 
us,  that  is,  the  publication  of  this  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God; 
and  when  we  invite  you  to  come  to  a  reconciled  God  in 
Christ,  we  speak  in  the  name  of  God,  and  we  are  in  the  very 
room  of  Christ.  What  would  you  think,  if  Christ  were 
standing  in  my  place  speaking  to  you,  requiring  and  inviting 
you  to  come  to  his  throne  for  gra^e  and  mercy  ?  Well,  the 
case  is  the  very  same,  when  we  act  by  commission  from  him. 
So,  then,  it  is  God  that  calls  you  by  us. 

Quest.  2.  Whom  does  he  call  'i  Does  God  call  every  body 
to  come  to  his  throne  of  grace?  That  is  not  an  ordinary 
thing;  all  the  subjects  are  not  allowed  to  come  near  the 
throne,  but  only  some  peculiar  favourites.  A/iszu.  It  is  true, 
.  it  is  so  among  earthly  princes ;  it  is  only  some  peculiar  fa- 
vourites whom  they  allow  to  approach  the  throne  or  seat  of 
majesty,  otherwise  their  thrones  would  be  too  much  crowded. 

But  it  is  otherwise  in  the  court  of  the  great  King,  who  has 
justice  and  judgment  for  the  habitation  of  his  throne;  for  all 
and  every  one  that  hears  the  joyful  i^ound  of  the  gospel,  which 
issues  out  of  this  throne,  are  invited  and  called  to  come  to  the 
throne  of  grace.     And  this  will  appear  if  you  consider, 

1.  The  extcnsiveness  of  the  commission  which  God  has 
given  to  ministers:  Mark  xvi.  1.5:  "  (io  ye  into  all  the  world, 
and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature ;"  that  is,  to  Jews 
and  gentiles,  barbarians,  Scythians,  bond,  or  free,  noble,  and 
ignoble.  Every  rational  soul  you  shall  meet  with,  sprung  of 
Adam,  go  pi'cach  the  gospel  to  them;  that  is,  tcU  them  in  the 
name  of  a  God  of  grace  this  good  news,  that  God's  throne  is 
now  accessible,  and  every  one  who  has  a  mind  may  come  to  it 
for  grace  and  mercy  (o  licl[)  in  time  of  need. 

2.  The  command  of  God  enjoining  you  to  come  to  a  throne 
VOL.  I.  23 


266  OS  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [SER. 

of  grace  is  unto  all:  1  John  iii.  23:  "This  is  his  command- 
ment, that  we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ ;"  which  is  all  one  with  coming  to  a  throne  of  grace. 
The  law  of  believing  extends  to  all  mankind  that  hear  this 
gospel.  And  remember  that,  for  disobedience  to  this  law, 
you  are  "  condemned  already,  and  the  wrath  of  God  abideth 
on  you." 

3.  As  the  command  of  believing  is  to  all,  so  the  promise  of 
welcome  to  a  throne  of  grace  is  to  all  and  every  one,  for  their 
encouragement  to  come.  "  Him  that  cometh  to  me,"  says 
Christ,  "  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.  Whosoever  believeth, 
shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  Do  not  think  that 
the  promise  in  the  exhibition  belongs  only  to  the  elect,  or  to 
believers :  no,  no ;  "  the  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your 
seed,  and  to  all  tiiat  are  afar  ofl."  Thus,  I  say,  all  that  live 
under  the  joyful  sound  of  the  gospel  are  called  to  come  to  a 
throne  of  grace. 

Quest.  3.  You  bid  us  come  to  a  throne  of  grace ;  but  where 
is  it  ]  we  do  not  know  where  to  find  it.  I  artsvver,  Wherever 
you  have  access  to  God  in  any  of  the  duties  of  his  worship, 
there  you  may  find  the  throne  of  grace.  Indeed,  under  the 
Old  Testament,  when  the  centre  of  worship  was  confined  to 
the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  the  poor  gentiles  were  at  a  loss 
where  to  come  to  a  throne  of  grace ;  but  now,  under  the  New 
Testament,  the  centre  of  worship  is  removed  from  them,  and 
placed  among  us  Gentiles ;  so  that  whatever  part  of  the  earth 
you  be  upon,  if  the  heavens  be  above  your  head,  you  need 
not  be  at  a  loss  where  to  find  a  throne  of  grace:  though  you 
were  shut  up  in  a  prison  or  dungeon,  though  you  were  driven 
to  the  utmost  part  of  the  earth,  from  friend,  kin  and  ally,  yet 
you  cannot  be  driven  away  from  a  throne  of  grace.  In  a 
word,  there  is  no  place  on  this  side  of  hell  but  you  may  find 
this  throne,  a  God  in  Christ  being  a  God  every  where  present; 
"  he  is  not  far  from  every  one  of  us."  So  much  seems  to  be 
intimated  by  Christ  to  the  woman  of  Samaria,  John  iv.  21^ — 
23 :  "  Woman,  believe  me,  the  hour  cometh,  when  ye  shall 
neither  in  this  mountain,  nor  yet  at  Jerusalem  worship  the 
Father.  Ye  worship  ye  know  not  what :  we  know  what  we 
worship :  for  salvation  is  of  the  Jews.  But  the  hour  cometh, 
and  now  is,  when  the  true  worshippers  shall  worship  the  Fa- 
ther in  spirit  and  in  truth :  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  to 
worship  him." 

Quest.  4.  What  is  the  way  we  are  to  take  to  reach  this 
throne  of  grace?  Atisw.  In  all  the  world  I  know  of  no  way 
but  one,  and  that  is  Christ :  John  xiv.  6 :  "  I  am  the  way, 
and  the  truth  and  the  life :'  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father, 
but  by  me."   As  Christ,  or  God  in  Christ,  is  the  throne,  so  he 


3B.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  267 

b  also  the  way  to  the  throne.  An  incarnate  Deity  is  the  sin- 
ner's way  to  God,  as  well  as  God's  way  to  the  sinner :  Heb. 
X.  J  9,  20:  "  Wc  have  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by 
the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  liviiic;  way  which  he  hath 
consecrated  for  us,  through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh." 
The  human  nature  of  Christ  assumed  to  the  personality  of 
the  Son  of  God,  is  the  portal  or  gate  by  which  we  enter  into 
the  throne  of  grace:  John  x.  9 :  "I  am  the  door:  by  me  if 
any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved,  and  shall  go  in  and  out, 
and  fnid  pasture."  This  door  of  the  human  nature  of  Christ 
was  broken  into  shivers  by  the  hammer  of  God's  wrath,  that 
so  our  way  might  be  patent  to  a  throne  of  grace,  to  a  recon- 
ciled God  :  hence  we  read  of  the  rending  of  the  veil  of  the 
temple  from  top  to  bottom  at  the  death  of  Christ.  This,  then, 
is  "  the  gate  of  God,"  and  by  it  the  sinner  may,  and  the  saint 
doth,  "  enter  into  the  court  "of  the  "  great  King,"  and  "  come 
to  his  seat."  Some  folk  have  a  mistaken  notion,  as  if  they 
actually  came  to  a  throne  of  grace  every  time  they  give  their 
bodily  presence  at  the  ordinances  of  God's  appointment,  such 
as  prayer,  hearing  the  word,  communicating,  or  the  like.  I 
own,  indeed,  that  these  external  duties  are  the  outer  gates 
and  porches  by  which  we  come  to  the  throne,  therefore  called 
the  gales  of  Ziofi,  especially  public  ordinances  are  intended  by 
that  denomination :  but,  O  sirs,  many  a  man  comes  to  these 
gates  that  never  comes  to  the  throne ;  of  such  the  Lord  com- 
plains, saying,  "  This  people  draw  near  me  with  their  mouth, 
and  with  their  lips  do  honour  me,  but  have  removed  their 
heart  far  from  me."  True  coming  or  drawing  near  to  a 
Ihrone  of  grace,  is  an  inward  thing ;  it  is  done  by  an  act  of 
the  heart ;  for  "  with  the  heart  man  bclieveth  unto  righteous- 
ness." When  the  heart  goes  into  God  in  Christ,  for  grace 
and  mercy  to  help  in  time  of  need,  that  is  coming  to  a  throne 
of  grace.  So  then,  I  say,  Christ  is  the  only  way  to  the  throne, 
as  he  is  the  throne  itself. 

Quest.  5.  After  what  manner  should  we  come  to  this 
throne  ? 

Auszc.  1.  If  you  would  come  aright,  you  would  come  with 
an  empty  hand.  Do  not  bring  money  or  price  with  you ;  for 
when  we  come  to  a  throne  of  grace,  we  come  to  get,  but  not 
to  give  any  thing  to  the  ]jord.  You  that  make  a  price  of  your 
prayers,  communicating,  and  other  good  deeds  and  qualifica- 
tions, you  cannot  come  successfully  at  the  throne  of  grace. — 
Remember  that  it  is  a  "  throne  of  ffrace,'"  and  therefore  nothing 
is  to  be  gotten  there  in  a  way  of  debt. 

2.  Come  with  enlarged  desires  after  what  you  come  to  ask; 
for  *'  he  satisfieth  the  longing  soul,  and  lillcth  the  hungry  soul 
with  goodness," 


268  ON   THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [SER. 

3.  Come  with  confidence,  hope,  and  filial  boldness.  God 
would  not  have  you  to  come  hanging  your  heads,  like  con- 
demned criminals  coming  to  their  judge  to  receive  a  sentence 
of  death :  no ;  hut  he  would  have  us  come  to  him  with  confi- 
dence, as  children  to  a  father,  trusting  in  him,  and  looking  for 
good  things  at  his  hand,  because  of  his  goodness,  veracity, 
and  other  perfections  manifested  in  Christ.  Come,  I  say,  with 
hope  and  expectation ;  for  "  he  taketh  pleasure  in  them  that 
fear  him,  in  those  that  hope  in  his  mercy."  It  is  a  general 
fault  among  us,  that  we  go  to  God  in  prayer,  and  other  ordi- 
nances, as  if  he  were  niggardly  of  his  blessings,  or  were  un- 
willing to  part  with  his  grace.  But,  O  sirs,  this  is  not  the 
way  to  succeed.  Let  not  that  man  expect  to  receive  any 
thing  from  the  Lord  who  comes  doubting  and  wavering,  en- 
tertaining jealousies  of  the  love  and  goodness  of  a  reconciled 
God. 

4.  Come  to  this  throne  v\'ith  importunity.  Follow  Jacob's 
practice,  "  I  will  not  let  thee  go,  except  thou  bless  me.  The 
eflfectual  fervent  prayer  of  the  righteous  availeth  much." 

5.  Make  much  use  of  the  Spirit  as  a  "  Spirit  of  grace  and 
supplication,"  that  he  may  help  your  infirmities  at  the  throne. 
It  is  he  who  "fills  our  mouths  with  arguments,"  and  teaches 
us  to  pray  "  with  groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered."  And 
he  has  promised  his  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him. 

The  last  use  I  make  of  the  doctrine  shall  be  directed  to 
believers,  who  are  courtiers  about  this  throne.  And  all  I 
shall  say  to  you  shall  be,  1.  In  a  word  of  consolation  ;  2.  Of 
exhortation. 

First,  A  word  of  consolation.  Know  then,  believer,  for  thy 
comfort,  that  "  the  holy  One  of  Israel  is  thy  King,  and  in  his 
favour  thy  horn  shall  be  exalted ;  mercy  and  truth  shall  go 
before  his  face,"  with  a  special  view  to  thy  happiness  in  time 
and  through  eternity.  All  the  grace  and  mercy  that  is  in  the 
heart  of  the  King,  is  ordained  for  thee,  and  secured  to  thee 
by  a  well  ordered  covenant.  The  whole  of  his  administra- 
tions, w^hether  of  grace  or  of  providence,  are  calculated,  for 
thy  benefit  and  advantage,  Rom.  viii.  28.  You  are  the  chil- 
dren of  the  King ;  he  has  adopted  thee  into  his  family,  yea, 
settled  an  inheritance  upon'thee,  as  "heirs  of  God,  and  joint- 
heirs  with  himself"  You  are  upon  the  King's  secrets,  and 
he  will  tell  you  things  which  he  will  not  communicate  to  the 
rest  of  the  world,  even  the  secrets  of  his  government  of  grace. 
"  Unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  mysteries  of  tlie  kingdom 
of  God,  but  to  others  it  is  not  given. — The  secret  of  the  Lord 
is  with  them  that  fear  him :  and  he  will  show  them  his  cove- 
nant." And,  to  crown  all,  there  is  no  case  thou  canst  be  in 
while  in  the  world,  but  thou  wilt  have  an  act  of  grace  suited 


X.]  OW  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  269 

and  adapted  to  thy  circumstances,  registered  in  the  court- 
book,  I  mean,  in  the  scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ment, every  act  sealed  Avith  the  blood  of  the  King,  touched 
with  his  royal  sceptre ;  yea,  thou  hast  the  extract  of  it  in 
thy  hand.  O  what  strong  ground  of  consolation  is  here  to 
you  who  by  faith  are  acquainted  with  this  throne ! 

A  second  word  is  of  exhortation,  or  counsel  to  believers, 
who  have  come  to  this  throne,  in  the  following  particulars: — 

1.  Be  often  at  the  King's  court,  especially  on  his  court- 
days  ;  I  mean  attend  his  ordinances,  especially  on  the  Sab- 
bath, which  he  has  sanctified  and  consecrated  for  this  end. — 
Great  men's  vassals  are  obliged  to  attend  them  upon  their 
court-days;  and  is  it  not  reasonable,  that  the  subjects  and 
vassals  of  the  King  of  kings  should  pay  this  respect  to  him  1 
Psal.  xcvi.  6 — 8:  "Honour  and  majesty  are  before  him: 
strength  and  beauty  are  in  his  sanctuary.  Give  unto  the 
Lord,  O  ye  kindreds  of  the  people,  give  unto  the  Lord  glory 
and  strength.  Give  unto  the  Lord  the  glory  due  unto  his 
name:  bring  an  oflering,  and  come  into  his  courts."  O  hon- 
our your  King  by  keeping  his  courts:  for  "one  day  in  his 
courts  is  better  than  a  thousand ;  it  is  better  to  be  a  door- 
keeper in  liis  house,  than  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  sin  :"  and 
"  those  that  be  planted  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  shall  flourish 
in  the  courts  of^  our  God." 

2.  Let  it  not  satisfy  you  to  come  to  the  court,  unless  you 
get  access  to  the  throne,  and  see  the  King's  face  ;  for  it  is 
the  presence  of  the  King  that  makes  his  courts  and  taber- 
nacles amiable.  Absalom  was  not  satisfied  to  be  at  Jerusalem, 
unless  he  saw  the  king's  face :  so  let  it  not  satisfy  you  to 
attend  ordinances,  unless  you  get  a  visit  from  the  God  of  or- 
dinances. This  was  David's  disposition,  Psal.  xxvii.  4  :  "  One 
thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek  after,  that 
I  may  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to 
behold  the  be<'iutyof  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  tcm))le." 
And,  if  you  have  any  acquaintance  with  the  King,  whose 
name  in  graciotis,  it  will  biingadampupon  your  spirits,  when 
you  miss  his  presence  in  his  courts;  you  will  "go  mourning 
without  the  sun,"cryiiig,  "  O  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find 
him  !  that  I  might  come  even  to  his  seat ! 

3.  When  the  King  calls  you  to  court,  or  to  come  near  to 
his  throne,  do  not  refuse  his  order.  When,  by  his  word,  or 
the  motions  of  his  Spirit,  he  says  to  tliy  soul,  "  Seek  ye  my 
face,"  let  thy  soul  send  back  a  ready  answer,  saying,  "  Thy 
face,  Lord,  will  I  seek."  When  he  says,  "Come,"  let  thy 
soul  return  the  answer,  "  Behold,  I  come  unto  thee,  for  thou 
art  the  Lord  my  God."  O  he  takes  it  ill  when  any  reject 
his  call,  us  you  see  in  the  case  of  the  spouse,  Cant.  v.     He 

23* 


270  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  [SER. 

comes  to  her,  saying,  "  Open  to  me,  my  sister,  my  love,  my 
dove,  my  undetiled :  for  my  head  is  filled  with  dew,  and  my 
locks  with  the  drops  of  the  night."  But  she  indulged  carnal 
sloth,  saying,  "  1  have  washed  my  feet,  how  shall  I  defile 
them  V  which  provoked  him  to  withdraw,  till  she  is  brought 
to  regret  her  folly. 

4.  Beware  of  every  thing  that  has  a  tendency  to  degrade 
you,  or  to  make  the  King  cast  down  his  countenance  upon 
you  ;  for  although  he  "hates  putting  away,"  yet  you  may 
piovoke  him  to  cover  his  face,  and  to  turn  to  you  the  back 
of  his  throne :  yea,  you  may  provoke  him  to  carry  towards 
you  in  such  a  way,  that  the  very  remembrance  of  him  will 
be  a  trouble  to  you.  Sometimes  his  own  dearest  favourites 
have  so  grieved  his  Spirit,  that  he  has  carried  the  quarrel  to 
the  gates  of  hell  against  them  ;  as  we  see  in  the  case  of  Da- 
vid, "  Thine  arrows  stick  fast  in  me,"  says  he,  "  and  thy 
hand  presseth  me  sore :  this  grief  I  have,  because  of  my  sin." 
You  may  by  untenderness  bring  yourself  to  that  pass,  as  to  be 
made  to  cry,  "  The  arrows  of  the  Almighty  are  within  me, 
tbe  poison  whereof  drinketh  up  my  spirit.  Thou  hast  laid 
me  in  the  lowest  pit,  in  darkness,  in  the  deeps."  And  there- 
fore beware  of  every  thing  that  may  be  offensive  to  your 
King.  Beware  of  pride,  for  *■'  he  beholds  the  proud  afar  off;" 
he  thrusts  the  proud  away  from  him,  when  they  venture  to 
come  near  his  throne.  Beware  of  unbelief,  for  that  is  what 
he  cannot  endure.  How  unsuitable  is  it  for  his  subjects  and 
children  to  call  him  a  liar  !  This  is  a  sin  which  turns  you 
away  from  the  Lord,  and  turns  him  away  from  you.  Do  not 
entertain  jealousies  of  his  kindness,  after  he  has  given  the  to- 
kens of  it  to  your  souls;  for  it  is  a  grieving  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  to  have  his  love-tokens  called  in  question.  Beware  of 
untenderness :  if  there  be  not  a  close  walking  with  God  in  the 
way  of  holiness,  you  need  not  expect  to  have  the  King's  coun- 
tenance ;  for  "  witliout  holiness  no  man  shall  see  tjie  Lord  :" 
it  is  they  that  have  clean  hands,  and  a  pure  heart,  that  shall 
stand  in  his  holy  hill,  and  have  a  place  in  his  tabernacle. 

5.  Be  very  observant  of  the  King's  commandments.  As 
the  acts  of  grace,  of  which  I  was  speaking,  are  the  measure 
of  faith,  so  the  law  of  comrnafldments  is  the  measure  of  prac- 
tice. Do  not  think  that  the  court  of  grace,  or  the  throne  of 
grace,  gives  any  indulgence  to  a  detestable  licentiousness: 
they  are  indeed  carnal  gospellers,  and  Antinomians  w^ith  a 
W'itness,  who  entertain  such  a  notion.  No  ;  the  moral  law  of 
the  ten  commandments  is  supported  with  the  authority  of  the 
King,  whose  name  is  gracious  atul  merciful.  As  the  law% 
considered  as  a  covenant  of  works,  issues  from  a  throne  of 
justice  ;  so  the  same  law,  considered  as  a  rule  of  obedience,  is 


X.]  ON  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  271 

issued  forth  from  a  throne  of  grace,  as  is  plain  from  the  pre- 
face of  the  ten  commandments,  "I  am  the  Lord  thy  God;" 
that  is,  I  am  unto  thcc  a  iiod  of  grace  in  Christ,  a  saving  and 
.a  redeeming  God  :  "  tlierefore  thou  shait  ivccp  all  my  com- 
mandments." O  sirs,  the  law,  even  as  a  rule  of  duty,  is  sup- 
ported with  the  best  authority  in  heaven  or  earth  ;  and  "  the 
grace  of  God,"  issuing  from  this  throne,  "  teaches  us  to  deny- 
all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts."  Mic.  vi.  8:  "He  hath 
showed  thee,  O  man,  what  is  good ;  and  what  doth  the  Lord 
require  of  thcc,  hut  to  do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to 
walk  humbly  with  thy  God  V 

G.  Kecpcom[)any  with  the  loyal  subjects  of  the  King,  and 
beware  of  associating  yourselves,  or  saying,  "  A  confederacy  " 
with  rebels  against  the  King's  crown  or  government.  "  My 
delight,"  says  David,  "  is  with  the  saints,  the  excellent  ones  of 
the  earth."  Rut  as  for  those  who  live  in  rebellion  against 
the  Lord,  their  company  was  a  burden  to  him  :  "Wo  is  me, 
that  1  sojourn  in  Mesecli,  that  I  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Kedar. 
My  soul  hath  long  dwelt  with  him  that  hatcth  peace." 

7.  Be  sure  to  pay  the  tribute  that  is  due  (olhis  throne  ;  do 
not  withdraw  from  it  its  revenues.  The  King  has  imposed  a 
tax  of  praise  to  be  levied  upon  all  his  subjects;  and  "  he 
who  offcrclii  praise,  glorifieth"  him.  O  praise  is  comely  for 
the  upright."  "  This  people  have  I  formed  for  myself,  that 
they  may  show  forth  my  praise."  Do  not  withhold  this 
revenue,  but  let  the  high  praises  of  a  God  of  grace  be  con- 
tinually in  your  mouth.  And,  to  engage  us  to  a  cheerful 
payment  of  this  tribute  of  praise,  let  us  always  remember  the 
glorious  liberties  and  privileges  which  we  enjoy  under  the 
auspicious  government  and  administration  of  grace  ;  which 
are  so  great  and  many,  that  "  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 
heard,  neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  con- 
ceive;"  which  made  the  psalmist  David  to  express  himself, 
as  we  have  it,  P.-«al.  xl.  .5  :  "  Many,  ()  Lord,  my  God,  are  thy 
wonderful  works  whicii  thou  hast  done,  and  thy  thoughts 
which  are  to  uS-ward  :  they  cannot  be  reckoned  up  in  order 
unto  thee :  if  I  would  declare  and  speak  of  them,  they  are 
more  than  can  be  numbered." 

8.  Ldstli/,  Contend  for  the  royalties  and  prerogatives  of 
this  throne,  which  are  many  ways  invaded  at  this  day.  At- 
tempts are  made  to  rob  (he  King  of  his  cf|uality  with  the 
Father,  while  they  would  strip  him  of  his  in(le|)endence  and 
self-existence.  Others  invade-  his  government,  by  appointing 
ceremonies  in  his  worship,  wliirh  were  never  ordained  in  his 
word  :  others,  by  wresting  the  rights  of  his  subjects  Irom  them, 
particularly  in  the  free  choice  and  election  of  their  pastors  : 
Others,  by  tolerating  doctrines  inconsistent  with   the  eternal 


272  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

truths  of  his  word.  Now,  I  say,  it  is  incumbent  on  all  the 
loyal  subjects  of  this  King,  to  contend  for  the  dignities  of  the 
crown,  and  the  liberties  of  his  kingdom,  against  all  that  do 
invade  the  same;  following  the  exhortation  of  the  apostle.  Gal. 
V.  1  :  Let  us  "stand  fast  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath 
made  us  free,"  that  we  "  be  not  entangled  again  with  any  yoke 
of  bondage." 


ISERMOI\  XI. 

THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  OPENED  AND  APPLIED. 

[being  the  substance  of  several  discourses  on  HEB.  X.  22.] 

Having  therefore,  bretliren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  lioliest  by  the  blood 
of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  way,  wliich  he  hath  consecrated  for  us, 
through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say,  his  flesh  ;  and  liaving  a  high  priest  over 
the  house  of  God  ;  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  vvlj.  assurance 

OF    FAITH,   &C. HeB.  X    19 — 22. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Containing  an  Introduction  to  the  main  Pinyose,  with  the  Method  of 
the  following  Discourse. 

These  verses  contain  the  apostle's  transition  from  the  doc- 
trinal to  the  practical  part  of  the  epistle.  liaving  at  great 
length  discoursed  upon  the  priestly  office  of  Christ,  in  the 
foregoing  part  of  the  epistle,  he  sums  up,  in  a  few  words,  the 
scope  and  substance  of  all  he  had  been  saying,  ver.  19 — 21, 
and  then  deduces  a  very  natural  inference  from  the  whole, 
ver.  22 :  Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance 
of  faith.  Like  a  wise  builder,  he  first  digs  till  he  comes  to 
the  foundation,  and  then  calls  himself  and  others  to  build 
upon  it  with  confidence. 

That  we  may'  have  the  more  distinct  view  of  the  words,  it 
is  expedientthat  we  observe  in  general,  the  apostle  here  very 
elegantly  expresses  New  Testament  privileges,  in  an  Old 
Testament  style  and  dialect.  The  highest  privilege  of  fallen 
man,  is  to  have  access  to  the  presence  of  God,  his  oflended 
Lord  and  Sovereign :  the  only  way  of  access  is  Christ,  of 
whom  the  temple  of  Solomon  was  an  illustrious  type.  And, 
with  allusion  to  that  typical  temple,  Christ  is  presented  to  our 
faith  under  a  threefold  view,  ver.  19 — 21. 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  273 

1.  As  a  gate  or  door,  by  which  \vc  may  enter  into  the  holi- 
est, and  that  with  boldness,  hy  virtue  of  his  atoning  blood,  ver. 
19.  Under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  Jiaroji  ahmc,  and  not 
the  Israehties  could  enter  into  the  Iwlij  of  holies,  and  that  but 
07ice  a  year,  with  the  blood  of  beasts  sacrificed  for  himself  and 
them.  But  now,  under  the  New  Testament,  through  the 
death  and  satisfaction  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  way  of  access 
to  friendship  and  fellowsliip  with  a  holy  God,  both  here  and 
hereafter,  is  made  open  and  patent  to  every  sinner,  who  by 
faith  comes  in  under  the  covert  of  the  blood  of  Jesus.  No 
sooner  had  Adam  sinned,  but  the  door  of  access  to  the  majes- 
ty of  God  was  bolted  against  him,  and  all  his  posterity ;  the 
cherubim  with  the  flaming  sword  stood  in  his  way.  But 
now  the  flaming  sword  of  justice  being  quenched  in  the  blood 
of  the  Surety,  the  door  of  access  is  again  wide  opened.  I 
remember,  the  woman  of  Tekoah,  2  Sam,  xiv.  14,  in  her  pa- 
rabolical address  to  David,  on  Absalom's  behalf,  makes 
use  of  this  argument  with  David,  to  persuade  him  to  bring 
home  his  exiled  Son,  "  God,"  says  she,  "  doth  devise  means, 
tliat  his  banished  be  not  expelled  from  him."  This  is  re- 
markably true  in  the  case  in  hand  :  God,  in  his  infinite  wisdom, 
has  devised  a  way  how  his  banished  may  be  brought  home 
again  to  his  presence ;  and  that  is,  through  the  blood  and 
satisfactioii  of  Christ,  John  x.  9,  John  xiv.  6. 

2.  To  encourage  us  in  our  approaches  to  God  through 
Christ,  he  is  presented  to  us  under  the  notion  of  "  a  new  and 
living  way,  consecrated  for  us,  through  the  veil,  that  is  to  say, 
his  flesh,"  ver.  20.  The  inner  veil,  thai  separated  between 
tlie  holy  place,  and  the  holiest  of  all,  in  the  temple  of  Jerusa- 
lem, was  a  typo  of  that  body  of  flesh  assumed  by  the  Son  of 
God,  by  which  his  Deity  was  veiled ;  and  through  the  break- 
ing or  rending  of  this  by  his  death  on  the  cross,  the  way  to 
God  and  glory  becomes  open  and  patent.  And  this  is  called 
a  "  new  way,"  cither  in  opposition  to  Adam's  way  by  a  co- 
venant of  works,  which  is  shut  up  ever  since  the  fall  of  man; 
or  because  it  never  waxes  old,  but  is  ever  fresh,  green,  and 
fragrant,  to  the  believing  soul.  And  it  is  called  a  "  living 
way,"  because,  though  Christ  was  once  dead,  yet  now  he  is 
alive,  and  lives  for  evermore,  to  give  life  to  every  soul  that 
comes  to  God  through  him.  And  then,  he  is  a  way  "  conse- 
crated for  us ;"  he  is  dedicated  for  the  use  of  sinners  in  their 
dealings  with  God  :  "  For  their  sakes,"  says  he,  "  do  1  sanc- 
tify myself."  And  O  what  can  be  more  encouraging  to  a 
lost  sinner,  to  make  use  of  Christ  by  faith,  than  to  know  that 
he  is  just  devoted  for  this  work  of  saving  that  which  was  lost! 

3.  Whereas  the  sinner  might  object.  That  though  the  door 
be  opened,  and  the  new  and  living  way  consecrated ;  yet  he 


274  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

is  either  so  ignorant,  that  he  knows  not  this  way ;  or  so  im- 
potent, that  he  cannot  walk  in  it ;  or  so  guilty,  that  he  dares 
not  venture  to  go  into  the  holiest:  therefore,  to  obviate  all 
these,  Christ  is  presented  to  us,  "  a  great  higli,  priest  over 
the  house  of  God,"  ver.  21.  What  noble  encouragement  is 
here  for  believing !  Christ,  as  a  High  Priest,  "is  ordained  for 
men  in  things  pertaining  to  God,"  Heb.  v.  1.  And  seeing  he 
is  ordained  for  men,  may  not  men  make  use  of  his  mediation 
with  coniidence  and  boldness?  Heb.  iv.  14,  16.  And  then, 
by  his  office,  he  is  obliged  to  execute  the  duties  of  his  office 
toward  every  soul  that  employs  him  in  it :  he  is  obliged,  as  a 
High  Priest,  to  instruct  the  ignorant,  to  strengthen  the  weak, 
to  confirm  the  feeble,  and  "  to  make  reconciliation  for  the 
sins  of  the  people."  And,  therefore,  let  us  take  courage  to 
employ  and  improve  him,  especially  considering  that  he  is 
both  "  a  merciful  and  faithful  High  Priest,"  Heb.  ii.  17 ;  and 
also  a  "  High  Priest  "  who  is  "  over  the  house  of  God ;"  that 
is,  he  has  full  power  and  authority  fi'om  his  eternal  Father, 
to  negotiate  our  afiairs,  and  to  render  both  our  persons  and 
performances  acceptable  to  him.  In  a  word,  the  whole  ma- 
nagement of  the  "  ofispring  and  issue,"  and  of  all  the  "vessels 
of  cups  and  flagons,"  is  committed  to  him ;  yea, "  all  the  glory 
of  his  Father's  house  hangs  upon  him,  as  upon  a  nail  fastened 
in  a  sure  place,"  Is.  xxii.  24.  And,  therefore,  "  seeing  we 
having  a  High  Priest,"  of  such  authority  and  interest,  "let 
us  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain 
mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need,"  Heb.  iv.  14, 
16.  Whenever  we  have  any  business  with  God,  whenever 
we  would  enter  into  the  secret  of  his  presence,  or  enjoy  fel- 
lowship with  him,  let  us  go  in  at  the  back  of  our  great  High 
Priest,  who  has  led  the  way  before  us,  and  is  appearing  in 
the  presence  of  God  for  us. 

Now,  I  say,  the  apostle  having  thus  presented  Christ  under 
the  most  encouraging  views,  as  the  object  of  our  faith,  trust, 
and  confidence  in  our  dealings  with  the  majesty  of  God, 
proceeds  to  recommend  and  inculcate  a  correspondent  duty 
in  the  words  of  my  text,  ver.  22.  Let  us  draw  near  with  a 
true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts 
sprinkled,  <^c. 

Before  we  proceed  to  the  more  particular  consideration  of 
the  words,  it  is  very  much  worthy  of  our  notice,  to  observe 
the  apostle's  order  and  method  of  doctrine,  and  how  he  knits 
the  believer's  privilege  and  duty  together.  He  would  have 
the  privilege  first  believed,  and  then  the  duty  performed :  he 
would  have  us  first  believe,  that  "  the  door  of  the  holiest  is 
opened  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,"  that  there  is  "  a  new  and  living 
way  consecrated  for  us,"  that  "  we  have  a  High  Priest  over 


\ 


XI.J  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  275 

the  house  of  God,"  ready  to  introduce  us  into  his  presence ; 
and,  upon  these  grounds  of  faith,  he  presses  and  inculcates  the 
duty,  "Let  us  draw  near,"  &.c.  It  is  pleasant  hence  to  ob- 
serve, how  the  method  and  order  of  the  covenant  of  works 
is  just  inverted  in  the  covenant  of  grace.  In  the  covenant 
of  Morks,  duty  was  tiie  foundation  of  our  privilege;  man  was 
first  to  perform  dut}',  and  upon  his  doing  of  that,  might  ex- 
pect the  privilege  in  a  way  of  pactional  debt.  But  now,  I 
say,  the  very  reverse  of  this  is  God's  order  and  method  in 
the  covenant  of  grace ;  for  here  we  are  first  to  believe  the 
privilege,  or  to  receive  it  as  a  grant  of  sovereign  grace,  and 
upon  that  ground  we  are  to  go  on  to  duty.  Tliis  is  a  thing 
that  needs  to  be  adverted  to  with  the  utmost  attention,  in  re- 
gard the  very  bent  of  nature  runs  in  tlie  way  of  the  cove- 
nant of  works,  namely,  to  expect  the  privilege  on  the  score 
of  duty ;  and  to  fancy  tliat  God  is  a  debtor  to  us,  when  we 
have  done  this  and  the  other  duty  required  in  the  law :  where- 
as the  stream  of  nature  runs  quite  cross  to  the  order  and  me- 
thod laid  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  namely,  first  to  receive  the 
privilege  in  a  way  of  grace,  like  beggars  receiving  God's 
alms;  and  then  to  perform  duty,  as  a  testimon}^  of  gratitude 
for  the  privilege  received,  without- expecting  any  thing  from 
the,  Lord  upon  ihe  account  of  duty  done  by  us.  This  is  what 
proud  nature  spurns  against  with  the  utmost  reluctance. 
What!  To  take  all  freely,  "without  money,  and  without 
price,"  and  to  reckon  ourselves  unprofitable  servants  when 
we  have  done  all,  is' what  depraved  nature  cannot  yield  to, 
till  the  heart  be  new-moulded  by  sovereign  and  efficacious 
grace.  "  Will  the  Lord  be  pleased  with  thousands  of  rams, 
or  with  ten  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil?"  &-c.  "Wherefore 
have  we  fasted,"  and  prayed,  "  and  thou  takest  no  know- 
ledge ? "  is  expressive  of  our  natural  way  of  thinking.  But 
though  this  way  lie  cross  to  nature,  yet  this  is  the  way  in 
which  God  will  have  sinners  saved,  or  else  they  shall  never 
share  in  his  salvation:  he  will  have  them  to  receive  eternal 
life  begun  here,  and  consummated  iicreafter,  as  "  the  gift  of 
God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,"  without  regard  to  any 
of  our  doings  as  a  foundation  of  our  claim  or  title  to  it. 
Boasting  must  be  for  ever  excluded,  that  the  glory  of  our 
salvation  may  redound  wholly  to  grace,  which  "  reigns 
through  "  imputed  "  righteousness  unto  eternal  life,  by  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord."  And  therefore,  I  say,  study  to  rivet  upon 
your  minds  the  order  and  method  laid  by  God  in  the  covenant 
of  grace,  where  ))rivilcge  received  by  fiiith  is  made  the  foun- 
dation of  duty,  and  not  duty  the  foundation  of  our  claim  to 
the  privilege.  This  is  the  scheme  or  order  laid  in  our  Lesser 
Catechism,  by  the  Westminister  Assembly ;  where,  in  an- 


276  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

swer  to  the  3d  question,  we  are  told,  that  '  the  scriptures 
principally  teach,'  first,  '  what  man  is  to  believe  concerning 
God,  and'  then,  'what  duty  God  requires  of  man.'  And, 
according  to  this  order,  we  have,  first,  the  objects  of  faith, 
and  privileges  of  believers  explained  ;  and  then,  the  duties 
of  the  moral  law  inculcated  upon  that  ground.  And  if  this 
order  of  doctrine  be  inverted,  we  desiroy  the  covenant  of 
grace,  and  return  to  a  covenant  of  works.  So  much  for  the 
connexion. 

I  proceed  to  the  words  themselves:  where  we  may  notice, 
1.  The  grand  duty  the  apostle  urges  upon  the  foregoing 
grounds  ;  Lei  us  draw  near.  2.  He  gives  particular  directions 
how  we  are  to  manage  in  our  approaches  to  God,  through 
the  new  and  living  way ;  namely :  fVilh  a  true  heart,  in  full 
assurcmce  of  faith,  &c. 

As  for  the  first,  namely ;  the  general  duty  that  is  pressed. 
Let  us  draw  near.  Tlie  apostle  does  not  tell  us  expressly, 
whither,  or  to  whom,  we  are  to  draw -near ;  but  it  is  plain 
from  the  whole  drift  of  the  text  and  context,  that  he  invites 
us  to  draw  near  to  God:  not  to  God  absolutely  considered, 
for  thus  he  is  inaccessible  by  guilty  sinners ;  but  to  "  God  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself."  This  is  that  throne 
of  grace  to  which  he  had  invited  us  to  "  come  with  boldness, 
that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of 
need,"  chap.  iv.  16.  The  Greek  word  is  the  very  same  both 
there  and  here. 

It  is  worthy  of  consideration,  in  the  manner  of  the  apostle's 
exhortation,  that,  when  he  is  calling  others  to  draw  near, 
he  comprehends  himself;  it  is  not,  Do  ye  draw  vcar,  but.  Let 
us  draw  near.  Ministers  of  the  gospel,  when  dispensing  the 
truths  of  God,  must  preach  home  to  their 'own  souls,  as  vv'ell 
as  to  others.  Sirs,  we  do  not  deliver  truths  or  doctrines  to 
you,  in  which  we  ourselves  have  no  manner  of  concern;  no, 
our  own  souls  are  "at  the  stake,  and  shall  either  perish  or  be 
saved  eternally,  as  we  receive  or  reject  these  precious  truths 
which  we  deliver  to  you.  And  truly,  it  can  never  be  ex- 
pected, that  we  will  apply  the  truths  of  God  with  any  warmth 
or  liveliness  to  others,  unless  we  first  make  a  warm  applica- 
tion of  them  to  our  own  souls:  and  if  we  do  not  feed  upon 
these  doctrines,  and  practise  these  duties,  which  we  deliver 
to  and  inculcate  upon  you,  though  we  preach  to  others,  we 
ourselves  are  but  "  cast-aways." 

The  exhortation,  Dra,w  near,  supposes  our  natural  distance 
and  estrangement  from  God :  "  All  we,  like  sheep,  have  gone 
astray,"  says  the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap.  liii.  6.  When  Christ 
would  describe  our  apostate  and  lapsed  state,  he  does  it  un- 
der the  notion  of  a  "  prodigal  going  into  a  far  country,"  Luke 


XI.]  '     OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  277 

XV.  There  are  three  things  we  all  lost  and  forfeited  in  the 
first  Adam,  namely,  the  image  of  God,  the  favour  of  God,  and 
fellowship  n-ith  God:  yes, so  much  have  we  lost  them,  that  the 
apostle  plainly  tells  us,  that  we  are  alien aled  from  the  very 
life  of  God  in  our  natural  state.  This  God  intimated  to  Adam 
immediately  after  the  fall,  in  that  question  he  propounded  to 
him,  when  hiding  himself  from  his  presence  among  the  thick- 
ets of  Paradise,  "Adam,  where  art  thou '?"  Gen.  iii.  9.  JVon 
es  itbi  prius  eras,  as  Austin,  one  of  the  ancient  fathers,  para- 
phrases it;  'Thou  art  not  where  thou  wast  before.'  What  is 
become  of  the  late  friendship  and  fellowship  that  was  betwixt 
me  and  thee?  Of  a  Son  of  God,  thou  art  become  a  child  of 
the  devil ;  of  an  ally  of  Heaven,  turned  a  confederate  of  hell. 
Thus,  the  breach  and  rupture  is  wide  like  the  sea.  Can  ever 
parties  betwixt  whom  there  is  such  a  natural  and  moral  dis- 
tance be  brought  together  again?  Yes;  the  apostle's  exhor- 
tation to  drazv  near  plairdy  bears,  that  the  oflcnded  and  af- 
fronted Majesty  of  Heaven  is  accessible  "by  the  blood  of  Je- 
sus, by  the  new  and  living  way."  It  was  the  great  plot  of 
Heaven  from  eternity,  to  bring  fallen  man  back  again  into 
fellowship  with  his  Maker.  Infinite  wisdom,  animated  by  in- 
finite bowels  of  mercy,  has  found  the  way,  and  the  way  is 
Christ,  John  xiv.  G.  The  main  intent  of  his  incarnation,  and 
of  the  whole  of  his  mediatory  work,  was  to  "  bring  us  to  God," 
1  Pet.  iii.  18.  To  bring  strangers  and  enemies  to  amity  and 
unity,  is  a  great  and  mighty  work ;  yet  this  work  he  accom- 
plishes and  brings  about  by  the  ransom  he  has  paid  for  us, 
and  by  the  operation  of  his  Spirit  in  us. 

This  drazcing  near  to  God  does  not  consist  in  any  approach 
to  the  essence  of  God;  for,  essentially  considered,  "he  is  not 
far  from  every  one  of  us:  in  him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have 
our  being."  Neither  docs  it  lie  in  an  external  or  bodily  attend- 
ance upon  him  in  the  duties  of  his  worship,  "Bodily  exercise 
profitcth  little:'"  many  draw  near  to  God  with  their  mouths 
ayd  lips,  while  their  hearts  are  fir  removed  from  him.  Nei- 
ther does  it  consist  in  a  moral  seriousness;  though,  alas!  it  is 
much  to  bring  some  people  even  that  length.  People  may 
be  morally  serious  about  eternal  concerns,  in  a  leejal  way,  like 
the  Pharisee,  who  came  to  Christ,  saying,  "  (Jood  Master,  what 
shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  ?"  Yes,  Heathens,  and  Ma- 
hometans, and  Jews,  may  be  morally  serious  in  their  own  way, 
but  they  cannot  be  said  to  draw  nigh  to  God.  What  is  it, 
then,  you  ask,  to  draxo  near  to  God?  I  answer.  It  is  an  act 
of  the  heart  or  mind,  by  which  the  soul,  under  the  influence 
of  the  Spirit,  sweetly  and  irresistibly  returns  to  a  God  in  Christ 
as  its  only  centre  of  rest.  The  poor  soul,  having  tried  Adam's 
way  of  access,  and  finding  that  door  bolted  by  the  law,  justice, 

VOL.  I.  24 


278  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [sER. 

and  holiness  of  God,  despairs  of  ever  entering  by  it.  At  length 
the  man,  when  he  has  "  wearied  himself  in  the  greatness  of 
his  way,"  finding  the  door  of  the  holiest  opened  by  the  blood 
of  Jesus,  the  new  and  living  way  being  discovered  to  him  in 
the  light  of  the  word  and  Spirit,  he  cries  out,  at  the  sight  of 
it,  This  is  the  gate  of  God,  by  this  door  will  I  enter  ir\to  his 
presence ;  yea,  "  this  is  my  rest,  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  desire 
and  like  it  well."  O  what  a  sweet  acquiescence  of  soul  is 
there  in  God's  device  of  salvation  through  Christ !  The  man 
cannot  but  applaud  and  approve  of  it,  as  a  device  every  way 
worthy  of  infinite  wisdom,  crying  out,  with  the  apostle,  "  It  is 
a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners."  This,  ordinarily, 
is  the  soul's  exercise,  both  in  its  first  and  after  approaches  to 
God,  in  any  duty  of  worship.  There  is  a  constant  improve- 
ment of  the  merit  and  mediation  of  Christ  in  every  address 
the  man  makes  to  the  Majesty  of  Heaven ;  he,  as  it  were, 
fixes  himself  in  the  clefts  of  the  Rock  of  ages;  he  gets  into 
the  "secret  places"  of  that  blessed  stair,  by  which  we  ascend 
to  heaven ;  and  then  he  shows  his  countenance,  and  lifts  up 
his  voice,  in  drawing  near  to  God,  by  the  new  and  living  way. 
We,  as  it  were,  take  up  the  propitiation  which  God  has  set 
forth,  in  the  hand  of  faith,  hold  it  up  to  God,  saying,  "  Behold 
the  blood  of  the  covenant :  Behold,  O  God,  our  shield,  and 
look  upon  the  face  of  thine  anointed."  We  go  quite  out  of 
ourselves,  when  we  draw  near  to  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus;  we  overlook  our  own  duties,  graces,  frames,  attain- 
ments, grounding  our  hope  of  access  and  success  only  upon 
the  merit  and  moyen  of  our  great  high  priest,  God  having 
"  made  us  accepted  in  the  Beloved."  And,  in  this  view  of 
things,  the  soul  will  readily  express  itself,  as  David  did  in  the 
like  case,  saying,  "I  will  go  unto  the  altar  of  God,  unto  God, 
my  exceeding  joy."  And  if  God  hide  his  face,  the  soul  will 
wait,  and  bode  good  at  his  hand,  saying,  "  Hope  in  God,  for  I 
shall  yet  praise  him  :  He  will  command  his  loving  kindness  in 
the  day-time,  and  in  the  night  his  song  shall  be  with  me." — 
And  if  the  Lord  smile,  and  grant  an  answer  of  peace,  he  will 
not  ascribe  his  success  to  his  own  faith,  frame,  or  fervency, 
but  to  Christ  alone,  saying,  "  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto 
us,  but  unto  thy  name  be  the  glory."  Thus  much  for  the 
main  duty,  of  draiimig  near. 

The  apostle  next  proceeds  to  direct  as  to  the  manner  of 
our  approach.     And, 

First,  He  directs  us  to  draw  near  rvith  a  true  heart.  This 
is  "  a  word  fitly  spoken."  If  he  had  required  us  to  draw  near 
with  a  heart  perfectly  clean  and  pure,  he  might  as  well  have 
bidden  us  fly  without  wings ;  but  he  bids  us  draw  near  with 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  279 

a  true  heart ;  that  is,  with  a  heart  truly  concerned  about  ac- 
ceptance with  God,  a  heart  truly  approving  of,  and  acqui- 
escing in  the  new  and  living  way.  In  short,  a  true  heart  here, 
is  opposed  to  a  double,  doubting,  distrusting,  and  hypocritical 
heart.  All  dissimulation  is  to  be  avoided  in  our  dealings 
with  him,  who  "  trieth  the  hearts  and  reins,  and  whose  eyes 
are  as  a  flame  of  fire,  searching  Jerusalem  as  with  candles." 
Psal.  li.  0 :  "  Behold,  thou  desirest  truth  in  the  inward  parts." 
Whereas  the  hypocrite,  who  "  draws  near  with  his  mouth, 
and  honours  God  with  his  lips,  while  his  heart  is  far"  removed 
from  him,  shall  not  stand  in  his  presence.  Take  care  then 
that  your  hearts  be  honestly  minded  toward  God  when  you 
draw  nigh  to  him.  But  I  pass  this  also,  and  go  on  to  that 
which  I  have  principally  in  view;  namely. 

The  second  direction  or  advice  the  apostle  gives,  in  order  to 
our  successful  approach  to  God  by  the  new  and  living  way, 
and  that  is,  to  draw  near  in  full  assurance  of  faith.  The 
original  word  signifies  to  be  fidly  persuaded,  or  assured  of  a 
thing ;  and  is  opposed  to  waveri7ig,  doubling,  and  uncertainty. 
The  apostle,  having  laid  a  firm  foundation  of  access  in  the 
preceding  verses,  bids  us  trust  to  it,  and  rest  upon  it,  with  an 
unshaken  confidence,  and  certain  persuasion  of  success.  What 
is  farther  necessary  by  way  of  explication,  will  occur  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  following  doctrine : — 

DocT.  "  It  is  the  will  of  God,  that  they  who  approach  to 
him  in  Christ,  should  draw  near  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  or 
with  a  certain  persuasion,  and  confident  expectation  of  suc- 
cess and  acceptance." 

The  foundation  of  this  doctrine  is  obvious.  It  is  plain,  the 
apostle  here  is  not  speaking  of  that  assurance  of  grace  and 
salvation  which  follows  upon  believing,  and  is  the  result  of  the 
soul's  reflection  upon  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit  with- 
in;  but  of  an  assurance  lying  in  the  very  direct  act  of  faith: 
for  the  apostle's  scope  here  is,  not  to  give  the  marks  and  evi- 
dences, but  to  present  the  object  of  faith,  namely :  Christ  as 
the  door  and  way  to  the  holiest,  and  as  a  high  priest  ready  to 
introduce  us;  and  upon  this,  he  exhorts  to  a  correspondent 
act  of  believing,  in  drawing  near  to  God,  namely,  uv'/A /«// 
assurance  of  faith. 

In  discoursing  on  this  doctrine,  I  shall,  through  divine  assist- 
ance, endeavour  to  speak, 

I.  0(  faith  in  general. 

H.  Of  the  assurance  of  faith. 

III.  Of  the  full  assurance  of  faith. 

IV.  Of  the  grounds  that  faith  builds  its  assurance  upon,  in 
drawing  near  to  God. 

V.  Apply  the  whole. 


280  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [sER. 

CHAPTER  II. 

Of  FAITH  in  general. 

Before  I  go  on  to  discourse  on  these  lieads,  I  shall  only 
premise,  that  the  practical  and  experimental  understanding 
of  this  subject,  is  a  matter  of  the  highest  importance  and  con- 
cern, in  regard,  as  the  apostle  tells  us  expressly,  Hcb.  xi.  G, 
"  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God."  Without  some 
degree  of  faith,  we  can  never  make  a  successful  approach  to 
a  throne  of  grace.  What  was  said  of  the  Israelites  with  re- 
gard to  the  earthly  Canaan,  that  "  Ihcy  could  not  enter  in 
because  of  unbelief,"  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  greatest 
part  of  professors  under  the  gospel ;  they  cannot  enter  into  the 
holiest  of  fellowship  with  God  here,  or  of  immediate  enjoy- 
ment hereafter,  because  of  unbelief .  And  therefore,  I  say,  the 
right  understanding  and  uptaking  of  this  subject  must  be  of 
the  greatest  concern  to  them,  who  have  any  solicitude  re- 
specting their  acceptance  with  God.  This  premised,  I  pro- 
ceed to, 

I.  The  first  thing  proposed  in  the  method,  which  was,  to 
discourse  a  little  on  faith  171  general.  I  shall  not  stand  upon 
the  different  kinds  of  faith  that  are  commonly  mentioned,  such 
as,  an  historical,  miraculous,  and  temporary  faitf),  which  may 
be  found  in  reprobates  and  temporary  believers:  our  inquiry 
at  present  is  particularly  concerning  the  faith  of  God^s  elect, 
which  is  well  described  in  our  Shorter  Catechism,  thus: 

'  Faith  in  Jesus  Christ  is  a  saving  grace,  whereby  we  re- 
ceive and  rest  upon  him  alone,  for  salvation,  as  he  is  otrered 
to  us  in  the  gospel.' 

For  clearing  of  which  description,  I  offer  the  few  following 
•considerations : — 

1.  That  faith  is  a  saving  grace.  And  it  is  so  designated, 
because  it  is  "  the  free  gift  of  God,"  Eph.  ii.  8.  It  is  not  the 
product  of  free-will ;  such  a  flower  never  sprung  out  of  the 
soil  of  depraved  nature ;  no,  it  is  one  of  the  prime  operations 
of  the  Spirit,  in  effectual  calling,  upon  the  souls  of  God's 
elect.  It  is  not  bestowed  upon  any  upon  the  account  of  good 
dispositions  or  qualifications  antecedent  to  itself;  faith  is  the 
first  grace,  or  the  first  act  of  spiritual  life,  and,  as  it  were,  the 
parent  of  the  other  graces,  because  it  roots  and  ingrafts  the 
soul  in  Christ,  of  whom  alone  our  fruit  is  found.  Before  the 
implantation  of  faith,  nothing  but  atheism,  enmity,  ignorance, 
and  unbelief,  overspreads  the  face  of  the  soul,  "  being  aliena- 
ted from  the  very  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is 
in  us."  And,  therefore,  faith  must  needs  be  a  grace,  or  free 
gift  of  God,  bestowed  without  any  antecedent  merit,  good 


XI.]  OPEXED  AND  APPLIED.  281 

disposition,  or  qualification  in  lis.  Faith  is  a  saving  grace; 
because,  wherever  true  faith  is,  there  salvation  is  already  be- 
gun, and  shall  certainly  be  consummated  in  due  time.  There 
is  an  inseparable  connexion  stated,  by  the  ordination  of  Hea- 
ven, between  faith  and  salvation:  John  iii.  16:  "God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  belicvcth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life,"  Mark  xvi.  10:  "He  that  believeth,  shall  be 
saved."  When  we  preach  the  everlasting  gospel,  making 
oH'cr  of  Christ  and  his  salvation  to  every  creature,  we  are  at 
the  same  time  to  declare,  that  whosoever  he  be  that  gives 
faith's  entertainment  to  this  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God, 
shall  be  saved.  So  that  this  promise,  establishing  the  con- 
nexion between  faith  and  salvation,  is  as  extensive  as  the  of- 
fer of  the  gospel,  and  is  not  made  to  believers  exclusively  of 
others.  It  is  certainly  true  of  every  son  of  Adam,  lying  within 
the  joyful  sound  of  a  Saviour,  that  if  he  believe,  he  shall  be 
saved.  And  this  we  are  allowed  to  declare  in  the  name  of 
God,  as  an  encouragement  to  every  sinner  to  receive  and  en- 
tertain our  message. 

2.  1  remark  from  this  description  of  faith,  that  it  has 
Christ  for  its  main  and  principal  object;  for  it  is  a  faith  iii 
Jesus  Christ.  There  is  such  a  suitableness  betwixt  Christ  and 
faith,  that  they  cannot  be  separated.  Take  away  Christ  from 
faith,  then  faith  is  but  a  cipher,  and  stands  ior  nothing;  no- 
thing can  fill  the  eye  or  hand  of  faith,  but  Christ  only,  Christ 
is  tlie  bread  of  life,  faith  is  the  mouth  o{\\\e  soul  that  eats  and 
feeds  upon  him :  Christ  is  the  mystical  brazen  serpent,  faith 
the  e?/eof  the  soul  that  looks  to  him  for  healing:  Christ  is  the 
strong  hold  cast  open  to  the  prisoners  of  hope,  i'aith  the  foot  of 
the  soul  that  runs  in  to  him  for  shelter :  Christ  is  our  living 
altar,  his  satislaction  and  intercession  like  tlie  two  horns  of 
the  altar,  and  i'ahh  flees  in  thither  for  safety  from  the  law  and 
justice  of  God,  which  pursue  the  sinner  for  his  life:  Christ  is 
the  bridegroom,  and  faith,  like  the  bride,  takes  him  by  the 
hand,  saying.  Even  so  I  take  him.  In  a  word,  faith  slights 
and  overlooks  every  thing  else  to  be  at  Christ,  saying  with 
David,  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25,  "  VVHiom  have  1  in  heaven  but  thee? 
and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  beside  thee ;"  and, 
with  Paul,  "I  desire  to  know  nothing  but  Jesus  Christ,  and 
him  crucified.  Yea,  doubtless,  1  count  all  things  but  loss,  for 
the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ  my  Lord." 

3.  I  remark,  that  faith  is  here  described  to  be  a  receiving 
of  Christ,  according  to  what  we  have,  John  i.  12:  "But  as 
many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the 
sons  of  God,"  «tc.  For  understanding  this,  you  should  know, 
that  Christ,  the  ever-blessed  object  of  faith,  is  presented  to  us 

24* 


282  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

in  the  gospel  under  a  great  many  different  views  and  aspects, 
in  a  correspondence  to  which  faith  receives  its  denomina- 
tion. For  instance,  Is  Christ  presented  under  the  notion  of 
meat  to  the  hungry  soul  ?  then  faith  is  expressed  by  eating. 
Is  Christ  held  out  under  the  notion  of  living  zvalers  ?  then  faith 
is  called  a  drinki?jg.  Is  he  held  out  as  a  refuge  ?  then  faith 
is  called  a  Jleei?ig  to  him,  Heb.  vi.  18.  Is  he  held  out  as  a 
garment  to  the  naked  ?  then  faith  is  a  putting  him  on  for 
clothing.  Thus,  I  say,  according  to  the  aspect  in  which 
Chi'Ist  is  presented,  faith  receives  its  name ;  as  the  sea  re- 
ceives its  names  according  to  the  diflerent  countries  or  shores 
it  washes.  Just  so  here,  when  Christ  is  presented  under  the 
notion  of  a  gift,  tiien  faith  is  called  a  receiving  him  ;  for  giving 
and  receiving  are  correlates,  as  you  see,  John  iii.  27 :  "  A 
man  can  receive,"  (or  as  in  the  margin,  take  unto  himself) 
*'  nothing,  except  it  be  given  him  from  heaven."*  Receiving, 
or  taking  of  a  thing,  is  but  stealth  or  robbery,  where  it  is  not 
w^arranted  by  an  antecedent  giving  or  granting:  so  our  re- 
ceiving Christ  would  be  but  presumption,  and  a  vicious  in- 
tromission, if  he  were  not  given  of  God  to  be  received.  And 
this  giving  of  Christ  in  the  revelation  and  offer  of  the  gospel, 
is  common  to  all,  and  warrants  all  to  receive  him.  John  vi. 
32.  Christ  says  to  a  promiscuous  multitude,  the  far  greater 
part  of  whom  were  unbelievers,  as  is  evident  from  Christ's 
character  of  them,  "  My  Father,"  (says  he,)  "giveth  you  the 
true  bread  from  heaven,"  meaning  himself  We  read,  Psal. 
cxv.  16,  that  "  God  hath  given  the  earth  to  the  sons  of  men;" 
that  is,  he  made  a  grant  of  it  to  thein,  to  be  used  and  possessed 
by  them;  and  by  virtue  of  this  deed  of  gift  or  grant,  before 
the  earth  came  to  be  fully  peopled,  or  stocked  with  inhabit- 
ants, it  was  lawful  for  a  man  to  take  possession  of  it,  and  use 
it  as  his  own.  Just  so  here,  God  lias  so  loved  the  zcorld  of 
lost  mankind,  that  he  has  given  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  who- 
soever oi^  lost  mankind  helieveth  in  him,  or  receives  Xnxn,  should 
not  perish,  hut  have  everlasting  life,  John  iii.  16.  This  will  not 
infer  a  universal  redemption :  for  I  do  not  now  speak  of  the 
])urchase  or  application  of  redemption,  which,  without  all 
doubt,  is  peculiar  to  the  elect:  but  of  that  giving  of  Christ  in 
the  world,  which  warrants  our  receiving  of  him.  And  this, 
past  all  peradv^enture,  is  common  to  the  whole  visible  church, 
yea,  to  all  to  whom  the  revelation  of  Christ  comes ;  for  if  there 
were  not  such  a  giving  of  Christ  as  warrants  all  to  receive 
him,  the  unbelieving  world  could  not  in  justice  be  condemned 
for  rejecting  him.  O  then  let  mount  Zion  rejoice  and  let  the 
daughters  of  Judah,  (I  mean  the  visible  church,)  be  glad,  and 

•  When  Christ  is  received  by  us,  he  must  be  tendered,  given,  granted, 
or  communicated  unto  us,     Owen  on,  the  Glory  of  Christ,  p.  123. 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  283 

receive  it  as  a  faithful  saying  and  ■worthy  of  all  acceptation, 
that  "  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given,  whose 
name  is  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  The  mighty  God,  The 
everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of  peace :"  for  these  are  "  good 
tidings  of  great  joy  to  all  people,"  Is.  ix.  G,  Luke  ii.  10.  Re- 
ceive this  Haviour  who  is  given  to  you ;  and  receive  him  with 
gratitude  and  i)raise,  warbling  out  that  doxology  with  heart 
and  lip,  "  Thanks  be  unto  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift." 
And  if  you  do  not,  remember  I  tell  you,  you  will  follow  af- 
ter lying  vanities,  and  slight  your  own  mercy. 

4.  Upon  this  description  of  faith,  I  remark,  that  faith  is 
called  not  only  a  receiving,  but  a  resting  upon  Christ :  Psal. 
xxxvii.  7:  "Rest  in  the  Lord,  and  wait  patiently  for  him." 
We  are  not,  in  my  opinion,  to  tiunk,  that  receiving  is  one 
act  of  faith,  and  resting  another  act  of  it ;  they  are  ordy  dif- 
ferent expressions  of  the  same  applicatory,  justifying  faith, 
or  (as  some  will  have  it)  the  rest  of  faith  is  a  continuation 
of  the  reception.  There  are  a  great  many  denominations  of 
faith,  of  the  same  divine  authority  with  these  two  mentioned 
in  the  answer  of  the  Catechism,  such  as,  eating,  drinking, 
fleeing,  entering,  coming,  trusting,  &,c.  But  these  are  not 
different  acts,  but  only  dilTerent  expressions  of  the  saving  act 
of  faith,  making  use  of,  or  applying  Christ  in  a  suitableness 
to  the  view  in  which  he  is  presented  in  the  word  of  God. 
Now,  as  to  this  expression  of  resting,  it  leads  us  to  conceive 
of  Christ  as  a  rock  or  a  strong  foundation,  upon  which  we 
may,  and  still  ought  to  lay  the  weight  of  our  everlasting  con- 
cerns, with  the  greatest  confidence.  When  we  lay  our  weight 
upon  a  rock,  we  are  not  afraid  that  the  rock  will  sink  or  tail 
underneath  us;  so,  in  believing,  the  poor,  weary,  burdened  soul, 
finding  itself  unable  to  stand  upon  its  own  legs,  leans  and  rests 
upon  this  Rock  of  ages,  being  confident  that  this  Rock  will 
not  fail.  Or,  the  expression  oi  resting  may  allude  to  a  man's 
resting  upon  a  charter  for  an  estate,  a  bond  or  bill  for  a  sum 
of  money  ;  he  rests  upon  it  as  good  and  sufHcient  security  :  so 
the  soul,  in  believing,  rests  upon  the  fidelity  and  veracity  of 
a  God  in  Christ,  pawned  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  the 
promises  thereof.  lie  looks  upon  the  fulness  of  grace  and 
truth,  of  merit  and  spirit  treasured  uj)  in  Christ,  as  they  are 
laid  out  in  the  word  of  faith,  saying,  with  David,  "  This  is  all 
my  salvation,  and  all  my  desire."  On  which  account,  faith, 
Heb.  xi.  1,  is  called  "  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for  ;"  be- 
cause it  rejoices  in  the  promise,  as  though  it  had  the  thing 
promised.  This  resting  is  equivalent  to  truslinir,  as  is  evident 
from  all  these  scriptures  cited  in  the  Catechism  upon  this 
head.  I  shall  notice  farther,  before  1  leave  this  point,  that 
both  these  expressions  o^  receiving  and  resting,  bv  which  faith 
is  here  described,  do,  in  the  very  nature  of  the  thing  intended, 


284  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

carry  an  application  and  appropriation  in  them :  for  when  I 
receive  a  gift,  I  take  it  as  my  own  property ;  and  when  I  rest 
upon  a  charter  or  bond,  I  rest  on  it  as  my  security:  and  if 
this  he  not  allowed,  the  relieving  and  supporting  nature  of 
faith  is  in  a  great  measure  lost ;  without  it  we  coidd  never  be 
"  filled  with  joy  and  peace  in  believing."  I  shall  only  add, 
that  both  these  expressions,  pointing  out  the  nature  of  faith, 
so  describe  it,  as  to  put  it  out  of  the  rank  or  category  of  works ; 
for  when  a  poor  man  receives  his  alms,  or  when  a  weary  man 
rests  himself,  he  cannot  in  any  propriety  of  speech  be  said  to 
zvork.  God  will  have  man  saved,  under  the  new  covenant, 
by  such  a  mean  instrument,  that  so  works  and  boasting  may 
be  for  ever  excluded,  and  grace  alone  for  ever  exalted. 

5.  I  remark,  that  faith  receives  Christ,  and  rests  upon  him 
alone.  The  poor  soul,  before  the  saving  revelation  of  Christ, 
was  grasping  at  empty  shadows,  trusting  in  lying  refuges; 
and,  like  the  men  of  the  old  world,  when  the  waters  of  the 
deluge  were  upon  the  increase,  was  running  to  this  and  the 
other  mountain,  where  he  might  be  safe  from  tlie  swelling 
deluge  of  God's  wrath  ;  but  finding  the  waters  to  overflow 
his  hiding-places,  he  quits  them,  and  flees  to  the  Rock  of  ages, 
saying,  "  \n  vain  is  salvation  hoped  for  from  the  hills,  and 
from  the  multitude  of  mountains  :  in  the  Lord  only  is  the  sal- 
vation of  his  people. — There  is  none  other  name  under  heaven 
given  among  men  whereby  to  be  saved,  but  the  name  of  Je- 
sus." Every  man  by  nature  being  married  to  the  law  in  Adam, 
is  attempting  to  climb  up  to  heaven  upon  the  broken  ladder 
of  the  covenant  of  works,  and  to  pass  the  deluge  of  God's 
wrath  h^  the  fallen  bridge  of  the  law.  But  as  sure  as  the 
Lord  lives,  your  attempts  this  way  will  fail  you  ;  for  "  by  the 
works  of  the  law,  no  flesh  living  shall  be  justified."  God  has 
established  a  bridge  of  communication  between  heaven  and 
earth,  by  the  obedience,  death,  and  intercession  of  his  eternal 
Son  ;  and  every  other  passage  to  heaven  but  this,  is  stopped 
by  the  justice  and  holiness  of  God.  John  xiv.  6,  says  Christ 
there,  "  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life :  no  man 
Cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by  me." 

6.  Faith  receives  Christ,  and  rests  upon  him  alone  for  sal- 
vation. This  points  at  the  end  the  sinner  has  before  him,  in 
his  first  closing  with  Christ ;  he  flees  to  him  for  salvation ; 
Acts  XV.  11  :  "We  believe,  that,  through  the  grace  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall  be  saved."  By  salvalio?i  here, 
we  are  not  simply  to  understand  an  eternity  of  happiness  in 
the  enjoyment  of  God  after  time,  but  a  salvation  begun  in 
this  present  life  ;  salvation  from  the  beginning  of  it  in  rege- 
neration, till  it  be  consummated  in  glory.  The  soul,  in  be- 
lieving, rests  upon  Christ  for  pardon,  which  is  salvation  from 
the  guilt  of  sin,  and  the  condemnatory  sentence  of  the  law  : 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  285 

it  rests  on  him  for  sanctification,  which  is  a  salvation  from  the 
filth  and  power  of  sin;  for  glorification,  which  is  a  salvation 
from  the  very  in-being  of  sin.  Alas  !  the  greatest  part  of  the 
visible  church  have  no  other  notion  of  Christ,  but  only  as  a 
Saviour  to  keep  them  out  of  hell,  and  to  deliver  them  from 
vindictive  wrath.  It  is  true,  indeed,  our  Jesus  saves  from 
"  the  wrath  that  is  to  come."  But  how  does  he  that  ?  He  does 
it  by  saving  from  sin  in  the  first  place :  "  His  name,"  says  the 
angel,  "shall  be  called  Jesus ;  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from 
their  sins."  His  first  and  great  business  was  to  condemii  sin, 
that  arch-traitor,  and  first-born  of  the  devil,  Horn,  viii,  3, 
"  to  finish  transgression,  and  make  an  end  of  sin."  And 
therefore  it  is  a  salvation  from  sin,  in  the  guilt,  and  filth,  and 
power  of  it,  for  which  faith  receives  Christ,  and  rests  upon  hirru 

7.  I  remark,  that  faith  receives  and  rests  upon  Christ,  "as 
he  is  olfered  to  us  in  the  gospel.  This  offer  of  Christ,  though 
it  be  last  named  in  this  description  of  faith,  yet  it  is  the  first 
thing,  in  the  order  of  nature,  that  faith  believes :  for  unless 
one  believe  that  Christ  is  offered  to  him  in  particular,  as  the 
gift  of  (lod,  and  as  a  foundation  of  hope  and  help,  he  will 
never  receive  him,  or  rest  on  him  for  salvation.  This  is  a 
believing  in  order  to  believing ;  a  believing  that  Christ,  and 
salvation  in  him,  is  really  offered,  in  order  to  his  being  ac- 
cepted and  received.  And  therefore  be  verily  persuaded,  that 
Christ  is  yours  in  the  offer,  and  "  that  God  hath  given  to  you 
eternal  life  in  his  Son  ;"  for  "  this  is  the  record  of  God,"  1 
John  V.  11.  And  unless  you  believe  this,  you  "  make  God  a 
liar,  because  you  believe  not  the  record  that  God  hath  given 
of  his  Son,"  ver.  10.  O  sirs,  believe  it,  that  "  unto  you  a 
child  is  born,  unto  you  a  son  is  given,  whose  name  is  called 
Wonderful,"  &,c. ;  and  that  God  hath  given  him  to  a  lost 
world,  in  the  gospel  offer  and  revelation,  that  "  whosoever 
believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life," 
John  iii.  IG. 

Next,  you  may  observe,  that  it  is  in  the  gospel  that  this  of- 
fer is  made,  and  this  gift  of  God  is  presented  to  you.  Wliat 
is  the  gospel,  but  a  word  of  grace,  a  word  of  promise,  a  word 
of  faith,  a  word  of  life  and  salvation  '?  and  "  to  you  is  the 
word  of  this  salvation  sent."  And  in  this  word,  Christ  and 
his  everlasting  righteousness,  and  all-sufficient  fulness,  is 
brought  near  to  you,  in  order  to  your  receiving  and  ajiplying 
him  to  your  own  souls  by  faith.  You  need  not  climb  up  to 
heaven,  or  dig  into  hell,  in  quest  of  a  Saviour;  for  "  the  word 
is  nigh  thee,"  and  Christ  in  the  word;  "even  the  word 
of  faith  whicji  we  preach,"  Rom.  x.  (> — 9.  As  a  sum  of 
money  is  brought  nigh  to  a  man  in  a  bond  that  is  offered  him, 
so  is  Christ  brought  nigh  in  the  word  of  proTnise  to  us.  Acts 
ii.  30  :  "  The  promise  is  unto  you,"  &.c.     And  without  this 


286  THE  ASSURA\CE  OF  FAITH,  [sER. 

word  of  grace  and  promise,  believing  were  a  thing  impossi- 
ble, because  faith  could  never  fasten  on  Christ,  or  on  God  in 
him,  without  this  word  of  faith.  If  I  should  bid  you  believe 
that  such  a  man  will  give  you  a  sum  of  money,  you  would 
think  me  ridiculous,  unless  he  had  given  his  word  that  he 
would  do  it;  your  faith  or  trust  could  not  fasten  upon  him 
without  his  word  or  writ  as  the  immediate  ground  of  it :  so 
here,  our  faith,  trust,  or  confidence,  could  never  find  a  founda- 
tion without  God's  word  of  grace  and  promise ;  and  in  receiving 
his  word,  you  receive  himself,  and  all  the  treasures  of  his  grace 
laid  up  in  Christ,  and  laid  out  to  your  hand  in  the  word. 

Next,  it  is  worthy  of  consideration  in  this  branch  of  the 
description,  that  faith's  reception  and  application  of  Christ 
must  be  regulated  by,  and  bear  a  proportion  to  the  offer  that 
is  made  of  him  in  the  gospel ;  for  here  we  are  told,  that  faith 
is  a  receiving  and  resting  upon  him  as  he  is  offered,  &c.  This 
qualifies  our  reception  of  Christ,  and  distinguishes  the  faith  of 
true  believers,  from  that  of  hypocrites  and  formalists.  And 
therefore  notice  this  as  a  thing  of  the  last  moment  and  con- 
sequence, whether  your  faith  comes  up  to  the  offer,  and  cor- 
responds to  it  I  shall  illustrate  this  in  the  four  following 
particulars. 

Is/,  Christ  is  freely  offered  in  the  gospel :  Is.  Iv.  1  :  "  Ho, 
every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters;  and  he  that 
hath  no  money ;  come  ye,  buy,  and  eat,  yea,  come,  buy  wine 
and  milk  without  money,  and  without  price."  Rev.  xxii.  17  : 
*'  Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely."  So 
faith  receives  and  embraces  him  as  the  free  gift  of  God.  Be- 
ware of  thinking  to  buy  the  pearl  with  the  money  and  price 
of  your  works,  duties,  and  good  qualifications  ;  as  if  by  these 
you  were  fitted  for  receiving  Christ,  or  as  if  God  made  you 
the  more  welcome ;  on  account  of  these,  to  receive  his  un- 
speakable gift.  No,  no,  remember  that,  in  the  matter  of  be- 
lieving, you  are  to  shake  your  hands  from  holding  of  such 
bribes;  for  "  the  pearl  of  great  price"  cannot  be  bought  in 
such  a  way.  It  is  true,  believing  is  called  a  buying,  Is.  Iv.  1; 
Rev.  iii.  18.  But  then  let  it  be  remembered  what  soi't  of  a 
buying  it  is,  it  is  a  buying  zvithoui  money,  and  without  price. 
God's  price  in  the  market  of  the  gospel  is  just  nothing :  and 
yet  this  is  so  great  a  matter  with  man,  that  the  pride  of  his 
heart  will  not  allow  him  to  tell  it  down.  We  cannot  think 
of  coming  up,  I  should  rather  say,  cannot  think  of  coming 
down  to  God's  price ;  I  mean,  of  taking  Christ  and  salvation 
in  him  and  through  him  for  nothing.  Many  say  to  God  as 
Abram  said  to  the  king  of  Sodom,  Gen.  xiv.  23 :  "I  will  not 
take  any  thing  that  is  thine,  from  a  thread  even  to  a  shoe- 
latchet,  lest  thou  shouldest  say,  I  have  made  Abram  rich." 
Just  so  does  the  proud  self-righteous  sinner  upon  the  matter 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  287 

say  to  God.  God  comes  in  a  gospel-dispensation,  saying, 
'Come,  sinners,  I  sec  you  are  "wretched,  miserable,  poor, 
blind,  and  naked :"  yoy  have  nothing  to  give  me  as  an  equi- 
valent for  life,  righteousness,  and  salvation  ;  and  therefore  I 
seek  no  money  or  price  from  you,  but  make  a  free  i^ift  of  my 
Son,  and  his  whole  fulness,  for  nothing  ;  only  take  him  as  my 
free  gift,  and  he  and  all  that  comes  along  with  him  is  your 
own  for  ever.'  '  No,  says  the  pride  of  the  heart,  '  "  I  am  rich, 
and  increased  with  goods,  I  stand  in  need  of  nothing"  at  God's 
hand  :  if  God  will  give  me  life  upon  the  terms  of  the  first 
covenant,  as  it  was  granted  to  Adam;  or  if  (because  I  am 
already  a  sinner,  and  incapable  of  yielding  a  perfect  and  sin- 
less obedience)  God  will  lower  the  terms  of  tlie  covenant  of 
works,  and  grant  me  an  interest  in  Christ  and  salvation  for 
my  act  of  believing,  or  on  the  score  of  my  honest  aims  and 
good  meanings,  or  sincere  endeavours,  I  am  well  contented.' 
But  to  take  Christ  and  eternal  life  for  nothing  is  what  the 
proud  legal  heart  cannot  stoop  to.  O  what  a  cursed  aver- 
sion is  there  in  the  heart  of  man  against  his  being  a  debtor 
to  grace,  and  grace  only!  To  "buy  without  money,  and 
without  price,"  is  a  mystery  which  the  seltish  heart  of  man 
cannot  comprehend.  Eut,  sirs,  faith  is  a  grace  that  comes  to 
get,  and  not  to  give  :  or  if  it  give  any  thing,  it  is  the  ills  of 
the  soul ;  but  nothing  of  good  docs  it  pretend  to  give.  The 
sinner,  in  believing,  upon  the  matter  says,  '  Lord,  I  give  thee 
my  folly,  and  take  thee  for  my  only  rcisdom  :  I  give  thee  my 
guilt,  that  thou  mayest  be  the  Lord  my  righteousriess ;  I  give  thee 
my  dejilcmeyitst,  and  take  thee  for  suiicdfculion  ;  I  give  thee 
my  chains  -and  fetlcrs,  ih:U  I  may  be  indebted  to  thee  for  redemp- 
tion and  liberty;  I  give  thee  my  poverty,  and  take  thee  for  my 
only  riches ;  I  give  thee  my  rvickcd,  7ca?idering,  hard,  and  de- 
ceitful heart,  that  thou  mayest  give  me  the  nexo  heart  and  ?}exu 
spirit  promised  in  thy  covenant.'  Thus,  I  say, Christ  is  freely 
olfered,  and  must  be  fretly  received. 

tidly,  Clwibt  is  olFcred  zrholly,  i\n  undivided  Christ  is  ofFered, 
and  thus  also  he  must  l)e  received.  There  are  some  who,  in 
their  professed  and  pretended  way  of  believing,  do  as  it  were 
halve  and  divide  Christ.  Some  so  far  receive  him  as  a  pro- 
phet,  that  they  submit  to  the  teaching  of  his  word,  and  thus 
come  to  acquire  a  great  deal  of  speculative  knowledge  in  the 
things  of  (iod  ;  but,  being  unacquainted  with  the  teaching  of 
his  Spirit,  they  never  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth 
"as  it  is  in  Jesus."  And  hence  it  comes  that  they  never  flee 
to  him  as  a  propitiation,  or  submit  to  his  authority  as  a  King 
and  a  Lawgiver:  for  the  execution  of  the  |)rophcti(al  otlice, 
paves  the  way  for  his  reception  both  as  a  Priest  and  King. 
Some,  again,  profess  to  receive  Christ  as  a  Priest,  to  save 
them   from   hell  and  the  curse ;  but,  by  continuing  in  their 


288  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [sER. 

ignorance  under  a  gospel-revelation,  and  walking  according 
to  the  course  of  this  world,"  and  not  according  to  the  laws 
of  Christ,  they  evidently  reject  him,  both  as  a  Prophet  and 
King.  Others,  again,  and  I  fear  too  many  in  our  day, professedly 
receive  Christ  as  a  King  and  Lawgiver,  to  the  prejudice  of 
his  priestly  office,  while  they  imagine,  by  their  obedience 
to  his  law,  particularly  the  new  gospel-lazo  of  faith  and  re- 
pentance (as  some  call  it,)  to  purchase  a  title  to  salvation  : 
by  which  means  they  either  totally  exclude  the  righteousness 
of  Christ,  or  mingle  in  their  own  acts  of  faith  and  repentance 
with  the  rigliteousness  of  Christ,  in  the  affair  of  acceptance 
and  justification  before  God  :  in  both  which  cases,  "  Christ 
can  profit  them  nothing;  they  are  fallen  from  grace,"  as  the 
apostle  expressly  declares.  Gal.  v.  2,  4.  Thus,  I  say,  many 
pretended  believers  halve  and  divide  the  offices  of  Christ.  But 
15  Christ  divided?  No;  a  whole,  an  entire  and  undivided 
Christ  must  be  received,  or  no  Christ  at  all  ;  there  is  nothing 
of  Christ  that  a  believing  soul  can  want.  It  is  true,  indeed,  the 
first  flight  of  a  poor  awakened  soul,  fleeing  from  the  face  of 
the  law  and  justice  of  God,  is  to  Christ  as  a  Priest:  because 
here,  and  here  only,  he  finds  relief  and  shelter  under  the 
covert  of  everlasting  righteousness.  But  at  the  same  moment 
in  which  he  receives  him  as  a  Priest,  for  justification,  he  sub- 
mits to  his  kingly  authority,  saying,  as  the  men  of  Israel 
did  to  Gideon,  "Rule  thou  over  us: — for  thou  hast  delivered 
us  out  of  the  hands  of  our  enemies.  O  Lord  our  God,  other 
lords  besides  thee  have  had  dominion  over  us ;  but  by  thee 
only  will  we  now  make  mention  of  thy  name." 

Sdly,  Christ  is  ofiered  particularly  to  every  one  of  the 
hearers  of  the  gospel ;  and,  accordingly,  faith  receives  him 
with  particular  application.  The  general  call  and  ofllL-r  reaches 
evei'y  individual  person ;  and  God  speaks  to  every  sinner  as 
particularly  as  though  he  named  him  by  his  name  and  sur- 
name :  "  Remission  of  sin  is  preached  to  you  ;  we  beseech  you 
to  be  reconciled;  "the  promise  is  unto  you."  And,  for  my 
part,  I  do  not  know^  what  sort  of  a  gospel  men  make,  who  do 
not  admit  this.  Now  I  say,  faith,  which  is  the  echo  of  the 
gospel  offer  and  call,  must  needs  receive  an  offered  Christ  and 
salvation,  with  particular  application  to  the  soul  itself.  For 
a  person  to  rest  in  a  general  persuasion  that  Christ  is  offered 
to  the  church,  or  ofiered  to  the  elect,  or  a  persuasion  of  God's 
ability  and  readiness  to  save  all  that  come  to  Christ,  is  still 
but  a  general  faith,  and  what  devils,  reprobates,  and  hypo- 
crites may  have.  Man,  woman,  Christ  stands  at  thy  door, 
thou  in  particular,  even  thou,  art  called  and  commanded  to 
believe  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God.  Here  lies  the  great 
pinch  and  strait  of  believing :  the  convinced  and  awakened 
soul,  through  the  policy  of  Satan,  and  the  workings  of  a  de- 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  289 

ceitful  heart,  thrusts  away  the  word  of  grace  and  faith,  as 
not  pertaining  to  it;  till  God,  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit,  ir- 
radiate the  word,  and  irradiate  the  mind  of  the  sinner;  thus 
letting  the  man  see  that  to  him  the  word'of  this  salvation  is 
sent:  and  then  he  believes  with  i)articular  application,  not  only 
good-will  to  man  upon  earth,  but  good-will  to  me.  Christ  is 
ofTcred  to  mc,  and  therefore  I  take  him  for  mij  ozcn  Saviour : 
the  promise  and  covenant  is  directed  to  me,  and  thercfoi'e  1 
embrace  it  as  my  security.  But,  perhaps,  more  of  this  under 
the  second  general  head. 

4.lhly,  God  is  hearty  and  in  sood  earnest,  in  his  offers  of 
Christ,  and  his  salvation.  O  sirs!  do  not  think  that  a  God  of 
truth  dissembles  with  you,  when  he  makes  offer  of  his  un- 
speakable gift,  or  that  he  offers  a  thing  to  you  which  he  has 
no  mind  to  give.  He  says,  yea,  he  swears  with  the  greatest 
solemnity,  by  his  very  life,  that  he  is  in  good  earnest,  and  has 
no  pleasure  in  your  death.  And  after  this,  to  think  that  he 
is  not  in  earnest,  what  else  is  it,  but  to  charge  a  God  of  truth 
with  lying  and  perjury?  There  cannot  be  a  greater  afiront 
oflered  to  a  man  of  common  veracity.  How  criminal  then 
must  it  be  to  impute  such  a  thing  to  him,  for  whom  "  it  is  im- 
possible to  lie,"  and  who  hates  all  fraud  and  dissimulation  in 
others  "  with  a  perfect  hatred?"  Thus,  I  say,  God  is  in  good 
earnest  in  his  oflers  of  Christ;  so  faith  is  hearty,  and  in  good 
earnest  in  receiving  and  applying  him  :  "  With  the  heart  man 
believeth  unto  righteousness."  God's  whole  heart  and  his 
whole  soul  is  in  the  oflbr  and  promise  of  the  gospel,  Jer. 
xxxii.  41 ;  and  is  it  not  reasonable  that  we  should  give  him 
a  meeting,  by  believing  with  the  whole  heart  and  soul  ?  It  is 
not  one  faculty,  but  all  the  powers  of  the  soul  do  jointly  con- 
cur in  this  business  of  believing;  though,  indeed,  to  speak  ac- 
curately, with  the  learned  and  judicious  Dr.  Owen,  '  Faith  is 
in  the  understanding  in  respect  of  its  being  and  subsistence, 
in  the  will  and  heart,  in  respect  of  its  effectual  operation.' 
This  much  shall  serve  for  the  first  thiiig  proposed,  namely,  . 
some  account  of  the  nature  of  faith  in  general. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

Of  the  Assurance  of  Faith. 

n.  The  second  thing  in  the  method  was  to  speak  a  little  of 
the  ASSURANCE  of  faith.  What  1  have  to  offer  upon  this  head, 
I  shall  endeavour  to  reduce  under  the  live  following  proposi- 
tions:— 

Proposition  1,  Is  this, — That  in  this  faith  (which  I  haveb'on 
describing)  there  is  a  twofold  certainty  or  assurance,  namely, 

VOL.  I.  25 


SiSO  TFffi  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [sEB. 

of  assent  and  applicaiio?u  The  former  necessarily  supposes  as 
assurance  of  understanding,  or  of  knowledge,  Col.  ii.  2.  The 
apostle  there  speaks  of //leyw//  assuratice  ofii?iderstanding,which 
every  Christian  ought  to  breathe  after,  and  which  every  be- 
liever has  in  a  greater  or  less  measure ;  for  it  is  only  "  they 
that  know  his  name  that  will  put  their  trust  in  him,"  PsaL  ix. 
10.  This  assurance  of  understanding,  as  I  lake  it,  lies  in  an 
uptaking  of  the  reality  and  excellency  of  things  divine  and 
supernatural :  there  is  a  beam  of  the  glorious  Sun  of  righte- 
ousness darted  in  upon  the  man's  soul,  who  before  was  "  sitting 
in  darkness,  and  in  the  regions  of  the  shadow  of  death ;" 
by  wdiich  he  that  was  once  darkness  in  the  abstract,  becomes 
light  in  the  Lord.  He  comes  now  to  see  things  spiritual  in 
another  light  than  formerly;  he  enters,  as  it  were,  into  a  new 
world  of  wonders,  upon  which  account  we  are  said  to  be 
"  called  out  of  darkness  into  God's  marvellous  light,"  Per- 
haps the  man  had,  before  this,  some  dreaming,  floating,  super- 
ficial notions  of  these  things ;  he  heard  of  them  by  the  hearing 
of  the  ear;  but  now  his  eyes  see  them :  and  he  sees  as  great  a 
reality  in  things  invisible  and  eternal,  as  though  he  saw  them 
with  his  bodily  eyes.  This  is  called  by  the  apostle,  Heb.  xi. 
1,  "the  evidence  of  things  not  seen."  There  is  such  a  cer- 
tainty here,  as  amounts  to  a  demonstration ;  so  .that  you  may 
as  soon  persuade  a  man  that  it  is  midnight,  when  the  midday 
sun  is  shining  upon  him  in  full  splendour,  as  persuade  a  man 
in  the  lively  exercise  of  faith,  that  there  is  not  a  reality  and 
excellency  in  things  supernaturally  revealed.  This  is  so  es- 
sential to  faith,  that  very  commonly  under  the  Old  Testament, 
and  frequently  also  under  the  New,  faith  receives  its  denomi- 
nation from  it.  Is.  liii.  11;  Jer.  xxxi.  34;  John  xvii.  3. 

But,  to  come  a  little  more  close  to  the  purpose  in  hand,  Is/, 
There  is,  I  say,  in  faith  an  assurance  of  assent,  by  which  the 
man  assuredly  believes  whatever  God  has  said  in  his  word  to 
be  true  ;  and  that  not  upon  the  testimony  of  men,  of  ministers, 
or  angels,  but  upon  the  testimony  and  authority  of  the  God 
of  truth,  for  whom  it  is  impossible  to  lie,  speaking  in  his  own 
word,  and  saying.  Thus  saith  the  Lord.  But  in  a  pariicular 
manner  the  soul  gives  its  assent  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and 
the  revelation  of  the  word,  concerning  the  person,  natures, 
offices,  undertakings,  and  performances  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  as  the  Redeemer,  Surety,  and  Saviour  of  lost  sinners. 
The  man's  understanding  being  enlightened  with  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  and  having  gotten  a  view  of  him  by  the  Spirit 
of  wisdom  and  revelation,  he  finds  it  to  be  all  true  that  God 
has  said  of  Christ  in  the  word  ;  so  that  he  cannot  shun  in  this 
case  to  join  issue  with  the  apostle,  "This  is  indeed  a  faith- 
ful saying,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
ners," 1  Tim.  i.  15.     He  sees  the  truth  and  veracity  of  God 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APrUED.  291 

SO  much  engaged  in  the  covenant  and  promises  thereof,  that 
they  arc  more  tirm  than  the  everlasting  mountains  and  per- 
petual hills.  Is.  liv.  10.  Now,  this  certainty  of  assent  is,  in 
scripture-dialect,  called  a  "  believing  the  report  of  the  gospel," 
Is.  liii.  1 ;  a  "  receiving  the  record  of  God,"  1  John  v.  10,  11; 
a  "  setting  to  the  seal,  that  God  is  true,"  John  iii.  33. 

2dly,  There  is  in  faith  an  assurance  of  application,  or  appro- 
priation^ expressed  frequently  in  scripture  by  resting,  trusting 
or  co7ifi(}ing  in  the  Lord,  and  the  veracity  of  his  word  of 
grace  and  promise.  By  this  act  of  faith,  the  soul  takes  home 
the  promise,  and  embraces  it  as  a  good  and  sufficient  security 
to  itself  It  is  said  of  the  Old  Testament  worthies,  Heb.  xi. 
13,  that  they  were  "  persuaded  of  tlie  promises,  and  embra'ced 
them."  Their  faith  in  the  promise  was  a  persuasion,  or  assent 
with  appropriation  of  it  to  their  own  souls,  insomuch  that 
they  looked  upon  the  promise  as  their  substance:  and  hence 
is  that  which  we  have  in  the  1st  verse  of  that  chapter.  Faith 
is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for.  This  applicatory  act  of 
faith,  whei'ein  the  very  life,  soul,  and  sweetness  of  faith  lies, 
is  pleasantly  expressed  and  illustrated  in  David.  God  had 
made  a  promise  to  him  of  the  cro\vn  and  kingdom  of  Israel, 
which  bore  up  his  spirits,  when,  through  the  rage  and  fury  of 
Saul,  he  was  hunted  like  a  partridge  upon  the  mountains ; 
and  viewing  the  promise,  and  the  fidelity  of  the  promisor,  he 
cries  out,  Psal.  Ix.  G,  "  God  hath  spoken  in  his  holiness,  I 
will  rejoice :"  and  because  I  have  the  security  of  his  promise 
1  dare  say  it  with  confidence  and  assurance,  "  Gilead  is  mine, 
and  Manasseh  is  mine."  In  like  manner,  true  faith  appro- 
priates the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ  to  the  soul  itself  in  par- 
ticular, upon  the  ground  of  the  free  and  faithful  promise  of 
God.  I  might  here  demonstrate,  that  the  stream  of  our  best 
Protestant  divines  concur  in  their  sentiments  as  to  this  mat- 
ter: I  shall  only  at  present  quote  the  definition  of  f\ith  given 
by  the  great  and  judicious  Dr.  Owen,  in  his  Catechism,  or 
Principles  of  the  Doctrine  of  Christ;  where,  having  moved  the 
question,  '  What  is  justifying  faith?'  Ilis  answer  is,  *  A  gra- 
cious resting  on  the  free  promises  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  for 
mercy,  with  a  firm  persuasion  of  heart,  that  God  is  a  recon- 
ciled Father  to  us  in  the  Son  of  his  love.'  For  proof  of  which 
he  cites,  I  Tim.  i.  10:  John  xiii.  If):  JoJm  xix.  25:  Horn.  iv.  5: 
Heb.  iv.  Ki:  Rom.  viii.  38,  39:  Gal.  ii.  20:  2  Cor.  v.  20,  21. 
And  on  the  margin  he  has  these  words: — 'Of  this  faith 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  eOicicnt  cause,  the  word  the  instru- 
mental, the  law  indirectly,  by  discovering  our  misery,  the 
gospel  immediately,  by  holding  forth  a  Saviour.  Faith,'  adds 
he, '  is  in  the  understanding  in  respect  of  its  being  and  subsist- 
ence, in  the  will  and  heart  in  respect  of  its  eflectual  working.' 
According  to  this  account  of  faith,  the  assurance  I  speak  of, 


292  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [sER. 

namely,  a  persuasion  of  the  promise  with  appropriation  (as  the 
judicious  Calvin  speaks,)  can  no  more  be  separate  from 
faith,  than  light  can  be  separate  from  the  sun.  It  takes 
home  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  to  the  soul  in  particular, 
which  before  lay  in  common,  in  the  offer  of  the  gospel.  And 
without  this  particular  application,  the  offer  and  promise  of 
the  gospel  can  stand  us  in  no  stead ;  but  is  like  a  price  put  in 
the  hand  of  a  fool,  who  has  no  heart  to  it.  Our  meat  set  be- 
fore us  will  never  feed  us,  unless  it  be  applied  by  eating  it ; 
so  "  except  we  eat  the  flesh,  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  Son 
of  man,"  by  an  applying  faith,  we  have  no  life  in  us.  What- 
ever excellency  there  be  in  Gilead's  balm,  it  will  never  re- 
cover the  hurt  of  the  daughter  of  Zion,  unless  it  be  used  by 
faith.  Faith  answers  and  corresponds  to  the  word  of  faith, 
as  the  seal  and  the  wax  answer  to  one  another,  Zech.  xiii.  9 : 
"  I  will  say.  It  is  my  people ;  and  they  shall  say.  The  Lord 
is  my  God."  Faith  will  not  quit  its  my's,  though  all  the 
world  should  say  against  it.  The  marrow  of  the  gospel  (as 
Luther  observes)  is  in  these  pronouns,  mkum,  nostrum,  my 
and  our.  He  bids  us  read  these  with  great  emphasis.  ToUe 
meum,  and  tolle  Deum,  says  another,  "  Take  away  property, 
and  you  take  away  God,  take  away  Christ."  It  is  the  com- 
mon dialect  of  faith  in  scripture,  to  vent  itself  in  words  of 
appropriation;  it  has  a  peculiar  pleasure  and  satisfaction  in 
these  words,  my  and  our,  and  rolls  them  in  its  mouth  like  a 
sweet  morsel.  See  how  sweetly  David  harps  upon  this  string, 
Psal.  xviii.  1,  2.  No  less  than  eight  times  in  a  breath  does  he 
repeat  his  appropriating  my;  "My  strength,  my  rock,  my 
fortress,  my  deliverer,  my  God,  my  strength,  my  buckler, 
the  horn  of  my  salvation,  and  my  high  tower."  Yes,  so  te- 
nacious is  faith  in  this  matter,  that  it  will  maintain  its  my''s 
in  the  face  of  a  hiding  and  frowning  God:  Psal.  xxii.  1 : 
"  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  V  My  is  a 
word  of  faith,  says  Flav-el  on  the  text.  So  Is.  xlix.  14:  "  Zion 
said.  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  Lord  hath  forgotten 
me."  But  I  need  not  stand  to  offer  more  instances  of  this 
kind,  seeing,  as  one  observes,  faith  in  scripture  expresses  it- 
self by  these  two  words,  my  and  our,  no  less  than  about  three 
hundred  times. 

Thus,  you  see  what  kind  of  assurance  there  is  in  faith, 
namely,  an  assurance  or  certainty  of  assent  and  application. 
The  first  may  be  found  in  a  great  measure,  and  in  some  sort, 
in  devils  and  reprobates  :  the  last  is  of  a  distinguishing  nature, 
and  peculiar  only  to  the  faith  of  God's  elect,  and  of  his  ope- 
ration ;  though,  indeed,  some  shadow  of  it  also  may  be  found 
in  the  presumptuous  faith  of  hypocrites ;  of  which  we  may 
speak  afterward.  Knowledge  and  assent  are  preparatory  to- 
ward that  application,  in  which  the  very  soul  of  saving  and 
justifying  faith  lies.     And  when  we  speak  of  them  one  after 


xl]  opened  and  applied.  298 

another,  it  is  not  as  if  they  were  really  separate  in  the  soul's 
exercise;  for  I  take  them  up  as  one  complex  undivided  act 
of  the  soul.  In  the  very  fust  view  and  relation  of  Christ  by 
the  word  and  Spirit,  the  soul  cannot  shun  to  cry  out  with 
Thomas,  J\Ii/  Lore/,  and  riiy  God.  I  do  not  mean  that  the  soul 
always,  in  the  first  moment  of  believing,  runs  that  length,  as 
to  express  itself  so  with  the  mouth  ;  but  I  mean,  this  is  what 
faith  would  say,  could  it  get  up  its  head  from  under  the  load 
of  unbelief  and  indwelling  corruption,  with  which  it  is  over- 
powered. 

Proposilion  2,  I  ofTer,  is  this, — That  there  is  a  great  dif- 
ference betwixt  the  assurance  of  fuith,  (which  I  have  now 
described,)  and  the  <issurance  of  se/ise,  which  follows  upon 
faith.  The  assurance  of  faith  is  a  direct,  but  the  assurance 
of  sense  is  a  rc/Iex  act  of  the  soul.  The  assurance  of  faith 
has  its  object  and  foundation  from  n-ithont,  but  that  of  sense 
has  them  nil  Inn.  The  object  of  (he  assurance  of  faith  is  a 
Christ  revealed,  promised.,  and  qlfcrcd  in  the  word;  the  object 
of  the  assurance  of  sense  is  a  Christ  formed  nilhin  tis  by  the 
Holy  Spirit.  The  assurance  of  faith  is  the  cause,  that  of 
sense  is  the  ejf'ect;  the  first  is  the  root,  and  the  other  is  the 
fruit.  The  assurance  of  faith  eyes  the  promise  in  its  stability, 
flowing  from  the  veracity  of  the  promises ;  the  assurance  of 
.sense  views  the  promise  in  its  actual  accomplishment.  By 
the  assurance  of  faith,  Abraham  believed  that  he  should 
have  a  son  in  his  old  age,  because  God  who  cannot  lie  had 
promised  ;  hut  by  the  assurance  of  sense,  he  believed  it  when 
he  got  Isaac  in  his  arms.  By  the  first,  Noah  was  sure  that 
he  and  his  fanuly  should  not  perish  in  the  waters  of  the 
deluge;  but  by  the  last,  he  was  assured  of  it,  when  the  ark 
rested  upon  the  mountains  of  Ararat,  and  the  waters  were 
withdrawn  again  into  their  proper  channels.  By  the  former, 
the  believing  Israelites  were  assured,  that  Canaan  should  be 
their  possession,  because  God  had  made  a  grant  and  a  deed 
of  gift  of  it  to  them  in  his  promise  ;  by  the  latler  they  were 
assured  of  it,  when  they  [)assed  .lordan,  overthrew  the  old 
inhabitants,  and  divided  the  good  land  by  lot,  as  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  tribes  of  Israel.  1'ime  would  fail  me,  to  illus- 
trate this  matter  by  instances  that  stand  upon  record  in  the 
sacred  oracles.  Faith  asserts  its  interest  in  a  future  good, 
because  promised;  sense  asserts  its  interest  in  a  present  good, 
because  possessed.  Failh  says,  J\fy  God  will  hear  me;  sense 
says,  "  Aly  God  hath  heard  me."  Faith  says,  "  He  will  bring 
me  forth  to  the  light,  and  I  shall  behold  his. righteousness;" 
sense  says,  "  lie  hath  brought  me  forth  to  the  light,  and  I  do 
behold  his  righteousness."  Again  ;  failh  is  conversant  about 
things  that  are  tiot  seen,  and  hoped  for;  sense  is  conversant 
about  things  seen,  and  actually  enjoyed.     Faith  says,  "  lie  is 

25* 


294  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

my  God,  because  he  has  said  in  the  covenant,  I  v:ill  be  their 
God;"  sense  again  says,  "  He  is  my  God,  because  I k?wiv  my 
soul  has  said  unto  the  Lord,  He  is  my  Lord.''  Faith  assures 
the  soul  of  the  remission  of  sins  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
because  God  has  said,  "  I  will  be  merciful  to  their  unright- 
eousness, and  their  sins  and  their  iniquities  will  I  remember 
no  more  ;"  sense,  again,  assures,  the  soul  of  remission,  because 
of  the  intimations  of  pardon  in  some  sensible  smiles  of  the 
Lord's  countenance,  and  some  saving  operations  of  his  grace. 
By  faith  I  believe  my  salvation,  because  it  is  purchased,  pro- 
mised, and  possessed  by  my  glorious  head  Christ  Jesus  :  but  by 
sense  I  believe  my  salvation,  because  I Jind  this  salvation 
already  bes;un  in  a  woik  of  regeneration,  and  advancing;  in  a 
work  of  sanctitication,  "  being  contident  of  this  very  thing, 
that  he  which  hath  begun  the  good  work,  will  perform  it 
until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ." 

Propositio7i  3.  The  assurance  of  faith  will  stand  its  ground, 
when  the  assurance  of  sense  is  quite  lost  and  gone.  A  clear 
instance  of  this  we  have  in  Christ,  when  there  was  a  total 
eclipse  of  sensible  manifestations,  yea,  nothing,  but  a  lowering 
cloud  of  vindictive  wrath  surrounding  and  breaking  upon 
him  as  our  Surety  ;  yet,  at  that  same  time,  the  assurance  of 
faith  maintains  the  claim,  and  repeats  it,  saying,  My  God,  my 
God;  upon  the  ground  not  only  of  his  eternal  Sonship,  but 
of  the  promise  the  Father  had  made  to  him,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  26  : 
"  He  shall  cry  unto  me.  Thou  art  my  Father,  my  God,  and 
the  rock  of  my  salvation."  And  lest  you  should  think  this 
was  a  thing  peculiar  to  the  Head,  see  an  instance  of  it  also 
in  the  church,  which  is  his  body,  Is.  xlix.  14  :  "  Zion  said,  The 
Lord  hath  forsaken  mo,  and  my  Lord  hath  forgotten  me." 
Upon  which  the  holy  Rutherford  sweetly  glosses  to  this  pur- 
pose :  '  He  may  be  a  forgetting  and  withdrawing  God  to  my 
feeling;  and  yet  to  my  faith,  my  God,  and  my  Lord:  even  as 
the  wife  may  believe. the  angry  and  forsaking  husband  is  still 
her  husband.'  Heman,  Psal,  Ixxxviii.  is  so  far  deserted  as  to 
sensible  presence,  that  he  is,  as  to  his  own  feeling,  "  laid  in 
the  lowest  pit,  in  darkness,  in  the  deeps,"  ver.  6.  He  even 
adds,  ver.  7  :  "  Thy  wrath  lieth  hard  upon  me  ;  and  thou 
hast  afflicted  m,e  with  all  thy  waves."  And,  ver.  15 — 17: 
"  While  I  suffer  thy  terrors,  I  am  distracted.  Thy  fierce 
wrath  goeth  over  me  ;  thy  terrors  have  cut  me  off  They 
came  round  about  me  daily  like  water,  they  compassed  me 
about  together.  How  much  low-er  could  a  child  of  God  be 
brought,  on  this  side  of  hell  ?  and  yet  faith,  amidst  all  these 
clouds,  steps  in,  with  its  appropriating  my,  ver.  1  :  "  O  Lord 
God  of  my  salvation."  And,  truly,  if  there  were  not  some 
exhilarating  certainty  in  faith,  acting  upon  the  unalterable 
covenant,  in  such   cloudy  and  dismal  dispensations,  I  know 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  295 

not  what  could  keep  the  believer  from  running  into  utter 
despair.  But  the  grace  of  faith  will  venture  the  soul's  safety 
upon  the  strong  plank  of  the  promise,  even  when  sensible 
consolations  are  quite  dashed  to  pieces,  by  the  angry  billows 
of  outward  and  inward  trouble,  like  two  seas,  meeting  upon 
the  believer.  David  had  the  experience  of  this,  Psal.  xxvii. 
13  :  "I  had  fainted,  unless  I  had  believed  to  see  the  good- 
ness of  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living."  Hence  also  it  is, 
that  the  Lord  directs  his  people  to  the  exercise  of  faith  in 
such  a  case.  Is.  1,  10:  "  Who  is  among  you  that  feareth  the 
Lord,  that  obcyeth  the  voice  of  his  servant,  that  walkcth  in 
darkness,  and  hath  no  light '?  let  him  trust  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  and  stay  upon  his  God." 

Proposition  4.  When  we  speak  of  the  assurance  of  faith,  it 
is  not  to  be  so  understood,  as  if  everyone  that  has  faith  were 
perfectly  free  of  ffoi/bli?>g.  This,  I  apprehend,  is  what  scares 
many  at  this  doctrine  of  the  assurance  of  faith.  They  t!iink, 
that  if  there  be  an  assurance  in  the  essence  of  faith,  then  it 
would  follow,  that  every  true  believer  behooved  always  to 
have  such  assurance  as  to  be  free  of  doubting;  which  is  con- 
trary to  the  experience  of  the  generation  of  the  righteous. 
But  this  objection  goes  upon  a  palpable  mistake,  as  if  fa?th 
and  a  believer  were  one  and  the  same  thing.  We  do  indeed 
assert,  that  there  is  no  doubting  in  faith  ;  for  faith  and  doubt- 
ing are  commonly  in  scripture  directly  oj)posed  one  to  ano- 
ther :  but  though  there  be  no  doubting  in  faith,  yet  there  is 
much  douI)ting  in  the  believer,  by  reason  of  prevailing  un- 
belief and  indwelling  sin.  If  it  were  true  that  assurance  is 
not  of  the  nature  of  faith,  because  the  believer  is  not  always 
assured  ;  by  the  same  way  of  reasoning  it  would  follow  that 
resting  is  not  of  the  nature  of  faith,  because  the  believer  is  not 
always  actually  staying  and  resting  himself  on  the  Lord  ;  or 
that //v/.s7///ir  is  not  of  the  nature  of  faith,  because  the  believer 
is  not  always  ti'usting.  It  may  be  as  well  argued,  that  seeing 
is  not  of  the  nature  of  the  eye,  bec;iuse  sometimes  the  e)'e- 
lids  arc  closed  ;  or  that  heat  is  not  of  the  nature  of  the,  be- 
cause its  heat  is  not  perceptible  by  reason  of  the  ashes  with 
which  it  is  covered  ;  or  that  li^ht  is  not  of  the  nature  of  the 
sun,  because  sometimes  it  is  eclipsed  by  the  interposing  moon. 
Remove  the  a>hes,  and  the  licat  of  the  fire  will  appear;  re- 
move int(!rposing  bodies,  and  the  sun  will  have  light ;  open 
the  eye-lids,  and  the  eye  will  see  :  so  do  but  remove  igno- 
rance, unbelief,  and  other  incumbrances  of  corruption  from 
faith,  and  sec  what  the  nature  of  it  is  then.  For  it  is  of  the 
nature  of  faith  in  the  abstract,  that  the  present  question  is, 
and  not  what  lodges  in  the  believer  who  hath  faith.  In  the 
believer  there  is,  as  it  were,  the  company  of  tzco  armies,  grace 
and  corruption,  love  and  enmity,  repentance  and  impenitence, 


296  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

faith  and  unbelief:  but  these  are  not  to  be  confounded  toge- 
ther, because  they  are  in  the  same  subject.  We  must  not 
exclude  complacency  and  delight  in  the  Lord  out  of  the  nature 
of  love,  because,  through  remaining  enmity  and  corruption, 
his  love  is  so  overpowered,  that  he  cannot  perceive  any  such 
thing  in  him,  but  rather  the  reverse  of  love.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  other  graces.  So  here  we  must  not  conclude,  that 
there  is  nothing  of  this  applicatory  assurance  in  faith,  because 
of  prevailing  unbelief,  and  doubts  flowing  from  it. 

Propositiofi  5,  is  this, — That  as  there  is  a  great  difference 
betwixt  the  my  of  faith,  and  the  my  of  sense  ;  so  there  is  yet 
a  far  greater  difference  between  the  my  oi  faith  (or  of  true 
sense  flowing  from  it,)  and  the  my  o( presumptio?i.  Presump- 
tuous confidence  has  its  my\s,  as  w^ell  as  faith  and  well-ground- 
ed experience  ,-  as  we  see  plainly  in  the  case  of  Balaam, 
Numb.  xxii.  18:  "If  Balak  would  give  me  his  house  full  of 
silver  and  gold,  I  cannot  go  beyond  the  word  of  the  Lord  my 
God."  Now,  say  you,  since  a  presumptuous  confidence  may 
speak  in  the  dialect  of  true  faith  and  experience,  in  what  lies 
the  difference  ?  This  is  a  very  material  and  momentous  ques- 
tion ;  and,  with  a  dependence  on  "  the  Father  of  lights,"  I 
shall  attempt  a  solution  of  it  in  the  few  following  particu- 
lars : — 

1st,  The  assurance  of  faith  receiv'es  and  applies  Christ  to 
the  soul  in  particular,  as  he  lies  in  the  revelation  and  grant 
that  is  made  of  him  to  sinners  in  the  word,  which  is  the  im- 
mediate ground  of  faith  ;  whereas,  presumptuous  confidence, 
though  it  claims  an  interest  in  liim,  yet  does  it  not  upon  this 
bottom,  or  in  God's  method  and  way  of  conveyance.  The 
apostle  tells  us,  Rom.  x.  S,  that  Christ,  and  his  righteousness 
and  salvation,  are  brought  nigh  unto  us  in  the  word  of  faith. 
What  is  the  design  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  of  these  de- 
clarations, offers,  and  promises  of  grace,  that  are  made  to  us 
in  the  glorious  gospel,  but  just  to  bring  Christ  so  near  to  us, 
as  we  by  believing  may  come  to  apply  him  and  his  whole 
fulness  to  our  own  souls'?  John  xx.  31:  "These  things  are 
written,  that  ye  might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  the  Son 
of  God,  and  that  believing  ye  might  have  life  through  his 
name."  If  we  would  find  Christ,  and  eternal  life  in  him, 
we  need  not  ascend  into  heaven,  or  desce?id  into  hell,  in  search 
for  him,  as  the  apostle  speaks,  Rom.  x.  0,  7.  But  we  are  to 
search  for  him  in  the  "scriptures,  for  they  are  they  which 
testify  of  him."  Christ  is  brought  near  to  us  in  the  testimony 
or  record  of  God  in  the  word,  where  "  he  gives  us  eternal  life, 
in  his  Son  Christ  Jesus,"  1  John  v.  11.  Now,  faith,  in  its  di- 
rect act,  1  say,  takes  Christ,  and  claims  him  upon  this  grant 
and  gift  that  is  made  of  him  in  the  word  of  grace;  and  upon 
no  other  foundation  will  it  adventure  to  assert  its  interest  in 


Xr.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  297 

him.  Like  an  honest  man,  who  will  not  intermeddle  with 
goods,  money,  or  the  estate  of  another,  unless  he  have  a  char- 
ter, bond,  testament,  promise,  or  some  such  security,  upon 
which  he  may  do  it  warraiitably,  without  vicious  intromis- 
sion :  whereas  the  thief"  or  robber  puts  to  his  hand,  without 
looking  after  any  such  warrant;  if  he  gets  what  he  has  a 
mind  for  any  how,  he  is  easy.*  Here  lies  a  fatal  flaw  in  the 
faith  of  many  hearers  of  the  gospel :  they  grasp  at  Christ  and 
his  salvation,  but  they  overleap  the  gift  and  grant  of  him  in 
tlie  word,  as  the  immediate  foundation  of  their  faith.  If  we 
consult  the  experience  of  the  saints  in  scripture,  we  shall  find 
their  faith  terminating  immediately  upon  the  word :  "  In  his 
word  do  I  hope,"  says  David.  "  Remember  the  word  upon 
which  thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.  I  rejoice  at  thy  word, 
as  one  that  findeth  great  spoil."  Their  faith  came  by  hear- 
ing or  reading  the  w^ord.  This  is  the  chariot  in  which  the 
Lord  rides,  when  he  presents  himself  to  us  as  the  object  of 
our  faith  and  trust :  and  therefore  that  faith  which  overlooks 
tJic  j)romise  and  oiler  of  the  gospel,  is  but  a  presumptuous  faith. 
"Gilead  is  mine,  and  Manasseh  is  mine,"  says  David,  in  that 
forecited  Ixth  psalm,  because  "God  hath  spoken  in  his  holi- 
ness." So,  sfiys  an  applying  faith,  '  Pardon  is  mine,  peace  is 
mine,  grace  is  mine,  glory  is  mine  in  Christ,  yea,  God  him- 
self is  my  God;  because  God  hath  made  over  himself,  and  all 
these  things  in  Christ  to  me,  in  the  covenant  of  promise,  or 
testament  of  my  elder  Brother,  sealed  and  confirmed  by  his 
blood.'  But,  say  you,  may  not  a  presumptuous  hypocrite  pre- 
tend to  found  his  faith  upon  the  promise,  and  claim  an  inte- 
rest in  him,  even  upon  that  ground?  An  answer  to  this  leads 
me  to  a 

2d  Difference  between  the  my  of  faith,  and  the  my  of  pre- 
sumptuous confidence,  namely,  this,  That  though  the  pre- 
sumptuous person  may  run  away  with  the  promise,  yet  he 
does  not  embrace  the  promise  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  or  as  Jesus  is 
in  it.  This  is  a  niystery  which  only  can  be  explained  to  pur- 
pose by  liim  who  "opcnelh  the  book,  and  looses  the  seven 
seals  thereof"  The  view  I  have  of  it,  you  may  take  up  as 
follows.  The  covenant,  and  all  the  promises  of  it,  arc  made 
to  Cfu'ist  as  the  first  heir,  both  by  birth  and  purchase :  he  is 
God's  firsl-bor?!,  and  therefore  the  heir  of  the  inheritance  of 
eternal  life.  But  besides,  as  the  seco?id  Adam,  by  his  obedi- 
ence and  death,  having  fullillod  the  law,  and  satisfied  justice; 
the  promise  of  life,  which  was  forfeited  l)y  the  sin  and  di:sobe- 
dicnce  of  iUcJirsf  Adam,  comes  to  be  settled  upon  him,  and  his 
seed  in  him.  Now,  matters  standing  thus,  the  soul,  in  apply- 
ing the  promise,  takes   its  title  to  it,  not  upon  the  ground  of 

•  See  Durhiim  on  Is.  liii.  sermon  5,  last  piu-ag^mph. 


298  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

any  thing  in  itself,  but  connes  in  only  upon  Christ's  right  and 
title ;  his  righteousness  is  the  only  proper,  entitling,  meritori- 
ous condition  of  the  covenant,  and  of  all  the  promises  of  it. 
Here  lies  the  failure  in  presumptuous  confidence,  that  the 
man  being  never  beat  entirely  off  from  Adam's  covenant,  he 
is  always  seeking  to  found  his  title  to  the  promise  in  himself, 
some  good  condition  or  qualification  wrought  in  him,  or  done 
by  him.  Thus,  many  attempt  to  enter  themselves  heirs  to 
the  promises,  and  to  eternal  life,  but  shall  never  be  able : 
Why  1  Because  they  do  not  by  faith  enter  themselves  heirs  in 
Christ,  or  upon  his  right  and  title :  and  "  another  founda- 
tion can  no  man  lay ;  for  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  Thus,  I  say,  presumptuous 
faith  does  not  embrace  the  promise  "  as  it  is  in  Christ,  in 
vl'hom  all  the  promises  of  God  are  yea,  and  in  him  amen." 
And  then,  I  say,  he  does  not  embrace  the  promise  as  Jesus  is 
in  it;  for  as  all  the  promises  are  in  Christ,  so  Christ  is  in  all 
the  promises.  What  is  it  that  is  bequeathed  in  his  testament, 
but  himself  and  all  his  fulness?  He  was  the  great  mercy 
promised  to  the  fathers.  When  the  covenant  was  promul- 
gated unto  Adam,  and  afterward  to  Abraham,  what  else  was 
it,  but  just  a  promise  of  Christ  1  And  when,  in  process  of  time, 
the  covenant  of  grace  came  to  be  farther  opened,  in  a  variety 
of  promises,  what  were  they  all,  but  Christ,  and  the  grace 
that  is  in  him,  parcelled  out  to  us,  that  we  by  faith  might 
apply  him,  and  the  grace  that  is  in  him,  according  to  our  need] 
And  hence  it  is  that  the  believer,  in  applying  the  promise, 
finding  Christ  in  it,  he  eats  it,  and  it  is  to  him  the  joy  a?'td  re- 
joicing of  his  heart ;  he  finds  the  Lord  in  his  own  word  of 
grace,  and  this  makes  it  relieving  and  comforting  to  his  soul ; 
he  drinks  in  the  sincere  milk  of  the  roord  because  in  it  he  tastes 
that  the  Lord  is  gracious.  But  now  presumptuous  faith  is 
more  taken  up  with  the  naked  promises,  than  with  feeding 
the  soul  with  Christ  in  and  by  the  promise.  A  man  that  is 
possessed  of  Christ  by  faith,  has  not  Christ  and  his  promise  by 
him,  as  a  man  has  money  lying  by  him  in  his  coffer ;  he  has 
not  the  covenant  and  promises,  as  a  man  has  his  bonds  and 
charters  in  his  cabinet,  which  perhaps  he  will  not  look  to 
once  in  a  year :  no,  but  he  has  Christ  in  the  word  of  grace, 
as  a  man  has  his  bread  by  him,  which  ho  is  daily  feeding  and 
living  upon  :  hence  this  applicatory  faith  is  called  an  "  eating 
the  flesh,  and  a  drinking  the  blood  of  Christ;"  which  expres- 
sion implies  such  an  application  of  Christ  to  ourselves,  as  car- 
ries soul-nourishment  along  with  it.  True  faith  roots  the  soul 
in  Christ,  just  as  a  tree  is  rooted  in  the  ground  ;  the  prolific 
virtue  of  the  earth  enters  into  the  tree,  and  the  tree  at  the 
same  time  strikes  and  spreads  its  fibres  into  the  earth,  and 
draws  sap  and  moisture  therefrom,  sending  a  digested  nourish' 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  299 

ment  through  the  whole,  by  which  it  is  made  to  grow  and 
bring  forth  fruit.  So  here,  in  believing,  the  Spirit  of  life 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  enters  into  the  soul ;  and  at  the  same 
time,  there  is  as  it  were  a  sprig  and  fibre  passing  from  every 
faculty  of  the  soul,  striking  into  Christ,  and  drawing  a  digested 
sap  from  him,  by  which  the  soul  is  made  to  grow  and  flourish 
in  grace  and  holiness.  Ilcncc  we  arc  said  to  be  "  his  work- 
manship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works."  And, 
"  Those  that  be  planted  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  do  flourish 
in  the  courts  of  our  Cod." 

3(//y,  True  faith  receives  and  applies  Christ  according  to 
the  order  that  God  has  laid  in  his  oflices  ;  but  presumptuous 
faith  inverts  that  order.  The  order  that  God  has  laid  in  the 
execution  and  application  of  the  offices  of  Christ,  is  this:  Christ 
comes  by  his  word  and  Spirit,  as  a  Prophet,  enlightening  the 
sinner's  mind  with  the  knowledge  of  his  lost  estate  by  nature, 
and  the  way  of  his  recovery  through  his  atoning  blood  and 
satisfaction :  upon  which  the  soul,  by  faith  turns  in  to  him  as 
a  Priest,  taking  sanctuary  under  the  covert  of  his  everlasting 
righteousness ;  and  so  submits  to  him  as  a  Kimr,  receiving  the 
law  from  his  mouth,  and  yielding  itself  to  his  government, 
from  a  principle  of  gratitude  to  him  who  has  bought  it  with 
a  price.  But  now  the  presumptuous  faith  of  the  legalist  in- 
verts and  disturbs  this  comely  order  laid  by  infinite  wisdom 
among  the  olHces  of  Christ :  for  in  his  way  of  applying  Christ, 
he  begins  with  the  kingly  office,  pretending  to  obey  him  as  a 
Lanigiver ;  and,  upon  this  ground,  expects  that  Christ  will 
save  him  as  a  Priest  by  his  righteousness ;  and  thus  makes  his 
own  obedience  the  ground  of  the  imputation  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ.  And  what  else  is  this,  but  to  bring  money  and 
/>nVc,  contrary  to  the  express  command  of  God?  Is.  Iv.  1. 
Nothing  can  be  of  a  more  pernicious' tendency  toward  the 
overthrow  of  the  freedom  of  God's  grace,  in  the  great  affair 
of  justification  and  salvation.  Hence  it  is  the  apostle  so  much 
inveighs  against  this  method  of  seeking  justification,  in  the 
Galalians  ;  insomucli  that  he  tells  them  expressly,  that  by 
this  way  they  made  themselves  "  debtors  to  do  the  whole  law; 
vea,"  says  he,  "  Christ  is  become  of  no  effect  unto  you,  who- 
soever of  you  are  justified  by  the  law;  ye  are  fallen  from 
grace,"  Gal.  v.  2 — 1.  This  method  of  inverting  the  order 
of  Christ's  oflices,  and  making  the  (irst  act  of  faith  to  terminate 
upon  him  as  a  king,  as  it  is  a  way  of  thinking  most  agreeable 
to  nature,  which  runs  with  a  mighty  bins  towards  Adam's 
covenant :  so,  1  judge,  nature  is  much  fortilicd  in  this  way  of 
taking  up  the  method  of  salvation  by  Christ,  by  the  strain  of 
some  men's  doctrine  in  our  day,  who  inculcate  faith  and  re- 
pentance  as  nezu  precepts  given  out  by  Christ  in  the  gospel, 
which  were  never  required  in  the  moral  law  of  the  ten  com- 


300  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

niandments.  For  if  this  be  so,  then  inevitably  we  must  first 
obey  Christ  as  a  king,  by  repenting  and  believing,  in  order  to 
our  being  justified  by  him  as  a  priest ;  besides  many  other 
dangerous  consequences  which  are  unavoidable  upon  this  new 
law-scheme.  All  which  are  avoided,  by  teaching,  with  the 
strain  of  orthodox  divines,  that  there  are  no  precepts  in  the 
gospel  strictly  taken ;  and  tbat  Christ  in  th6  gospel  gives  no 
nexD  laws,  but  enforces  the  old  law,  namely,  the  moral,  which 
being  adapted  to  the  gospel-dispensation,  obliges  us  to  believe 
in  Christ  upon  his  being  revealed  to  us  in  the  gospel,  and  con- 
sequently to  repent  also  in  an  evangelical  manner.  For  that 
these  duties  of  faith  and  repentance,  as  to  their  essence,  are 
required  in  the  very  first  commandment  of  the  moral  law,  is 
indisputably  evident;  and  1  do  think  it  strange,  to  find  it  con- 
troverted by  any  who  embrace  and  own  the  doctrine  of  the 
church  of  Scotland,  particularly  the  Larger  Catechism,  where 
that  point  is  plainly  determined,  in  the  explication  of  the  fore- 
said first  commandment.  But  it  is  not  proper  to  insist  on  this 
controversy  in  a  discourse  of  this  nature ;  if  need  be,  it  may 
be  discussed  apart. 

4thly,  Another  diflference  betwixt  the  my  of  faith,  and  the 
my  of  presumption,  is  this.  That  the  assurance  of  faith  will 
maintain  its  claim,  and  humble  confidence,  even  under  sad 
challenges,  and  a  deep  and  abasing  sense  of  much  prevailing 
iniquity ;  whereas  piesumptuous  confidence  succumbs  and 
fails  upon  the  prevalency  of  sin.  The  reason  of  this  is,  be- 
cause the  ground  of  presumptuous  confidence  is  within  the 
man ;  some  good  disposition  and  qualification  which  he  finds 
within  him,  as  he  apprehends,  which  being  dashed  by  the 
eruption  of  his  reigning  lusts,  he  has  no  more  to  look  to;  the 
foundation  of  his  confidence  is  gone.  But  now,  faith  builds 
and  bases  its  confidence,  not  within,  but  on  something  with- 
out, r.amely,  the  everlasting  righteousness  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  the  mercy  of  God  running  in  this  channel,  exhibited  in 
the  word  of  grace.  Here  it  is  that  faith  sets  down  its^foot, 
and  upon  this  foundation  it  stands,  against  which  the  gates  of 
hell  cannot  prevail.  And  thus,  having  the  ground  of  its  con- 
fidence from  without,  it  is  not  shaken  with  every  insurrection 
from  within.  An  instance  of  wliich  we  see  in  David,  Psal. 
Ixv.  3.  The  holy  man,  in  the  first  part  of  the  verse,  cries  out, 
under  a  sense  of  the  strength,  power,  and  guilt  of  sin,  "  Iniqui- 
ties prevail  against  me."  Well,  but  what  says  faith  in  such 
a  case  1  "  As  for  our  transgressions,  thou  shalt  purge  them 
away."  Another  instance  of  the  like  nature,  we  see  in  the 
same  holy  man,  Psal.  cxxx.  We  find  him,  ver.  3,  under  such 
a  sense  of  sin  and  guilt,  that,  viewing  himself  as  he  stood  in 
the  eye  of  the  law  and  of  justice,  he  cannot  shun  to  own,  "If 
thou.  Lord,  shouldst  mark  iniquitiei?,  O  Lord,  who  shall  stand?" 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  301 

Well,  but  where  docs  David's  faith  find  a  standing  in  such  a 
case  ?  Only  in  the  mercy  and  grace  of  a  reconciled  God  in 
Christ;  and  therefore  he  adds,  vcr.  4,  "But  there  is  forgive- 
ness with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared  ;  and  plenteous 
redemption,  that  thou  mayest  be  sought  unto."  I  do  own, 
that  a  real  believer  may  be  sadly  shaken,  as  to  the  confidence 
of  his  interest  in  Christ,  under  prevailing  iniquity  ;  but  this 
certainly  is  his  infirmity,  and  not  his  faith.  Many  real  be- 
lievers live  more  by  sense  than  by  faith ;  and  hence  it  comes 
that  they  are  soon  shaken,  whenever  sensible  experience  is 
overclouded,  under  the  sense  of  prevailing  iniquity ;  though 
the  pain  of  it  is  a  just  correction  of  their  folly.  Whenever 
faith  recovers  from  under  the  fit  of  unbelief,  and  views  what 
the  soul  is,  and  has,  in  Christ,  and  in  the  covenant,  it  recovers 
its  stability  and  confidence,  and  withal,  brings  into  the  soul 
strength  against  corruption,  so  that  it  goes  out  against  it  "like 
a  giant  refreshed  with  wine."  But,  say  you,  may  not  pre- 
sumptuous faith  recover  its  confidence  also?  I  answer,  No 
doubt  it  may:  but  then  the  difference  lies  here — True  faith 
goes  to  work  in  (|uite  a  diflfcrent  way,  in  order  to  the  soul's 
recovery,  from  that  which  the  presumptuous  legalist  takes. 
When  the  terrors  of  the  law,  or  challenges  of  conscience,  have 
at  any  time  battered  down  presumptuous  confidence,  the  man 
goes  to  work  and  fills  up  the  hole  that  the  law  has  made  in 
his  soul,  with  the  new  earth  of  his  own  obedience,  reforma- 
tion, duties,  and  the  like,  and  with  this  "untempered  morter" 
he  daubs  and  makes  up  the  breach  made  in  his  conscience. 
But,  on  the  other  hand,  though  the  believer  be  as  diligent  in 
the  way  of  duty  as  the  other,  yet  nothing  in  heaven  or  earth 
can  satisfy  him  under  challenges,  or  afford  him  ease  or  quiet, 
but  Christ  himself,  and  his  righteousness  apprehended  and  ap- 
plied by  faith  :  no  balm  but  that  of  Gileud  can  cure  his  wound; 
he  fetches  his  healing  only  from  under  the  wings  of  the  Sun 
of  righteousness ;  all  is  but  loss  and  dung  in  comparison  of  this, 
Phil.  iii.  8,  9. 

There  are  several  other  differences  might  be  given  between 
the  mi/  of  faith,  and  the  jm/  of  presumption,  if  I  were  not 
afraid  of  being  tedious.  Only,  in  short,  the  more'of  the  as- 
surance of  faith,  or  yet  of  well-grounded  experience,  the  more 
lowliness,  himiility,  and  self-abasement.  The  higher  that  the 
soul  is  exalted  in  and  by  Christ,  the  lower  does  it  sink  in  its 
own  eyes,  saying  with  David,  when  God  promised  to  build 
him  a  sure  house,  and  that  the  Messiah  should  spring  of  his 
loins,  "  Who  am  I,  O  Lord  God  l  and  what  is  my  house,  that 
thou  hast  brought  me  hitherto?"  The  poor  believer,  in  this 
case,  sees  himself  to  be  such  a  miracle  of  rich  and  sovereign 
grace,  that  he  is  even  wrapped  up  in  a  silent  wonder,  and 
put  to  an  everlasting  stand,  that  he  knows  not  what  to  say, 

VOL.  I.  26 


302  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,         "  [SER. 

"  And  is  this  the  manner  of  man,  O  Lord  God  ?**  And  what 
can  David  say  more  1  But  now,  the  more  of  a  presumptuous 
confidence,  the  more  pride  and  self-conceit,  like  Laodicea,  "I 
am  rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing;" 
accompanied  with  an  undervaluing  of  others  in  comparison 
of  themselves,  like  the  proud  Pharisee,  "  God,  I  thank  thee, 
that  I  am  not  as  other  men,  or  even  as  this  publican." 

Again;  presumptuous  assurance  cherishes  some  secret  and 
beloved  idol:  the  man  spares  some  right-hand  or  right-eye  sin; 
and  commonly  his  deceitful  heart  argues  for  its  being  spared, 
because  grace  doth  abound.  But  now,  true  faith  and  experi- 
ence purifies  the  heart,  and  engages  the  man  to  an  impartial 
and  universal  opposition  to  all  sin,  as  dishonourable  to  God, 
and  grieving  to  his  Spirit ;  and  readily  he  directs  his  principal 
force  against  these  sins,  which  receive  the  greatest  advantages 
against  him,  by  interest,  custom,  constitution,  or  education ; 
and  the  consideration  of  abounding  grace  is  so  far  from  en- 
couraging him  in  sin,  that  it  teaches  him  to  "  deny  all  ungod- 
liness and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously  and 
godly  in  this  present  world." 

Lastly,  The  my  of  faith,  or  solid  experience,  is  always  ac- 
companied with  much  love  to  the  person  of  Christ,  and  resig- 
nation of  soul  to  him ;  for  "  faith  worketh  by  love."  And 
therefore,  at  the  same  time,  that  the  soul  is  enabled  to  say, 
"My  beloved  is  mine,"  it  cannot  shun  (o  add,  "  And  I  am  his. 
— One  shall  say,  I  am  the  Lord's."  The  man  presents  him- 
self "  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  which  is 
his  reasonable  service."  But  now,  as  one  well  observes,  pre- 
sumption is  lame  of  one  hand:  it  has  a  hand  to  take  pardon, 
to  take  heaven,  and  the  benefits  of  Christ;  but  as  it  has  no 
true  love  to  his  person,  so  it  has  not  a  hand  to  give  or  resign 
the  whole  man  to  the  Lord,  to  be  for  him,  and  not  for  ano- 
ther: and  the  plain  reason  of  this  is,  that  the  power  of  natu- 
ral enmity  was  never  broken,  and  the  man  is  married  to  the 
law,  and  to  his  lusts  also.     But  passing  this,  1  proceed  to 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  the  FULL  Assurance  of  Faith. 

in.  The  third  general  head  proposed  in  the  method,  was 
to  speak  a  little  of  the  full  assurance  of  faith ;  for  there  is  a 
plain  gradation  in  the  apostle's  way  of  speaking:  there  is 
faith,  then  the  assura?ice  of  faith,  and  then  the  full  assurance 
of  faith.  Having  spoken  of  the  two  first  degrees,  I  proceed 
now  to  the  last  and  highest  degree  of  faith. 

Before  I  go  on  directly  to  show  what  this  full  assurance  of 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  303 

faith  is,  I  premise  these  two  or  three  things,  which  I  conceive 
to  be  imported  in  this  expression  of  the  Spirit  of  God:  (1.)  I 
premise,  that  the  faith  of  every  behever  is  not  of  the  same 
size  and  slret/gtli.  Some  have  a  slro?}q;  and  others  have  a 
weak  faith:  yea,  the  faith  of  the  strongest  believer,  Hke  the 
moon,  has  its  waxings  and  wanings :  or,  like  the  sea,  its  ebb- 
ings  and  flowings.  Although  every  believer  be  in  Christ,  yet 
every  believer  has  not  the  same  measure  of  faith ;  as  every 
star  is  in  the  heavens,  though  every  star  be  not  of  the  same 
magnitude.  The  rounds  of  Jacob's  ladder  were  not  all  at  the 
top,  though  every  round  was  a  step  towards  heaven ;  so, 
though  every  faith  be  not  triumphing  in  a  full  assurance,  yet 
every  true  faith  is  bending  towards  it.  You  may  see  one  be- 
liever under  a  full  gale  of  the  S|)irit  of  faith,  crying,  with  Job, 
chap.  xix.  25,  "I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth :"  while  an- 
other labours  under  such  discouragements,  that,  like  the  pub- 
hcan,  he  "stands  afar  otF,"  with  the  tear  in  his  eye,  crying, 
"God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  You  may  see  one  saying 
with  Paul,  "  He  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me :"  another, 
through  the  prevalence  of  unbelief,  saying,  "Is  his  mercy 
clean  gone  for  ever?  Hath  he  forgotten  to  be  gracious?"  Per- 
haps you  shall  find  one  believer  surmounting  all  fears,  saying 
with  the  apostle,  "  Who  shall  separate  me  from  the  love  of 
Christ?"  &,c.,  while  another  is  combating  with  many  doubts, 
ready  to  "  raze  foundations,"  saying,  "  I  am  ca&t  out  of  thy 
sight ;"  and  all  men  are  liars  that  will  say  otherwise,  the  pro- 
phets of  God  not  excepted.  It  is  with  believers,  as  it  is  with 
children  in  a  family ;  one  perhaps  is  lying  in  the  cradle,  another 
led  by  the  mother  or  nurse,  another  can  walk  alone,  a  fourth 
come  to  such  full  strength  that  he  is  able  for  work  and  busi- 
ness. Tlius,  in  the  household  of  God  there  are  babes,  young 
men,  und  fathers.  (2.)  I  premise,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every 
believer,  yea,  of  the  weakest,  to  press  after  faith  in  the  high- 
est degree  of  it.  Hence  it  is  that  Christ  frequently  checks  his 
disciples  for  the  weakness  of  their  faith,  "  Why  are  ye  fear- 
ful, O  ye  of  little  faith  ? — O  thou  of  little  faith,  wherefore  didst 
thou  doubt?"  True  faith  is  a  progressive  thing,  it  goes  on 
from  one  degree  to  another:  hence  is  that  expression  of  the 
apostle,  Rom.  i.  17:  "The  gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation  ;  for  therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed 
from  faith  to  faith."  Faith,  in  its  first  and  weaker,  and  faith 
in  its  repeated  and  stronger  actings,  feeds  and  centres  upon 
the  righteousness  of  God's  operation  and  imputation,  for  ac- 
ceptance, pardon,  and  salvation.  It  is  of  the  nature  of  all 
true  grace,  particularly  of  the  grace  of  faith,  to  breathe  after 
its  own  increase  and  perfection  :  hence  is  that  prayer  of  the 
disciples,  "Lord,  increase  our  faith;"  and  that  of  the  poor 
man  in  the  gospel,  "  Lord,  I  believe ;  help  thou  mine  unbe- 


304  THE  ASSURA\CE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

lief."  We  must  forget  things  that  are  behind,  and  reach 
forth  to  things  that  ai'e  before:  "The  path  of  the  just  is  as 
the  shining  light,  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  per- 
fect day."  (3.)  I  premise,  that  the  certainty  or  assurance  of 
application,  as  explained  above,  ebbs  or  flows  according  to 
the  strength  or  weakness  of  the  assent  of  faith.  That  there 
are  degrees  of  assurance,  will  be  controverted  by  none,  who 
have  any  knowledge  either  of  divinity  or  philosophy.  The 
very  words  of  the  apostle  in  the  text  import,  that  we  are  not 
to  rest  in  a  lower,  but  ought  to  press  after  the  highest  degree 
of  the  assurance  of  faith  :  and  the  apostle  accounts  it  a  great 
blessing  to  the  Thessalonians,  that  they  had  much  assura?ice, 
1  Thess.  i.  5 :  plainly  intimating,  that  some  true  assurance 
might  be  in  a  less  degree.  Now,  I  say,  this  assurance  of  ap- 
plication bears  a  proportion  to  faith's  assent,  and  waxes  or 
wanes  as  it  is  strong  or  feeble ;  so  that  a  strong  assent  has  a 
strong  application,  and  a  weak  assent  a  weak  application. 

These  things  premised,  I  proceed  to  inquire  what  this  full 
assura?ice  of  faith  is,  or  in  what  it  consists.  And,  in  one 
word,  I  conceive  it  lies  in  such  '  a  firm  and  fixed  persuasion, 
confidence,  or  trust  in  the  faithfulness  of  a  God  in  Christ, 
pledged  in  his  covenant  or  promise,  as  overcomes  and  tramples 
upon  all  difficulties  and  improbabilities,  all  doubts  and  fears 
as  to  the  actual  performance  of  what  is  promised  in  God's  time 
and  way ;  and  all  this  with  particular  application  to  the  soul 
itself  This  description  I  would  illustrate  and  explain  in  its 
several  branches,  were  it  not  done  upon  the  matter  on  the 
former  two  heads ;  this  being  nothing  but  a  higher  degree  of 
the  self-same  faith  formerly  described.  Such  an  act  of  faith 
we  find  put  forth  by  Abraham,  Rom.  iv.  20,  21,  where  we 
are  told  that  "  he  staggered  not  at  the  promise  of  God  through 
unbelief;  but  was  strong  in  faith  giving  glory  to  God :  being 
fully  persuaded  that  what  he  had  promised,  he  was  able  also 
to  perform."  This  full  assurance  of  faith  though  mountains 
of  impediments  were  in  its  way,  yet  makes  no  more  of  them 
than  if  they  were  a  plain;  it  overleaps  and  overlooks  them 
all,  fixing  its  eye  only  upon  the  power  and  faithfulness  of  the 
blessed  Promisor:  as  we  see  clearly  exemplified  in  the  case  of 
Abraham.  His  own  body  was  dead,  and  incapable  of  pro- 
creation; Sarah's  womb  was  barren,  and  incapable  of  concep- 
tion: sense  and  reason  in  this  case  would  have  been  ready  to 
conclude,  that  it  was  impossible  ever  Abraham  should  ha v'e  a 
son.  But  we  are  told,  ver.  19,  that  he  entirely  abstracted 
from  all  considerations  of  that  kind,  "  Being  not  weak  in 
faith,  he  considered  not  his  own  body  now  dead,  when  he  was 
about  a  hundred  years  old,  neither  yet  the  deadness  of  Sa- 
ra's womb."  He  would  not  so  much  as  listen  to  the  sur- 
mises of  carnal  reason;  flesh  and  blood  are  put  out  of  doors ; 


Xi.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  305 

and  he  rests  with  an  assured  confidence,  without  any  doubting 
or  hesitation,  upon  the  fidchty  of  the  Promisor,  being  certain 
that  God  would  do  to  him  in  j)articular  as  he  had  said,  wiien 
the  time  of  the  vision  siiould  come.  In  hke  manner  we  find, 
that  after  Abraiiam  iiad  cjotten  his  beloved  Isaac,  the  son  of 
the  promise,  what  a  terrible  shock,  may  one  tiiink,  would  it 
be  to  his  faith  in  the  promise,  when  God  commanded  him  to 
take  Isaac,  of  whom  the  promised  seed  (Christ)  was  to  come, 
and  olier  him  upon  one  of  the  mountains  of  Moriah!  Gen. 
xxii.  Reason  here  might  be  ready  to  object,  and  that  not 
without  great  colour  of  religion.  Can  God,  who  has  so  severely 
forbidden  murder,  require  me  to  imbrue  my  hands  in  the 
blood  of  my  own  son?  Will  not  such  a  thing  be  an  eternal 
reproach  to  Abraham  and  his  religion?  What  will  the 
Egyptians  say,  and  the  Canaanitcs,  and  the  Perizzites,  who 
dwell  in  the  land  I  What  will  Sarah  say,  and  how  shall  I  ever 
look  her  in  the  face  ?  I3ut  especially  what  shall  become  of  the 
promise,  and  the  veracity  of  him  that  made  it,  saying.  In 
Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called?  Surely  might  unbelief  and 
sense  say,  either  this  command  is  a  delusion,  or  else  the  pro- 
mise is  a  lie.  But  Abraham  had  a  full  assurance  of  faith  as 
to  the  stability  of  the  promise;  and,  therefore,  he  would  upon 
all  hazards  obey  the  comn)and  of  a  promising  God:  he  was 
fully  persuaded  that  thougli  Isaac  were  sacrificed  and  burnt 
to  ashes,  yet  out  of  the  very  ashes  of  his  sacrificed  son,  God 
could,  and  actually  would  raise  up  Isaac  again,  and  so  ac- 
complish his  own  word  of  promise,  Abraham,  on  the  account 
of  this  his  noble  and  gallant  faith,  is  filly  called  the  father  of 
the  faithful,  h'lH  faith  being  proposed  as  a  pattern  to  all  others 
for  their  imitation;  and  every  true  believer  is  on  this  score  a 
"  child  of  Abraham."  And  let  none  imagine  that  they  are  not 
obliged  to  believe  with  such  a  iaith  as  Abraham  had  ;  for  the 
apostle  exjn-essly  tells  us,  that  the  history  of  his  faith  stands 
upon  record  in  scripture,  "not  for  iiis  sake  alone,  but  for  us 
also,"  that  we,  after  his  example,  may  be  encouraged  to  "  be- 
lieve on  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  our  Lord  from  the  dead," 
Rom.  iv.  23,  24. 

Object.  CC^:vy  you,  if  1  had  as  good  ground  for  my  faith 
as  Abraham  had ;  if  I  were  as  sure  that  the  jjromise  were  to 
me,  as  x\braham  was,  I  think  I  could  believe  with  a  full  assu- 
rance of  faith,  as  he  did :  but  there  lies  the  strait.  I  answer. 
You  and  I  have  as  good  ground  of  faith  as  ever  Abraham 
had.  Abraham  had  a  promising  God  in  CIn-ist  to  trust,  and 
so  have  we.  You  have  the  same  God,  the  same  Christ,  the 
same  covenant,  the  same  promise,  as  Abraham  had.  But,  say 
you,  God  spake  to  Abraham,  in  particular,  by  name,  when  he 
gave  him  the  promise,  saying,  "  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  be  blessed."     I  answer,  Although  you  be 

2G* 


306  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

not  designated  by  name  and  surname,  as  Abraham  was,  yet  a 
promising  God  in  Christ  addresses  himself  as  particularly  to 
you  in  the  word  of  grace,  and  the  dispensation  of  the  cove- 
nant and  promise,  as  though  he  called  to  you  out  of  heaven  by 
name  and  sui'name,  saying,  "  To  you  (that  is,  to  you  sinners  of 
Adam's  race)  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent.  The  pro- 
mise is  unto  you  that  are  afar  off,"  &c.  And  not  only  is  the 
promise  presented,  but  an  express  command  of  believing  su- 
peradded, requiring  and  binding  every  particular  person,  to 
take  hold  of  it,  and  embrace  it :  so  that,  whatever  shifts  and 
evasions  the  unbelieving  and  deceitful  heart  may  make,  the 
promise  of  God  comes  as  close  and  home  to  every  individual 
hearer  of  the  gospel,  as  that  promise  did  to  Abraham,  when 
God  spake  to  him  with  an  audible  voice  out  of  heaven ;  yea, 
"  We  have  a  more  sure  M'ord  of  prophecy,  unto  which  we 
would  do  well  to  take  heed,  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in  a 
dark  place."  Farther,  let  it  be  ^considered  that  that  promise 
was  first  presented  to  Abraham  as  the  object  and  foundation 
of  his  faith,  before  he  could  believe  it;  and  by  believing  it, 
became  his  in  possession ;  or  in  believing  it,  he  was  possessed 
of  it  as  his  ow?i ;  for,  upon  a  supposition  that  he  had  not  be- 
lieved, he  had  never  been  possessed  of  the  promised  blessing. 
In  like  manner,  the  promise  is  presented  to  you  as  the  imme- 
diate ground  of  believing;  and  in  believing,  you  come  to  be 
possessed  of  the  great  things  contained  in  the  promise;  but  if 
you  do  not  believe,  you  shall  not  see  "  the  salvation  of  God," 
Thus  you  see  that  you  have  the  same  ground  of  faith  and  the 
same  warrant  for  believing,  that  Abraham  had :  and  there  is 
nothing  to  keep  you  from  a  full  assurance  of  faith,  or  a  be- 
lieving w^ithout  staggering  at  the  promise,  like  Abraham,  un- 
less it  be  your  own  ignorance  and  unbelief. 

I  own,  as  was  hinted  already,  that  every  true  believer  does 
not  come  the  length  of  Abraham,  to  believe  without  stagger- 
ing; but  that  is  not  the  question.  The  present  question  is.  If 
we  have  not  now  as  good  and  firm  a  ground,  and  as  good  a 
right  to  believe  the  promise  as  Abraham  had?  If  Christ, 
and  his  salvation  and  righteousness,  be  not  brought  as  near 
to  us  in  the  word  of  faith,  as  it  was  to  him  ?  This  is  what 
none,  who  understand  the  privilege  of  a  New  Testament  dis- 
pensation, will  venture  to  deny ;  yea,  I  will  venture  to  say, 
that  the  ground  of  faith  is  laid  Wore  us  under  the  New 
Testament,  with  a  far  greater  advantage  than  ever  Abmham 
had;  inasmuch  as  the  gospei- revelation  is  much  more  clear, 
and  brings  Christ  and  his  salvation  much  nearer  to  us,  than 
ever  he  was  under  any  period  of  the  old  Testament  dispensa- 
tion. Abraham  sarv  his  day  only  afar  off;  whereas  we  live  in 
that  very  day  which  he  saw  at  such  a  pi'odigious  distance : 
and,  therefore,, we  have  much  more  ground  to- believe  without 


XI.J  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  307 

Staggering  than  ho  had.  And,  therefore,  "  seeing  we  have 
boldness  to  enter  into  the  hohest  by  tJie  blood  of  Jesus ;"  and 
"  seeing  we  have  a  new  and  living  way  consecrated  for  us, 
through  the  veil  of  his  flesh ;"  and  "  seeing  we  have  a  High 
Priest  over  the  house  of  God :  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true 
heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith,"  &c. 


CHAPTER  V. 
Of  the  Grounds  of  Faith's  Assurance. 

IV.  The  fow'lh  thing  proposed  in  the  method,  was  to  in- 
qtiire  into  the  grounds  of  this  doctrine;  or  what  it  is  that  faith 
has  to  build  its  confidence  tipon,  in  drawing  near  to  God  with 
full  ussuraiKe  of  acceptance.  In  answer  to  this  question,  I  shall 
not  at  present  enter  upon  the  particular  grounds  spcciticd  by 
the  apostle  in  the  preceding  verses,  having  discoursed  on 
them  apart  in  several  sermons,  where  he  shows  that  every 
bar  and  im])ediment  on  the  part  of  law  and  justice  are  fully 
removed,  through  the  complete  satisfaction  and  prevalent 
mediation  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  our  great  High  Priest;  upon 
which  a  promise  of  welcome  and  hearty  acceptance  comes 
forth  from  a  reconciled  God,  to  every  one  who  will  come  to 
him  in  this  "  new  and  living  way,"  for  grace  and  mercy  to 
help  in  a  time  of  need.  Thus,  you  will  see  tlie  apostle's  argu- 
ment runs,  by  comparing  this  and  the  ])recediDg  verses,  with 
the  verse  immediately  following,  particularly  tlie  last  clause 
of  it,  "  For  faithful  is  he  that  hath  promised ;"  which  clause, 
included  in  a  parenthesis^  I  conceive  stands  connected,  not 
only  with  the  w^ords  immediately  preceding  in  tlie  same 
verse,  but  with  the  words  of  my  text  also:  and  the  scope  of 
the  ajjostlc  is,  as  if  he  said,  Let  us  draw  near  ivilh  a  true  heart 
in  full  assurance  of  faith,  &.C,  Why '?  "For  faithful  is  he  that 
hath  promised  "  us  welcome  "  into  the  holiest,  by  the  blood 
of  Jesus:"  faithful  is  he  that  hath  promised  acceptance  in  the 
"new  and  living  way,  which  he  hath  consecrated  for  us:" 
faithful  is  he  that  hath  promised  to  pity,  pardon,  hear,  and 
hcl]),  through  the  mediation  of  the  "great  High  Priest  over 
tlie  house  of  (Jod."  And,  therefore,  seeing  his  faithfulness  is 
pledged  to  receive  us  in  this  way  of  his  own  devising,  let  us 
answer  his  faithfulness,  by  "drawing  near  in  iulj  assurance 
of  faith,"  or  with  a  full  and  certain  persuasion,  that,  accord- 
ing to  his  promise,  we  shall  be  "  acce)>ted  in  the  Ijeloved," 
who  is  the  "  door"  to  the  holiest,  the  "  new  and  living  way," 
and  the  "  High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God." 

So  tliat  you  sec  the  next  or  immediate  ground  of  faith,  or 


308  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  TAITH,  [SER. 

full  assurance  thereof,  in  drawing  near  to  God,  is,  God's  own 
promise  of  acceptance  through  Jesus  Christ :  with  which  pro- 
mises the  word  every  where  abounds,  Is.  Ix.  7  ;  Is.  Ivi.  7  ; 
Mark  xi.  24;  Matth.  vii.  7;  John  xiv.  13,  14.  Now,  faith, 
eyeing  and  pleading  the  promise  of  God  in  Christ,  has  many 
things  to  bear  it  up  into  a  full  assurance;  I  shall  instance  a 
few  of  many. 

1.  The  grace,  mercy,  and  goodness  of  a  promising  God,  re- 
vealed and  proclaimed  in  the  word,  is  a  noble  ground  for  sin- 
ners, and  yet  more  for  saints,  to  trust  him,  and  draw  near  to 
him  through  Christ,  w^ith  a  full  assurance  of  faith :  Psal. 
xxxvi.  7 :  "  How  excellent  is  thy  loving-kindness,  O  God ! 
therefore  the  children  of  men  put  their  trust  under  the  sha- 
dow of  thy  wings."  It  is  contrary  to  the  very  dictates  of 
nature,  for  a  man  to  trust  one  whom  he  apprehends  to  be  an 
enemy.  If  we  have  but  a  suspicion  that  one  bears  us  an  ill-will, 
or  designs  our  hurt,  we  will  not  trust  or  confide  in  him  :  but 
persuade  a  man  once  that  such  a  one  is  his  friend,  that  he 
has  an  entire  love  and  kindness  for  him,  and  wants  only  an 
opportunity  to  do  him  the  greatest  services  he  is  capable;  in 
that  case,  he  will  trust  him  without  hesitation.  Just  so  is  it 
with  the  ca.se  in  hand :  so  long  as  we  conceive  God  to  be  an 
in)placable  enemy,  our  prejudice  and  enmity  against  him  will 
remain  ;  and  while  enmity  against  God  stands  in  its  full 
strength,  it  is  absolutely  impossible  we  can  have  any  trust  or 
confidence  in  him  :  instead  of  drawing  near  to  him  with  full 
assurance  of  faith,  we  flee  from  him,  like  our  first  parents, 
under  the  awful  apprehensions  of  his  wrath  and  vengeance : 
but  let  us  once  be  persuaded  that  he  is  a  God  of  love,  grace, 
pity,  and  good-will  in  Christ,  then,  and  never  till  then,  will 
we  put  our  trust  under  the  shadow  of  his  wings.  And  there- 
fore, to  break  the  strength  of  our  enmity  and  prejudice,  and 
so  to  conciliate  our  trust  in  him,  he  is  at  the  greatest  pains 
imaginable  to  persuade  us,  that  he  bears  a  hearty  liking  and 
good-will  toward  us  in  Christ.  And  there  are  more  espe- 
cially these  three  ways  God  takes  to  convince  us  of  his  good- 
will toward  men  upon  earth. 

l.st,  By  solemn  proclamations  and  declarations  of  his  mer- 
cy and  grace  :  Exod.  xxxiv.  0,  7 :  there  the  Lord  passed  by 
Moses,  and  proclaimed  his  name  to  him  ;  and  wdiat  is  it  ? 
"  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suf- 
fering, and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  keeping  tnercy 
tor  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity  and  transgression,  and  sin, 
and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty ;"  or,  as  some  read 
it,  in  clearing  he  zoill  clear;  That  is,  in  clearing  the  sinner  of 
guilt  by  pardoning  grace,  he  will  clear  himself  of  injustice; 
he  will  make  it  appear  that  "he  is  just,"  when  he  is  "the 
justifier  of  him   that  believes  in  Jesus."     Every  where  in 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  309 

scripture  is  the  pardoning  mercy  of  God  proclaimed  and 
presented  as  an  encouragement  to  sinners  to  trust  in  him; 
Psal.  cxxx.  7  :  "  Let  Israel  hope  in  the  Lord ;  for  with  the 
Lord  there  is  mercy,  and  with  him  is  ))lenteous  redemption." 

2dlii,  By  solemn  oath.  Lest  we  shoulfl  disbelieve  his  word, 
he  suj)eradds  iiis  oath,  to  convince  us  that  he  has  no  ill-will, 
but  a  hearty  good-will  toward  our  salvation  and  happiness, 
throuiih  the  new  and  living  way  :  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11  :  "  As  I 
live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of 
the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live  : 
turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your  evil  ways  ;  for  why  will  ye  die, 
O  house  of  Israel  ?"  "  An  oath,"  among  men,  is  "  for  con- 
firmation" of  a  controverted  truth,  and  "is  to  them  an  end  of 
all  strife,"  (says  the  a])ostle,)  Heb.  vi.  10.  Shall  the  oath  of 
a  man  be  so  much  regarded,  as  to  determine  controversies 
amonsj  men  ?  How  much  more  is  the  oath  of  the  ereat  God 
to  be  regarded,  pawning  his  very  life  upon  it,  that  he  is  not 
willing  that  any  should  perish,  that  he  bears  a  hearty  good- 
will toward  our  salvation  through  Christ  ?  Shall  this  be  any 
more  a  controversy  with  us?  To  entertain  a  doubt  or  jealousy 
of  what  he  says,  is  to  make  him  a  liar  ;  and  to  doubt  and  dis- 
believe w'hat  he  swears,  is  to  charge  a  God  of  truth  with  per- 
jury. And  beware  of  looking  upon  it  as  a  matter  of  indiffer- 
ence, v^'hether  you  believe  this  declared  good-will,  mercy, 
and  grace  of  God,  or  not ;  for  that  in  which  God  interposes 
the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  must  needs  be  a  matter  of  vast 
importance ;  and  to  think  otherwise,  is  to  charge  the  eternal 
God  with  a  profanation  of  his  own  name,  which  he  will  not 
suffer  in  others  without  the  highest  resentment. 

2Jly,  As  if  his  word  and  his  oath  were  not  enough  to  con- 
vince us  of  his  mercy,  love,  and  good-will  toward  us,  he  has 
given  the  most  convincing  and  practical  demonstration  of  it 
that  was  possible  for  God  to  give,  and  that  is,  by  giving  him- 
self, in  the  person  of  his  eternal  Son,  to  be  incarnate,  or  ma- 
nifested in  our  nature  ;  to  be  made  even  like  to  us  in  all  things, 
sin  only  excepted.  O  how  "  great  is  this  mystery  of  god- 
liness, God  manifested  in  the  flesh?"  Without  controversy, 
great  and  unsearchable  is  the  mystery  of  love  and  good-will 
that  siiines  with  a  meridian  lustre  in  an  incarnate  Deity.  If 
God  had  not  loved  us,  and  borne  such  a  hearty  desire  after 
our  happiness  and  salvation,  would  he  ever  have  made  such 
a  near  approach  to  us  as  to  dwell  in  our  nature,  when  he 
passed  by  the  nature  of  angels'?  Yea,  he  was  not  content  to 
become  one  with  us  in  nature  ;  but  he  goes  farther,  and  be- 
comes one  in  law  with  us;  he  puts  his  name  into  our  debt- 
bond,  and  becomes  "sin  for  us,  that  we  might  be  made  the 
righteousness  of  (iod  in  him ;"  he  becomes  "  a  curse  for  us, 
that  we  might  inherit  the  blessing."      It  was  a  view  of  this 


310  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

design  of  love  to  man,  shining  in  the  incarnation  of  the  Son 
of  God,  which  made  the  angels  at  his  birth  to  break  forth  with 
that  celestial  anthem,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on 
earth  peace,  good-will  towards  men,"  Lnke  ii.  14.  Now, 
this  love,  and  good-will  of  God  toward  man,  in  the  incarna- 
tion of  his  eternal  Son,  is  proposed  in  the  gospel-revelation, 
as  the  greatest  encouragement  imaginable  for  guilty  rebellious 
sinners  to  lay  aside  their  enmity  and  prejudice  against  God, 
and  so  to  put  their  trust  and  confidence  in  him  ;  as  is  plain, 
like  a  sunbeam,  from  that  great  text,  John  iii.  16  :  "  God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son  :"  Why, 
what  was  God's  design  in  all  this  good-will  ?  "  I'hat  who- 
soever believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life."  Because  of  the  excellency  of  this  love,  "  the 
sons  of  men  do  put  their  trust  under  the  shadow  of  his 
wings."  Now,  I  say,  faith,  in  drawing  near  to  God,  takes  a 
view  of  this  mercy  and  love  of  God  in  Christ,  and  upon  this 
ground  raises  itself  up  sometimes  so  high,  as  to  draw  near 
in  full  assurance  of  acceptance  :  for  still  it  should  be  remem- 
bered, that  faith,  under  the  conduct  of  the  Spirit,  takes  up 
this  revealed  love  and  mercy  of  God  to  sinners,  with  par- 
ticular application  of  it  to  the  soul  itself,  as  was  before  hint- 
ed. And  what  can  be  more  encouraging  to  a  trust,  without 
doubting  of  acceptance  ?  O  then,  "  let  Israel  hope  in  the 
Lord  ;  for  with  the  Lord  there  is  mercy."  O  do  not  enter- 
tain jealousies  of  a  God  of  love,  as  though  he  were  dis- 
pleased or  dissatisfied  with  you  for  your  trusting  in  his  mercy ; 
for  "  the  Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  them  that  fear  him,  in  those 
that  hope  in  his  mercy." 

2.  Faith  grounds  its  assurance  upon  the  infinite  pott^er  of  a 
promising  God.  Being  once  persuaded  of  his  love,  mercy, 
and  good-will  in  Christ,  it  proceeds  to  fasten  its  foot  upon 
everlasting  strength,  as  fully  able  to  fulfil  what  he  has  pro- 
mised, saying,  I  know  that  thou  canst  do  every  thing,  and  there 
is  nothing  too  hard  for  thee."  Indeed,  infinite  power,  armed 
with  wrath  and  fury,  is  the  terror  of  a  guilty  sinner  ;  but  in- 
finite power,  animated  with  infinite  love, proclaiming,  "Fury 
is  not  in  me,"  through  the  ransom  that  I  have  found,  is  a  noble 
ground  of  trust,  and  may  imbolden  a  guilty  sinner  to  "take  hold 
of  his  strength,  that  he  may  make  peace  with  him."  Hence  it 
is,  that  the  power  of  God  in  Christ  is  frequently  presented  in 
scripture  as  a  ground  of  trust ;  Is.  xxvi.  4 :  "  Trust  ye  in  the 
Lord  for  ever,  for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength." 
The  faith  of  Abraham  founded  itself  upon  this  rock  of  the 
power  of  God,  in  that  fore-cited  instance,  (Rom.  iv.)  when 
he  believed  without  staggering  at  the  promise.  Being  first 
persuaded  of  God's  good-will  toward  him,  in  giving  him  a 
promise  of  the  Messiah  to  spring  of  his  loins,  "  in  whom  all 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  311 

the  nations  of  the  earth  should  he  blessed  ;"  he  next  fixes  the 
eye  of  his  faith  upon  the  power  of  tltis  promising  God,  and 
was  "  fully  persuaded,  that  what  he  had  promised,  he  was 
able  also  to  perform."  So,  Matth.  ix.  27,  we  read  of  two 
blind  men  following  Christ,  sending  their  cries  after  him. 
"  Tl)ou  son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  us."  1'hey  first  be- 
lieved that  Christ  was  the  promised  Messiah,  the  son  of  David; 
and  in  this  they  saw  mercy  and  good-w  ill  to  man  upon  earth, 
he  being  the  seed  of  the  woman,  that  should  bruise  the  head 
of  the  serpent."  Well,  Christ  leads  them  on  next  to  tal<c  a 
view  of  the  power  of  God  in  him,  as  a  farther  ground  of 
trust  and  confidence:  ver.  28;  "  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Be- 
lieve ye  that  I  am  able  to  do  this  ?"  They  answer,  "  Yea, 
Lord  :"  and  thereupon  Christ  says  to  them,  ver.  29,  "  Ac- 
cording to  3^our  faith,  be  it  unto  you."  Thus,  I  say,  faith 
grounds  its  trust,  confidence,  or  assurance,  in  drawing  near 
to  God  through  the  "new  and  living  way,"  upon  the  puzrcr  of 
a  ])romising  God. 

O,  sirs,  there  is  no  such  distance  betwixt  God's  saying  and 
his  doing,  as  there  is  among  men;  for  his  saying  is  doing: 
Psal.  xxxiii.  9 :  "  He  spake,  and  it  was  done  ;  he  commanded, 
and  it  stood  fast."  There  is  an  omnipotence  or  almightincss 
both  in  his  word  of  command,  and  in  his  word  of  promise; 
therefore  it  is  called  "  the  word  of  his  power,"  Hcb.  i.  'S.  And 
by  this  powerful  word,  he  upholds  the  arcat  fabric  of  heaven 
and  earth,  that  they  do  not  return  to  their  original  nothing: 
and  may  not  our  faith  venture  to  stand  upon  that  bottom,  on 
which  heaven  and  earth  stand?  Wc  are  not  afiaid  that  this 
ponderous  globe  of  earth,  which  hangs  in  the  liquid  air,  will 
slide  away  from  under  our  feet  with  its  own  weight:  Why  ? 
Because  we  believe  that  the  word  of  God's  power  has  fixed 
it  in  its  proper  jdace,  that  it  shall  not  be  rcnioved  for  ever. 
Why  should  w'c  not  rest  with  as  much  assured  conlidcnce,  as 
to  everlasting  concci'ns,  upon  God's  covenant  and  promise, 
seeing  the  same  power  of  God  is  in  the  word  of  piomise,  as 
in  that  word  which  upholds  the  earth?  Yea,  "  the  fashion  of 
this  world  passethaway,  but  the  word  of  the  Lord,"  his  word 
of  grace  and  promise,  the  foundation  of  faith  and  trust,  "  en- 
dureth  for  ever."  This  is  a  consideration  which  at  once  re- 
moves the  j)rincipal  discouragements  that  fiith  labours  under. 
What  is  it  that  wcak'(;nsour  faith,  and  keeps  it  from  arriving 
at  a  full  assurance,  as  to  the  peiformance  of  the  promise,  but 
one  of  these  two  I  Either  we  look  upon  the  performance  of 
the  promise  as  difficult,  or  uncertain.  Now,  fiiith  eyeing  the 
power  of  a  promising,  reconciled  God  in  Christ,  can  easily  sur- 
mount both,  and  conclude,  that  the  performance  of  the  pro- 
mise is  both  easy  and  certain.  (1.)  It  is  certain,  for  it  depends 
upon  the  will  of  an  unchangeable  God,  the  promise  being  a 


312  •  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  TAITH,  [SER. 

declaration  of  God's  purpose  or  will  of  grace ;  he  was  willing 
to  promise,  for  he  has  actually  done  it,  "  the  word  is  gone  out 
of  his  mouth ;"  and  he  is  willing  to  perform,  for  he  is  a  God 
of  truth,  always  yea,  and  ame?i.  (2.)  Faith,  viewing  the  power 
of  God,  sees  the  performance  to  be  easy.  What  is  more  easy 
than  speaking  h  word  f  and  yet  one  word  from  the  mouth  of 
God,  can  give  being  and  accomplishment  to  all  the  promises, 
without  any  pain,  cost,  trouble,  or  hazard.  The  covenant  of 
grace  may  be  resembled  to  a  tree,  the  promises  to  the  branches 
of  the  tree,  loaded  with  all  manner  of  precious  fruit.  Now, 
the  least  word,  the  least  breath  from  the  mouth  of  God, 
shakes  the  tree,  and  makes  all  the  fruit  of  it  to  drop  down, 
as  it  were,  into  the  believer's  bosom,  ^nd  O,  may  the  be- 
liever argue,  will  not  he,  who  so  loved  a  lost  world,  as  to  give 
his  only  begotten  Son,  and  zcho  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for 
me,  will  not  he  spend  a  word,  or  the  breath  of  his  mouth,  on 
me?  Believe  it,  there  is  nothing  but  a  word  between  you  and 
all  the  sure  mercies  of  David :  yea,  the  word  is  already  passed 
out  of  his  mouth,  [  mean,  the  word  of  grace  and  promise; 
and  there  remains  nothing  but  for  you  to  believe,  trust,  con- 
tide  in  it,  and  him  that  made  it ;  and,  in  your  so  doing,  all  the 
sure  mercies  of  the  promise  are  your  own  in  Christ.  I  sup- 
pose you  do  not  doubt,  but  that  God  who  cannot  lie  has  pro- 
mised. Now,  there  is  as  much  reason  to  believe  that  he  will 
perform,  as  to  believe  that  he  has  passed  his  promise;  for  as 
was  hinted  above,  to  promise  and  perform,  to  say  and  to  do, 
are  all  one  thing  with  him.  Indeed,  when  men  promise,  there 
is  much  ground  to  doubt  the  performance,  because  frequently 
things  cast  up  afterward,  which  render  it  impracticable  for 
them  to  do  as  they  have  said.  But  no  such  thing  can  happen 
unto  him,  who  perfectly  foresees  all  future  events,  and  who 
"  commands  things  that  are  not,  as  if  they  were."  Now,  I  say, 
failh  sees  all  this,  and  thercl)y  raises  itself  up  to  a  full  as- 
surance, at  least  there  is  ground  here  for  a  full  assurance  of 
faith,  and  no  ground  at  all  for  doubting  and  wavering.  And 
were  not  our  faith  pinioned  with  ignorance  and  unbelief,  it 
could  not  miss  to  believe  without  staggering  upon  this  ground, 
as  did  the  faith  of  Abraham. 

3.  The  veracity  txnd  faithfulness  o(  a  God  in  Christ,  pledged 
in  the  promise,  is  another  ground  upon  which  faith  builds, 
when  it  draws  near  with  a  full  assurance.  Faithfulness  in 
God,  and  faith  in  man,  are  correlates  ;  and  there  is  such  a 
fitness  and  relation  between  these  two,  that  our  faith  cannot 
subsist  without  faithfulness  in  God.  And,  on  the  other  hand, 
a  revelation  of  God's  faithfulness  would  have  been  needless, 
if  there  were  not  some  to  believe  him.  The  light  would  be 
useless,  if  there  were  not  an  eye  to  see  it;  and  the  eye  would 
be  useless,  if  there  were  no  light.     To  an  unbelieving  sinner, 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  313 

the  revelation  of  the  divine  faithfuhiess  is  as  unprofitable,  as 
light  is  to  a  blind  man  ;  and  our  faith  would  be  like  an  eye 
without  light,  if  there  were  not  faithfulness  in  God.  Yea, 
faithfulness  in  God  is  the  very  parent  of  faith  in  man.  Faith 
is  at  tirst  begotten  and  wrought  in  the  soul  by  some  discovery 
of  the  divine  faithfulness  in  the  word  of  grace;  and  it  is  main- 
tained and  increased  in  the  same  way  and  manner.  Whence 
is  it  that  some  believe,  and  others  not,  who  equally  enjoy  the 
same  revealed  warrants  and  grounds  of  faith  ?  The  matter 
is  this,  the  faithfulness  of  God  in  the  covenant  and  promise  is 
revealed  by  the  Spirit  to  the  one,  and  veiled  and  hid  from  the 
other,  "the  god  of  this -world  blinding  the  minds  of  them 
which  believe  not."  And  whence  is  it,  that  at  one  time  a 
believer  is  "  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God ;"  and  at 
another  time,  "  staggers  through  unbelief  ?"  The  reason  is 
this,  the  faithfulness  of  God  at  one  time  is  so  visible  to  him, 
that  he  sees  it  to  be  like  a  moxinlain  of  brass  under  him:  at 
another  time  his  light  is  so  dark  and  dim,  that  lie  imagines 
the  promise,  and  the  faithfulness  of  the  Promisor,  to  be  but 
like  a  broken  reed,  not  able  to  bear  his  weight.  But,  O  sirs, 
what  can  be  ground  of  assurance,  yea  of  the  highest  and  ful- 
lest assurance  of  faith,  if  not  the  veracity  of  that  God,  who 
hath  "righteousness  for  the  girdle  of  his  loins,  and  faithful- 
ness for  the  girdle  of  his  reins  t" 

Let  us  but  take  a  view  of  the  high  securities  by  which  the 
divine  faitJif Illness  is  engaged,  as  to  the  out-making  of  hh  pro- 
mise, and  see  if  there  be  not  ground  for  a  full  assurance  of 
faith.  The  most  jealous  and  suspicious  heart  in  the  world, 
could  not  desire  greater  security  from  the  most  treacherous 
person  on  earth,  than  a  God  of  truth  has  granted  to  us,  for 
our  encouragement  to  believe. 

1st,  Then,  Let  it  be  considered,  that  the  bare  promise,  though 
there  were  no  more,  is  abundance  of  security,  especially  if 
we  consider  whose  promise  it  is  ;  it  is  "  God  that  cannot  lie, 
who  promises."  A  graceless  Balaam  gives  him  this  testimony, 
"  God  is  not  a  man  that  he  should  lie,  neither  the  son  of  man 
that  he  should  repent ;  hath  he  said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it?  or 
hath  he  spoken,  and  shall  he  not  make  it  good?"  We  will  ven- 
ture to  trust  the  word  of  a  man  like  ourselves,  especially  if 
he  be  a  man  of  integrity  and  honesty,  who,  we  think,  will 
not  falsify  his  word :  and  shall  we  have  trust  and  credit  to 
give  to  a  man  who  may  lie  and  repent,  and  yet  no  credit  or 
trust  to  give  to  him  "  for  whom  it  is  impossible  to  lie?"  God 
has  so  great  a  regard  to  his  word  of  promise,  that  it  is  of  more 
worth  in  his  reckoning  than  heaven  and  earth,  and  all  the 
visible  creation;  yea,  "Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 
but  one  jot  or  one  tittle  of  what  he  hath  spoken  shall  never 
VOL.  I.  27 


314  THK  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

fall  to  the  ground."  Yea,  I  will  adventure  to  say,  farther, 
that  the  divine  faithfuhiessissomuch  engaged  in  the  promise, 
that  his  very  bei?ig  is  concerned  in  it.  Man  may  break  his 
word,  and  continue  to  be  man  still ;  but  God  could  not  be  God, 
if  he  were  not  faithful  and  true,  because  faithfulness  is  essen- 
tial to  his  very  nature  and  being.  Now,  is  not  that  word  a 
sufficient  ground  of  faith,  and  of  full  assurance,  as  to  the  per- 
formance of  which  the  very  bei?}g  of  a  God  of  truth  is  so  much 
concerned'?     But  this  is  not  all;  for, 

2dly,  Not  only  is  the  word  of  promise  passed  out  of  his  lips, 
hut  it  is  entered  and  registered  in  the  volume  of  his  book.  You 
know,  the  bare  word  of  an  honest  man  is  good,  but  his  written 
and  registered  word  or  promise  is  better.  When  we  put  a 
man's  bond  in  the  register  of  human  courts,  it  is  in  order  to 
our  better  security,  and  getting  the  more  speedy  diligence 
thereupon.  Now,  God  has  consented  to  the  registration  of  his 
word  of  promise,  yea,  it  is  actually  enrolled  and  registered  in 
the  scriptures  of  truth  ;  and  is  not  this  a  high  engagement  of 
the  faithfulness  of  God?  Perhaps  you  may  think,  if  you  had 
voices,  visions,  and  revelations  from  heaven  immediately,  you 
could  believe  ;  but  I  can  assure  you,  in  the  name  of  God, 
that  the  Bible,  the  book  of  God,  which  you  have  among  your 
hands,  is  a  far  better,  a  much  more  solid  ground  of  faith  and 
trust,  than  any  thing  of  that  kind.  The  apostle  Peter  tells 
us,  2  Pet.  i.  17,  that  he  was  taken  up  into  mount  Tabor,  at 
Christ's  transfiguration,  and  tlicre  he  heard  a  voice  coming 
forth  from  the  excellent  glory,  saying,  "This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased."  This  was  a  rare  privilege, 
and  a  notable  encourag(;ment  to  believe:  but  yet,  says  he, 
ver.  19,  "We  have  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy:  where- 
unto  ye  do  well  that  ye  take  heed,"  &c.  O  sirs,  think  on 
this,  and  prize  and  improve  your  Bibles. 

Sdly,  The  faithfulness  of  God  is  so  much  engaged  in  the 
promise,  that  it  is  a  sealed  deed.  The  great  and  infinite  Je- 
hovah, in  the  person  of  his  eternal  £on,  has  sealed  the  promise, 
yea,  sealed  it  with  his  blood.  Dan.  ix.  27,  we  are  told  con- 
cerning the  Messiah,  that  he  should  confirm  the  covenant  with 
many.  And  how  does  he  contirm  it,  but  by  h'.s  death?  Hence 
the  blood  of  Christ  is  called  "  the  blood  of  the  covenant:"  so 
Heb.  ix.  16,  17:  "  Where  a  testament  is,  there  must  also  of 
necessity  be  the  death  of  the  testator.  For  a  testam.cnt  is  of 
force  after  men  are  dead :  otherwise  it  is  of  no  strength  at  all 
whilst  the  testator  liveth."  Thus,  I  say,  the  promise  is  sealed 
and  confirmed  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  the  most  valuable 
seal  that  ever  was  appended  to  any  deed  in  the  world.  And,  in 
token  and  testimony  of  its  being  sealed  by  a  Redeemer's  blood, 
God  has  appended  two  other  visible  seals  to  his  covenant  of 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  315 

promise,  namely,  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  which  are 
"  seals  of  the  righteousness  of  faith ;"  that  is,  as  I  take  it,  seals 
of  that  covenant  where  God  promises  peace  and  pardon,  grace 
and  glory,  on  the  score  of  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ, 
apprehended  by  faith.  And  wiienevcr  these  sacraments  are 
dispensed  to  us,  according  to  God's  appointment,  we  have  a 
sealed  and  confirmed  promise  and  testament  put  into  our 
bands,  for  our  faith  to  feed  and  feast  upon. 

Alhlii,  The  faithfulness  of  God  is  so  far  engaged  in  the  pro- 
mise, that  his  oath  is  interposed:  lieb.  vi.  13 — 18:  there  we 
read  of  *'tvvo  immutable  things,  in  whicb  it  is  impossible  for 
God  to  lie."  His  word  is  immutable,  for  it  is  always  jrea.  But 
that  we  might  have  strong  consolation,  by  having  a  strong 
ground  of  faith  and  confidence,  he  superadds  his  immutable 
oath:  he  not  only  speaks,  but  swears.  Now,  observe  how 
the  apostle  speaks  of  the  oath  of  God,  ver.  13:  "  Because  he 
could  swear  by  no  greater,  he  svvare  by  himself;"  as  if  he 
had  said,  If  God  could  have  gone  higher  in  his  oath,  he  would 
have  done  it.  The  form  of  God's  oath  is  peculiar  to  himself, 
As  I  live';  he  swears  by  his  life,  he  swears  by  his  iioliness,  he 
swears  by  his  being  and  Godhead.  As  true  as  I  am  God,  I 
will  bless  thee,  says  the  Lord  to  Abraham,  ver.  14.  But,  may 
a  poor  soul  say,  what  is  that  to  me  ?  what  interest  or  con- 
cern have  I  in  GofPs  oa(h  to  Abraham?  0  yes,  says  the  apos- 
tle, this  concerns  you  and  me,  "  who  have  (led  foi"  refuge  to 
Iciy  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before  us,"  ver.  18  :  as  if  he  should 
say,  This  concerns  every  poor  soul,  that  has  a  mind  for  sal- 
vation in  the  "  new  and  living  way  consecrated  for  us."  He 
may  say,  and  should  say  in  himself,  As  sure  as  God  said  and 
sware  to  Abraham,  so  surely  hath  God  said  and  sworn  that  I 
shall  be  saved,  in  fleeing  for  refuge  to  Christ,  who  is  our  hope. 
As  if  the  Lord  should  say,  O  sinner,  I  set  my  own  Son  before 
thee  in  the  gos|)el,  as  thy  only  refuo;e  and  sanctuary;  I  set 
liim  forth  as  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood  ;  O  flee, 
flee  to  him  for  thy  life.  "  Turn  ye  to  your  strong  hold,  ye  pri- 
soners of  hope;"  for  as  sure  as  I  am  God,  thou  shalt  be  saved 
in  him:  "  Israel  shall  be  saved  in  the  Lord  with  an  everlast- 
ing salvation."  O  what  a  great  matter  is  this,  the  oath  of 
God !  What  will  we  ever  believe,  or  whom  will  we  believe, 
if  we  do  not  believe  a  God  of  truth  swcaiing  by  his  life?  Do 
not  say,  you  are  not  concerned  with  his  oath;  for  as  by  be- 
lieving you  set  to  your  seal,  that  he  is  true  in  what  he  says 
and  swears;  so  by  your  unl)elicf  you  call  him  a  //«r,  and, 
upon  the  matter,  charge  him  with  perjury,  as  was  already 
hinted.  And  for  you  who  have  actually  fled  by  faith  to  his 
Son,  you  shall  be  as  sure  of  God's  blessing  through  eternity, 
as  ever  Abfuham  wa«,  when  he  heard  God  swearing  to  him^ 


31G  THE  ASSURAPTCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

*'  Surely,  blessing  I  will  bless  thee,  and   multiplying,  I  will 
multiply  thee." 

btlili],  The  faithfulness  of  God  is  yet  farther  engaged  to 
believers  in  the  promise,  by  giving  a  pledge  or  earnest  of  thp 
full  performance :  and  the  pledge  he  gives,  is  of  more  worth 
than  heaven  and  earth.  O,  say  you,  what  is  that  ?  I  answer, 
It  is  the  "  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  the 
inheritance,"  Eph.  i.  13,  14.  If  ever  thou  felt  the  Holy  Spirit 
breathing  on  thee,  by  his  saving  influences  and  operations, 
thou  hast  the  earnest  of  the  inheritance,  a  pledge  that  all  the 
promises  shall  be  fully  accomplished  in  God's  time.  You 
know,  if  a  man  give  a  pledge,  it  is  a  security  for  the  full  bar- 
gain; and  if  a  man  do  not  fulfil  his  bargain,  he  loses  his 
pledge :  so  here,  God  will  as  soon  forfeit  his  Spirit,  as  break 
his  vi'ord.  And  is  not  this  notable  security  to  the  believer? 
Is  not  this  a  high  engagement  of  the  faithfulness  of  God? 

Gthly,  The  faithfulness  of  God  is  yet  farther  engaged  in  the 
promise,  by  the  concurring  declaration  of  the  most  famous  wit- 
nesses that  ever  bore  testimony  in  any  cause,  jointly  attesting 
the  truth  of  the  promise,  and  veracity  of  the  Promiser,  1  John 
V.  7:  "There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Fa- 
ther, the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  these  three  are 
one."  The  eternal  Father  attests  the  truth  of  the  promise 
with  a  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord."  The  Son  attests  it,  who  is 
the  essential  and  substantial  Word  ;  for  he  is  "  the  truth,  the 
Amen,  the  faithful  and  true  witness,  who  speaks  in  righteous- 
ness." The  Holy  Ghost  attests  it ;  for  he  is  "  the  Spirit  of 
truth,  leading  into  all  truth ;"  he  is  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise, 
not  only  because  he  himself  is  promised,  but  because  he  testi- 
fies of  the  truth  of  the  promise,  and  faithfulness  of  the  Pro- 
misor ;  and  by  his  power  and  efhcacy,  seals  and  stamps  these 
upon  the  soul,  by  which  he  works  faith  or  believing.  Now, 
all  these  three  witnesses  are  one;  not  only  one  in  essence, 
but  one  in  their  testimony.  And  what  is  the  testimony  and 
record  of  a  Trinity?  It  is  this,  ver.  11:  "That  God  hath 
given  "  (that  is,  granted  in  his  covenant  of  grace  and  pro- 
mise) "  to  us  eternal  life ;  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  And 
when  this  record  or  testimony  of  a  Trinity  is  not  believed, 
we  make  God  a  liar.  From  the  whole,  you  see  what  high 
and  deep  engagements  the  divine  faithfulness  is  come  under 
for  the  out-making  and  accomplishment  of  the  promise.  O, 
then,  "let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance 
of  fiilh;  for  faithful  is  he  that  hath  promised"  acceptance  in 
the  beloved." 

But  now,  after  all  that  has  been  said,  some  may  be  ready 
to  object,  It  is  true,  the  good-will,  power,  and  veracity  of  the 
Promiser,  are  excellent  encouragements  to  those  who  have 


Xi."]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  317 

a  right  to  the  promise  to  draw  near  to  God  in  Christ  with  full 
assurance  of  faith  :  but  that  is  my  strait  ai)d  difticulty,  1  doubt 
and  fear,  lest  I  have  no  claim  or  title  to  the  promise  of  wel- 
come into  "  the  holiest  by  (he  blood  of  Jesus,  by  that  new  and 
living  way."     An  answer  to  this  leads  me  to, 

4.  Afoiirlh  ground  taken  in  connexion  with  the  former) 
upon  which  faith  may  build  its  assurance,  in  drawing  near  to 
(iod  by  the  new  and  living  way,  and  that  is,  the  encforseme?it 
or  diredion  of  the  promise  of  welcome  through  Christ.  To 
whom,  say  you,  is  the  promise  endorsed?  I  answer.  It  is  di- 
rected to  cveni  man  to  whom  the;  joyful  sound  of  this  ever- 
lasting gospel  reaches,  John  iii.  JC.  There  you  sec  that  the 
promise  of  acceptance,  and  of  eternal  life  through  Christ, 
reaches  forth  its  arms  to  a  lost  world :  '■"  Whosoever  believeth 
in  him,  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  So  here, 
Whosoever  draweth  near  to  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
by  the  "new  and  living  way,"  through  the  mediation  of  the 
great  High  Priest,  shall  "  obtain  grace  and  mercy  to  help  them 
in  time  of  need."  The  covenant  of  grace,  and  promises  there- 
of, are  so  framed  by  Inhnite  Wisdom,  in  the  external  dispen- 
sation of  the  gospel,  that  they  look  to  every  man  and  woman ; 
and,  as  it  were,  invite  them  to  believe,  and  encourage  them 
to  enter  into  the  holiest.  He  that  sits  on  a  throne  of  grace, 
calls  every  one  within  his  hearing,  to  come  for  grace  and 
mercy,  assuring  them,  that  come  to  him  who  will,  '•  he  will  in 
no  wise  cast  out."  And  we  that  are  the  heralds  and  minis- 
ters of  the  great  King,  whose  name  is  "  the  Lord,  merciful 
and  gracious,"  have  warrant  and  commission  to  proclaim, 
that  "  to  you,  men,"  and  "  the  sons  of  man,  is  tfie  word  of  this 
salvation  sent:  The  promise  is"  directed  to  you,  as  a  ground 
of  faith,  even  "to  you,  and  to  your  seed,  and  to  all  that  are 
afar  oil",  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call."  There' 
is  not  the  least  peradventure,  but  the  call  or  command  of  be- 
lieving is  to  every  one;  otherwise  unbelief  could  not  be;  their 
sin.  Now,  the  promise,  in  the  endoisement  and  direction  of 
if,  must  be  as  extensive  as  the  conunand:  these  (wo  are  in- 
separably liidced  together,  both  in  the  external  dispensation, 
and  in  the  inward  application  of  the  Spirit;  insonuich  that 
whosoever  is  commanded  to  believe,  has  right  to  the  promise, 
as  the  immediate  ground  of  his  faith  ;  and  whosoever  actually 
believes,  and  builds  upon  (his  ground,  has  (he  [)romise  in  his 
possession.  Take  away  the  promise  from  the  command  of 
believing,  you  scj)arate  what  (iod  has  joined  together,  and, 
in  elfect,  commrind  men  to  build  without  a  foundation.  It  is 
true,  Christ  is  the  object  of  faith;  but  it  is  as  true,  (hat  he 
can  only  be  the  object  of  faith  to  us,  as  he  is  brought  near  in 
the  word  of  faith  or  promise,  Rom.  x.  8 :  And  therefore,  sce- 

27* 


318  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

ing  the  promise  is  to  you  and  me,  and  every  one  who  hears 
this  gospel,  I  may  warrantably  say  with  the  apostle,  Heb.  iv. 
1,  "Let  us  fear,  lest  a  promise  being  left  us  of  entering  into 
his  rest,  any  of  you  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it."  From 
which  text  it  is  plain,  that  the  promise  of  an  everlasting  rest, 
in  and  through  Christ,  is  left  even  to  those  who,  like  the  Isra- 
elites, may  come  short  of  it  through  unbelief.  And  how  is  it 
left  us,  but  to  be  applied  by  faith?  Christ  our  elder  brother 
has  left  his  confirmed  testament  in  our  hands,  to  be  improved 
and  used  in  a  way  of  believing,  in  order  to  our  being  actually 
entitled  to,  and  in  due  time,  fully  possessed  of  that  rest,  which 
is  the  purchase  of  his  death  and  blood.  O,  then,  let  us  fear, 
lest,  when  the  promise  is  thus  left  us,  we  should  seem  to  come 
short  of  the  possession  ;  for  the  promise  can  never  be  ours  in 
possession,  though  left  us,  unless  we  believe  ;  as  is  plain  from 
the  words  immediately  following,  ver.  2,  where  it  is  added, 
concerning  the  unbelieving  Jews,  "  The  word  preached " 
(namely,  the  promise  of  "  entering  into  his  rest,"  as  is  plain 
from  the  connexion)  "  did  not  profit  them,  not  being  mixed 
with  faith  in  them  that  heard  it."  A  king's  proclamation, 
and  promise  of  pardon  to  a  company  of  rebels,  cannot  profit 
any  of  them  but  such  as  accept  of  it.  A  legacy  left  by  latter- 
will  of  a  rich  and  wealthy  friend,  to  a  certain  family,  without 
specifying  one  individual  person  of  the  family,  can  only  profit 
that  person,  or  those  branches  of  the  family  who  claim  right 
to  the  legacy,  upon  their  friend's  testament;  but  to  the  rest 
it  is  unprofitable,  because,  through  pride,  or  ignorance,  or 
sloth,  they  forsake  their  own  mercy.  Or,  suppose  a  letter 
should  come  endorsed  to  me,  containing  a  bank-note  of  50, 
100,  or  1000  pounds  sterling,  or  more  if  you  will;  the  en- 
dorsement of  the  letter  to  me,  gives  me  a  i"ight  to  carry  the 
bill  to  the  bank,  and  ask  payment :  but  if,  through  pride  and 
conceit  that  I  am  rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  I  will  not 
receive  the  letter,  nor  ask  payment  of  the  sum,  in  that  case 
I  come  short  of  my  own  privilege,  and  it  becomes  unprofita- 
ble to  me.  I  own,  that  in  every  one  of  these  similitudes,  there 
is  a  dissimilitude ;  the  only  use  1  make  of  them  is,  to  show 
how  near  Christ  and  his  salvation  is  brought  to  us  in  the  word 
of  faith  or  promise,  that  thereby  we  may  be  encouraged  to 
draw  near  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  with  full  assurance  of  faith, 
seeing  he  is  faithful  that  hath  promised  acceptance  in  this 
new  and  living  way.     To  all  that  is  said,  I  shall  only  add; 

5.  Let  it  encourage  us  to  draw  near  in  full  assurance  of 
faith,  that  there  is  no  lawful  impedimejit  to  hinder  our  access 
and  success,  in  entering  with  boldness  into  the  holiest  by  the 
blood  of  Jesus.  Every  bar  and  hinderance  that  stood  in  our 
way,  is  mercifully  removed  by  our  great  High  Priest,  who  is 


XI.]  ,  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  319 

over  the  house  of  God.  All  tlie  impediments  that  can  be  plead- 
ed on  God's  part,  are  the  Icno,  justice,  and  holiness  of  God ;  and 
all  the  impediment  th;tt  can  be  pleaded  on  our  part  is  sin. — 
Now,  none  of  these  ought  to  hinder  our  drawing  near  in  thia 
new  and  living  way,  with  full  assurance  of  faith. 

As  for  the  larv,  that  cannot  be  a  just  impediment  to  hinder 
our  access;  for  tiiat  moment  the  soul  enters  by  Christ,  as  the 
way  to  the  Father,  the  law  gets  its  end,  Christ  being  "  the 
end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  everyone  that  believeth." 
Now,  can  the  law  be  against  its  own  end,  or  that  which  gives 
it  its  due  1  All  that  the  law  demands  is  a  perfect  and  sinless 
righteousness ;  give  it  that,  and  it  has  no  more  to  sock.  Now, 
this  the  law  gets,  that  moment  that  a  sinner  believes,  or 
draws  near  by  the  blood  of  Jesus.  "  What  the  law  could 
not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God  sending 
his  own  Son,  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin  con- 
demned sin  in  the  flesh  ;  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law 
might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after 
the  Spirit,"  Rom.  viii.  3,  4.  From  whence  it  is  plain,  that 
every  soul  that  believes  in  Christ,  is  that  moment  vested,  by 
imputation,  with  the  righteousness  of  the  Son  of  God,  whereby 
"  the  law  IS  magnitied,  and  made  honourable."  And  there- 
fore, in  drawing  near  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  instead  of  having 
the  law  against  us,  we  have  the  law  for  us,  and  on  our  side; 
we  have  a  perfect  law-righteousness  to  plead  upon. 

Again  ;  as  for  the  justice  of  God,  this  is  ready  to  scare  us, 
who  are  guilty  sinners,  from  so  much  as  looking  toward  the 
holiest,  or  the  place  where  God's  honour  dwells.  But  this 
can  be  no  impediment  either  to  our  drawing  near  by  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  with  full  assurance  of  faith  :  Why  1  That 
which  justice  demands,  is  a  complete  satisfaction  for  the  in- 
jury done  to  the  honour  and  authority  of  God,  by  the  breach 
and  violation  of  the  holy  and  righteous  law,  which  was  a 
transcript  of  the  purity  and  equity  of  his  nature  :  now,  when 
a  sinner  draws  near,  or  enters  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood 
of  Jesus,  he  gives  justice  that  whicli  it  wants  also,  namely,  a 
ransom  of  infinite  value,  even  the  ransom  that  God  has  found, 
the  propitiation  that  God  has  set  forth  in  the  gospel,  to  be  re- 
ceived by  faith.  The  man,  in  believing,  as  it  wei'c,  presents 
this  ransom  to  justice  for  the  sin  of  his  soul ;  and  whenever 
justice  sees  this  ransom  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  in  the  hand  of 
faith,  it  assoilzies  and  acquits  the  soul  from  all  law-penalties, 
declaring  that  now  there  is  no  condemnation  to  that  man,  Rom. 
viii.  1.  Let  none  from  henceforth  "  lay  any  thing  to  his 
charge:  for  it  is  God  that  justifielh  ;  who  then  is  he  that 
shall  condemn  1  It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  is 
risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also 


320  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

maketh  intercession."  Thus,  justice,  instead  of  barring  our 
way  to  the  holiest,  becomes  our  friend,  and  casts  open  the 
door  of  access  to  us :  for  God  is  just,  when  he  is  "  the  justi- 
tier  of  them  that  beheve  in  Jesus." 

As  for  the  holiness  of  God,  that  seems  to  stand  as  an  insu- 
perable bar  in  our  way  of  entering  into  the  hohcst,  by  reason 
of  the  blot,  defilement,  and  pollution  of  sin,  which  renders  us 
utterly  loathsome  in  the  sight  of  the  holy  One  of  Israel.  But, 
glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  this  bar  is  also  removed  by  the 
blood  of  Jesus ;  for,  that  moment  a  sinner  comes  under  the 
covert  of  this  blood,  and  draws  near  to  God  under  this  cover- 
ing, he  has  his  heart  thereby  "  sprinkled  from  an  evil  con- 
science, and  his  body  washed  with  pure  water."  The  same 
moment  that  the  righteousness  of  the  second  Adam  is  extend- 
ed to  us  for  justification,  his  Spirit  enters  into  us  for  sanctifi- 
cation,  renewing  us  in  the  whole  man,  after  the  image  of 
God.  And  the  blood  of  Jesus  not  only  cancels  the  guilt  of 
sin,  which  made  us  obnoxious  to  the  law  and  justice  of  God ; 
but  it  hides  and  covers  the  filth  of  sin,  from  the  eyes  of  im- 
maculate holiness.  Yea,  holiness  is  so  much  the  sinner's 
friend,  in  drawing  near  through  the  blood  of  Jesus,  that  this 
attribute  of  the  divine  nature  is  pawned  in  the  promise  of  ac- 
ceptance made  to  Christ  and  his  seed,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  2,  35.  On 
M^hich  account  I  may  exhort  all  true  believers,  in  the  words 
of  the  psalmist,  Psal.  xxx.  4  :  "  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  O  ye  saints 
of  his,  and  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  of  his  holiness." 
Thus  then,  I  say,  all  impediments  and  bars  on  God's  part, 
that  might  hinder  our  access  into  the  holiest,  are  removed  by 
the  blood  of  Jesus  :  and  therefore,  lei  us  draw  near  zdth  a  true 
heart,  i?i  full  assurance  of  faith. 

As  for  impediments  on  our  part,  they  may  be  more  par- 
ticularly spoken  to  in  the  application.  I  shall  only  say  at 
the  time,  that  the  sum-total  of  them  all  amounts  to  this,  that 
we  are  sinners,  and  so  wretched,  miserable,  poor,  blind,  and 
naked,  that  we  catmot  think  that  ever  God  will  receive  or 
welcome  us.  But  at  once  to  roll  away  this  impediment,  let 
it  be  considered,  that  this  new  and  living  way  of  access  into 
the  holiest,  is  only  calculated  for  sinners:  "Christ  calls  not 
the  righteous,"  or  innocent,  "  but  sinners,"  to  enter  by  him, 
as  the  way  to  the  Father.  If  you  M'ere  not  sinners,  but 
righteous,  as  Adam  was  before  the  fall,  you  would  not  need 
to  enter  hy  the  blood  of  Jesus.  But  seeing  the  way  and  door 
to  the  holiest  is  just  shaped  and  calculated  for  the  sinner,  let 
not  the  sinner  fear  to  enter  by  it  into  the  presence  of  God  ; 
especially  when  he  calls  us,  who  are  sinners,  to  drazo  near 
with  a  true  heart  in  full  assura7ice  of  faith.  "  Faithful  is  he 
that  hath  promised"  acceptance  in  the  beloved. 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  321 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Containing  the  Application  of  the  preceding  Doctrine. 

I  PROCEED  now  to  "wind  up  ihc  whole  of  this  discourse  in 
some  practical  improvemeivt;  which  I  shall  endeavour  to  ma- 
nage, as  briefly  as  I  can,  in  the  few  following  inferences : — 

I?if.  1.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  see  that  there  is 
a  mystery  in  believing,  which  the  world  does  not  understand, 
yea,  which  none  can  know,  without  "  that  Spirit  which  is  of 
God,  whereby  we  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of 
God."  The  apostle,  1  Tim.  iii.  9,  speaks  of  the  "  mystery  of 
faith."  And,  indeed,  every  thing  about  it  is  a  mystery.  The 
way  of  its  production,  or  the  manner  in  which  it  is  wrought 
in  the  soul,  by  the  power  of  the  eternal  Spirit,  is  a  mystery: 
*'  Who  can  tell  how  the  bones  are  formed  in  the  womb  of  her 
that  is  w4th  child?"  far  less  are  we  capable  to  account  for 
the  way  and  manner  of  the  Spirit's  operation  in  forming  and 
creating  us  in  Christ  Jesus  by  faith.  Hence  is  that  saying  of 
Christ  to  Nicodemus,  John  iii.  8 :  <'  The  wind  bloweth  where 
it  iisteth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not  tell 
whence  it  Cometh  and  whither  it  goeth:  so  is  everyone  that 
is  born  of  the  Spirit."  How  the  Spirit  of  God  drops  into  the 
heart  the  incorruptible  seed  of  his  own  word,  and  impreg- 
nates it  there,  so  as  to  turn  it,  though  in  itself  but  a  dead  let- 
ter, into  a  living  principle,  purifying  the  heart,  debasing  self, 
and  carrying  the  soul  directly  into  Christ  for  all,  is  a  mystery 
which  we  cannot  comprehend  or  account  for.  And  then  the 
object  of  faith  is  a  great  mystery.  God,  the  ultimate  object 
of  it,  is  an  awful  mystery:  "  Who  can  by  searching,  find  him 
out,"  either  in  his  essence,  operations,  or  manner  of  his  exist- 
ence, one  in  three,  and  three  in  one?  Christ,  the  more  imme- 
diate object  of  faith,  is  a  great  mystery,  an  incarnate  Deity: 
"  Without  controversy,  great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness:  God 
was  manifest  in  the  flesh."  The  gospel  covenant,  by  which 
we  believe  in  Christ,  is  a  "  mystery  which  hath  been  hid  from 
ages,  and  from  generations,  but  now  is  made  manifest  to  the 
saints."  And,  lastly,  the  actinp;s  of  faith  upon  its  objects  is  a 
great  mystery;  how  the  poor  believer  on  earth  can  receive 
Christ  in  heaven,  at  the  rij^ht  hand  of  God  :  how  he  applies 
him  as  his  own  Saviour,  his  own  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King, 
upon  the  indefinite  grant  that  is  made  of  him  in  the  new  co- 
venant, where  the  man  is  neither  designated  byname  or  sur- 
name :  how  faith  makes  use  of  Christ  and  his  fulness,  with  as 
great  freedom  as  a  man  makes  use  of  meat  and  drink  that  is 


322  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

set  before  him,  on  which  a(?count  we  are  said  to  "  eat  the 
flesh  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  man :  how  it  puts  on 
the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  glories  in  the  obedience  of  ano- 
ther, as  though  the  man  had  fulfilled  the  law  in  his  own  per- 
son :  how  it  draws  forth  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  dwell- 
ing bodily  in  Christ,  and  thus  fills  the  soul  with  the  "fulness 
of  God:"  how  it  will  take  a  bare  word,  dropping  from  God's 
mouth,  and  "  rejoice  in  it  as  one  that  findeth  great  spoils  :" 
how  it  will  take  this  word,  and  draw  near  to  him  in  the  new 
and  living  way,  with  full  assurance  of  acceptance.  These 
things  are  mysteries  which  flesh  and  blood  cannot  reveal;  and 
yet  to  every  true  believer  "it  is  given,"  in  less  or  more,  to 
"  know  these  mysteries  of  the  kingdom." 

Inf.  2.  From  this  doctrine  we  may  see  the  excellency  of 
the  grace  of  faith.  When  it  takes  a  view  of  the  blood  of  Je- 
sus, of  the  ?iew  and  living  way,  and  of  the  High  Priest  over  the 
house  of  God,  it  can  drarv  near  to  the  holiest  with  full  assu- 
rance of  welcome.  And  it  is  not  without  warrant  that  faith 
promises  itself  welcome  from  the  Lord  in  its  approaches  to 
liim  through  Christ ;  God  has  made  the  same,  yea,  a  much 
greater  ^r«??^  to  the  grace  of  faith,  than  Ahasuerus  made  to 
Esther,  chap.  ix.  12:  "  What  is  thy  petition  1  and  it  shall  be 
granted  thee  :  or  what  is  thy  request  ?  and  it  shall  be  done." 
Compare  this  with  John  xiv.  13,  14:  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall 
ask  in  my  name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glori- 
fied in  the  Son.  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in  my  name,  I  will 
do  it."  So  Mark  xi.  24:  "What  things  soever  ye  desire 
when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall 
have  them."  As  Ahasuerus  put  a  peculiar  honour  upon 
Esther,  and  preferred  her  above  all  the  maids  in  his  kingdom  ; 
so  God,  the  King  of  kings,  stamps  a  peculiar  honour  and 
excellency  upon  the  grace  of  faith,  preferring  it  above  all  the 
other  graces;  on  which  account  it  may  say  with  Mary,  Luke 
i.  48 :  "  He  hath  regarded  the  low  estate  of  his  hand-maiden," 
Though  God  be  high,  yet  hath  he  a  respect  unto  the  lowly : 
though  he  be  the  high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity, 
yet  he  dwells  with  tlic  humble :  he  delights  to  choose,  and  put 
honour  upon  the  foolish,  weak,  base,  and  despised  things  of 
this  world  ;  yea,  he  chooses  "  things  which  are  not,  to  bring 
to  naught  things  that  are."  Faith  is  the  meanest  and  lowest, 
the  poorest  and  most  beggarly  of  all  the  other  graces :  for 
all  the  other  graces  give  something  to  God,  whereas  faith, 
like  a  mere  beggar,  comes  not  to  give  any  thing,  but  to  get 
and  receive  all:  and  yet  God  takes  this  beggar,  and  sets  it 
among  princes,  to  allude  to  that  expression,  Psal.  cxiii.  7,  8. 
Such  honour  and  preferment  does  God  put  upon  this  grace, 
tiiat  though  he  has  said,  "  He  will  not  give  his  glory  to  an» 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  323 

Other ;"  yet  so  little  jealousy  has  he  of  the  grace  of  faith, 
that  he,  as  it  were,  sets  it  upon  the  throne  with  himself,  as- 
cribing things  to  it,  which  are  proper  and  peculiar  to  himself 
only  ;  he  sets  the  jewels  of  his  crown  upon  the  head  of  faith. 
The  salvation  of  a  lost  sinner  is  God's  prerogative  ;  he  alone 
is  "  the  God  of  salvation,  to  whom  belong  the  issues  from 
death  ;"  and  yet  we  find  this  attributed  to  the  grace  of  faith  : 
"  Thy  faith  hath  saved  thee,"  says  Christ ;  go  in  peace.  Jus- 
tification is  peculiar  to  God  only.  It  is  God  that  justifielh, 
says  the  apostle ;  and  yet  the  same  apostle  ascribes  the  jus- 
tification of  a  sinner  to  faith.  "A  man  is  justified  by  faith 
without  tiie  deeds  of  the  law."  God  alone  is  "  the  Lord  of 
life,"  who  "  kills,  and  makes  alive  ;"  and  yet  life  is  ascribed 
to  faith,  "  The  just  shall  live  by  his  faith."  Omnipotence  is 
God's  peculiar  prerogative ;  he  is  "  the  Almighty  ;"  and  yet 
there  is  almightiness  attributed  to  faith,  "  All  things  arc  pos- 
sible to  him  that  believeth. — If"  we  "  have  faith  as  a  grain 
of  mustard-seed,"  we  may  "  say  unto  this"  and  the  other 
"  mountain,  Be  thou  removed,  and  it  shall  be  done."  If  we 
read  the  11th  chapter  of  the  Hebrews,  we  shall  find  things 
ascribed  to  faith,  which  nothing  but  Omnipotence  itself  could 
effect,  such  as  the  "  stopping  the  mouths  of  lions,  quenching 
the  violence  of  fire,  raising  the  dead,"  and  the  like.  Now, 
would  you  know  why  God  thus  attributes  works  and  per- 
fections to  faith,  which  are  proper  to  himself  alone '?  The 
plain  reason  is,  because  faith  is  such  a  low,  mean,  self-denied 
grace,  that  it  is- just  the  genius  and  nature  of  it  to  exclude 
self;  yea,  to  exclude  itself,  to  glory  in  the  Lord  alone,  and  to 
give  him  the  glory  due  unto  his  name,  saying,  "  Not  unto  us, 
0  Lord,  not  unto  us  ;  but  unto  thy  name  be  the  glory."  Does 
faith  save  us  ?  Yes,  it  does  :  but  then  it  turns  the  glory  of 
salvation  over  upon  the  author  thereof;  saying,  "  Our  God 
is  the  God  of  salvation."  Docs  the  just  man  live  by  faith  '. 
Yes ;  but  then  faith  steps  in  with  "  It  is  not  I  :"  Gal.  ii.  20  : 
"  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  Docs  faith  jus- 
tify ?  Yes,  it  does  :  hut  then  its  language  is,  "  Surely  in  the 
Lord  have  I  righteousness,  in  him"  will  1  "  be  justified,  and 
in  him"  alone  will  I  "glory."  Can  faith  do  every  thing  ? 
Yea,  but  it  is  by  leaning  on  the  arm  of  Omnipotence.  "  I 
can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which  strengthcneth  me." 
Thus,  I  say,  faith  arrogates  and  claims  nothing  to  itself,  but 
"  gives  unto  the  Lord  the  glory  due  unto  his  name."  And  so 
zealous  is  faith  to  have  God  alone  exalted,  particularly  the 
freedom  of  his  grace  in  the  justification  and  salvation  of  a 
sinner,  that,  though  believing  be  the  highest  and  greatest  act 
of  obedience  that  a  person  can  yield  to  the  moral  law,  yet, 
that  boasting  may  be  for  ever  excluded,  it  excludes  and  shuts* 


324  ^  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

out  itself  from  the  rank  and  category  of  works,  or  acts  of 
obedience,  Rom.  iv.  5  :  "  To  him  that  worketh  not,  but  be- 
lieveth  in  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith"  object- 
ively considered,  "  is  counted  for  righteousness."  It  is  the 
peculiar  excellency  of  faith,  that  it  sinks  its  own  act,  that  its 
blessed  object,  Christ,  may  be  "  all  in  all ;  it  rejoices  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  triumphs  always  in  him."  And  though,  as 
I  was  saying,  it  be  the  poorest,  lowest,  and  most  beggarly  of 
all  the  other  graces  ;  yet  it  is  a  grace  that  prides  itself  in  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  by  liis  blood  enters  with  boldness  into  the 
holiest. 

Inf.  3.  If  it  be  the  will  of  God  that  we  should  draw  near 
with  full  assurance  of  faith  ;  hence  I  infer,  that  unbelief,  whe- 
ther reigning  in  the  wicked,  or  remaining  in  the  saints,  cannot 
shun  to  be  most  displeasing  and  offensive  to  him. 

1.  I  say,  reigning  unbelief  in  the  wicked  is  a  flat  contra- 
diction to  the  will  of  God.  The  man  under  the  power  of 
unbelief,  instead  of  drawing  near  with  the  assurance  of  faith, 
departs  from  him,  through  a  distrust  and  jealousy  of  his 
grace,  power,  and  veracity.  Solomon  tells  us,  Prov.  vi.  34 : 
"  Jealousy  is  the  rage  of  a  man."  If  we  shall  entertain  and 
express  a  jealousy  or  distrust  of  a  man's  veracity,  it  is  enough 
to  exasperate  and  enrage  him  against  us :  why  %  when  we 
express  a  jealousy  of  him,  we  in  effect  call  him  a  liar.  And 
if  "  man  who  is  vanity,  and  the  son  of  man  who  is  a  lie,"  reckon 
it  such  an  indignity  to  have  their  veracity  or  kindness  called 
in  question  ;  how  mucli  more  is  it  an  indignity  done  to  him, 
for  whom  it  is  impossible  to  lie!  O  sirs  !  unbelief  offers  the 
most  signal  aifront  to  a  God  of  truth,  that  is  possible  for  a 
creature  to  do.  God,  as  you  were  hearing,  to  encourage  our 
faith  and  confidence  toward  him,  has  given  all  the  securities 
which  he  could  possibly  grant ;  yea,  the  most  jealous  heart 
in  the  world  could  not  ask  better  security  from  the  most 
treacherous  person  on  earth,  than  God  has  granted  in  his 
word :  for  though  his  bare  word  of  promise  be  enough  to 
command  faith  from  all  mankind,  yet,  beside  his  word,  he  has 
given  his  writ ;  beside  his  writ,  he  has  given  his  sacred  oath  ; 
beside  his  oath,  he  has  given  a  Surety  ;  beside  a  Surety,  he 
has  appended  solemn  seals,  and  ratified  all  by  the  joint  tes- 
timony of  the  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  Father,  Word, 
and  Spirit.  Now,  after  all  these  securities,  to  entertain  a 
jealousy  of  him,  as  if  he  were  not  faithful  to  his  promise  of 
welcome  and  acceptance  in  the  beloved,  what  else  is  this  but 
to  make  him  a  liar  ?  Faithfulness  and  truth  are  "  the  girdle 
of  his  loins  and  reins ;"  but  unbelief  does  its  utmost  to  strip 
him  of  his  girdle,  charging  him  with  treachery  and  unfaith- 
fulness.    You  would  reckon  it  an  imputation  of  a  very  high 


X!.]  OPENED  AVD  APPLIED.  325 

and  horrid  nature,  for  any  man  to  charge  you  with  blas- 
phemy against  God ;  and  yet  I  will  be  bold  to  say,  every  un- 
believer is  a  blasphemer  of  God.  WJiy,  can  there  be  greater 
blasphemy  under  heaven,  than  to  make  God  a  liar?  It  is  in- 
deed most  certain,  that  'God  will  be  found  true,  and  every 
man  a  liar :  but  yet  the  unbeliever  does  his  utmost  to  make 
him  a  liar,  by  refusing  credit  to  his  word.  And,  after  all,  is 
it  any  wonder  though  a  hoi}'  and  jealous  God  be  so  enraged 
against  the  sin  of  unbelief,  as  to  declare,  that  "  he  who  bc- 
lieveth  not,  is  condemned  already,  and  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him  ?"  Believe  it,  sirs,  if  you  continue  to  blas- 
pheme God  by  your  unbelief  here,  you  shall  have  time  to 
blaspheme  him  in  hell  with  devils  and  damned  spirits,  through 
the  endless  ages  of  eternity  :  Joiin  viii.  24  :  "  If  ye  believe  not 
that  I  am  he,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins."  John  xv.  22 :  "  If  I 
had  not  come,  and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had  not  had  sin; 
but  now  they  have  no  cloak  for  their  sin." 

2.  This  doctrine  not  only  condemns  the  reigning  unbelief  of 
the  greatest  part  of  the  hearers  of  the  gospel,  but  also  the  re- 
maining unbelief  of  believers  themselves.  God  knows  how 
many  unbelieving  believers  there  are  among  us.  There  are 
very  few  believers,  but  are  guilty  of  ten,  if  not  twenty  acts 
of  unbelief,  for  one  act  of  faith.  O  that  I  could  shame  even 
believers  out  of  their  unbelief!  I  shall  only  say  that  your  un- 
belief is  much  more  unaccountable  and  inexcusable  than  the 
unbelief  of  other  men :  why  ?  God  has  not  only  given  you  a 
ground  of  faith,  as  he  has  given  others,  but  he  has  given  you 
the  grace  of  faith ;  and  not  to  believe  in  that  case,  is  a  crime 
of  a  most  black  and  aggravated  nature.  If  a  child  who  is 
sprung  out  of  his  parent's  bowels,  and  who  is  the  object  of 
his  most  endeared  aflbction,  should  call  his  father  that  begat 
him  a  liar,  would  i»ot  this  give  a  more  sensible  wound  to  the 
parent's  heart,  than  if  he  had  been  so  treated  by  any  other 
person?  This  is  the  very  case  with  you,  believers;  God  has 
taken  you  into  his  family,  given  you  the  name  of  sons  and 
daughters,  and  he  says  to  you  in  etfect,  as,  Jer.  iii.  4:  "  Wilt 
thou  not  from  henceforth  cry  unto  me,  My  Father?"  Wilt 
thou  not  from  henceforth  draw  near  to  nie  as  a  Father,  and 
as  your  Father  in  Christ  with  full  assurance  of  faith?  And 
yet,  after  all,  to  call  him  a  liar  by  your  unbelief,  and  to  say, 
that  "  his  promise  fails  for  evermore,"  or  that  "  he  has  for- 
gotten to  be  gracious ;"  O  what  a  deep  wound  may  you  think 
does  this  give  unto  the  heart  of  your  heavenly  Father !  The 
provocations  of  sons  and  daughters,  particularly  this  provo- 
cation of  unbelief,  touches  him  in  the  tenderest  part. 

You  may  readily  ask.  Wherein  does  the  unbelief  of  belie- 
vers discover  itscli?     I  answer, 

VOL.  I.  28 


326  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

1st,  It  discovers  itself  in  their  frequent  pleading  the  cause 
of  unbelief,  and  that  under  the  specious  pretext  of  humility. 
O,  will  the  man  say,  it  would  be  too  great  a  thing  for  the 
like  of  me  to  venture  into  the  holiest ;  it  would  be  presumption 
in  me  to  draw  near  with  full  assurance  of  faith,  asking  peace 
and  pardon,  grace  and  glory ;  I  dare  not  meddle  with  the 
gift  of  God,  or  take  hold  of  his  covenant;  my  fingers  are  too 
foul  to  touch  such  holy  things.  Here  indeed  is  a  fair  mask 
and  show  of  humility.  But,  sirs.  It  is  nothing  else  than  the 
devil  of  unbelief  wrapped  up  in  Samuel's  mantle ;  it  is  a 
pleading  the  cause  of  unbelief,  and  a  refusing  to  obey  the  ex- 
press command  of  God,  under  a  pretence  that  you  are  not  fit 
enough  for  believing,  that  you  want  this  and  that  and  the  other 
qualification :  and  what  is  this  but  a  taint  of  the  old  Adam, 
a  tincture  of  the  covenant  of  works?  Whatever  cai^nal  reason 
may  imagine,  true  faith,  though  it  be  the  boldest,  yet  it  is 
the  most  humble  and  self-emptying  thing  in  the  world;  and 
the  more  of  the  boldness  and  assurance  of  faith,  always  the 
more  humility.  And  the  reason  of  this  is  plain,  because  faith 
in  its  dealings  with  God,  despises  so  much  as  to  cast  an  eye 
upon  any  grace  or  qualification  in  the  soul  itself,  excepting  it 
be  its  emptiness,  misery,  poverty,  &c.,  and  builds  its  whole 
confidence  upon  a  ground  without  itself,  namely,  the  noble 
qualifications  of  the  great  High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God. 

2dly,  The  unbelief  of  believers  discovers  itself  in  a  faint, 
languid,  and  timorous  way  of  believing,  as  if  the  ground 
they  stand  upon  were  not  able  to  bear  them.  Much  like  a 
man  walking  upon  weak  ice,  though  he  ventures  his  weight 
upon  it,  yet  every  moment  he  is  afraid  lest  the  ice  break  un- 
derneath him,  and  leave  him  in  the  deep.  Just  so  is  it  with 
many  believers ;  they  venture  upon  Christ,  upon  his  I'ighte- 
ousness,  and  upon  the  faithfulness  of  God  pledged  in  the  pro- 
mise, with  a  kind  of  erphing,  as  though  they  would  fail  un- 
derneath them,  and  leave  them  to  perish  for  ever.  And  what 
else  is  this  but  unbelief,  or  a  secret  distrusting  of  the  sufficien- 
cy of  God's  faithfulness,  or  of  Christ's  righteousness,  to  bear 
up  the  soul  in  its  eternal  concerns ! 

Srlly,  The  unbelief  of  believers  appears  in  their  being  too 
much  addicted  to  a  way  of  living  by  sense.  Sense,  unless  it 
have  the  stock  in  its  own  hand,  does  not  reckon  the  promise 
of  God  worth  a  farthing ;  but  faith  rejoices  in  the  promise  as 
its  subsistence  even  when  sense  is  out  of  doors.  The  believer 
who  lives  by  sense  will  not  believe  the  promise,  or  credit  the 
veracity  of  the  Promisor,  unless  he  be  hired  and  bribed  with 
sensible  consolations  and  manifestations ;  much  like  Thomas, 
John  XX.  25  :  "  Except  I  shall  see  in  his  hands  the  print  of  the 
nails,  and  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  thrust 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  327 

my  hand  into  his  side,  I  will  not  helievc."  It  is  with  many 
belicv'crs,  as  it  is  with  some  unskilful  swimmers;  they  will 
venture^ into  the  deep  waters  if  you  will  undertake  to  bear 
their  heads  above,  but  not  otherwise:  but  this  is  not  true 
swimminji;;  true  swimming  is  for  a  man  to  venture  the  weight 
of  his  body  into  the  water,  and  by  the  strength  of  the  water, 
and  the  waving  of  his  hands  and  limbs,  to  bear  himself  up  from 
sinking.  So  true  believing  is  not  for  a  man  to  trust  God  and 
his  promise  only  when  he  is  borne  up  with  sensible  consola- 
tions; but  for  a  man  to  rest,  stay,  and  bear  up  his  soul  upon 
the  bare  promise  of  God,  even  when  these  props  are  with- 
drawn :  it  is  to  "  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  to  stay 
ourselves  upon  him  as  our  God,  when  we  walk  in  darkness, 
and  see  no  light." 

Inf.  4.  This  doctrine  serves  to  discover  what  is  the  strength 
or  stature  of  our  faith;  for  the  expression  of  the  apostle  in  the 
text,  as  was  already  hinted,  plainly. imports,  that  there  are 
believers  of  ditFerent  sizes  in  God's  family.  Now,  in  en- 
larging this  inference,  there  are  two  or  three  practical  cases 
which  I  shall  endeavour  briefly  to  resolve. 

1.  What  are  the  usual  symptoms  of  a  strong  faith? 

2.  What  are  the  usual  attendants  of  a  weak  faith  ? 

3.  How  may  the  reality  of  faith  be  known,  though  it  were 
in  the  lowest  or  weakest  degree  ? 

Quest.  1.  What  are  the  signs  or  evidences  of  a  strong 
faith  ? 

Arts.  1.  The  more  the  legality  of  the  heart  is  overcome, 
the  stronger  is  a  man's  faith.  Every  man  is  naturally 
married  to  the  law  as  a  covenant ;  and  while  there  is  any 
thing  of  nature  in  the  believer,  he  will  tind  a  strong  bias  in 
his  heart,  turning  him  into  the  works  of  the  law,  as  a  ground 
of  acceptance  before  God.  And  O,  how  easily  and  insen- 
sibly do  our  spirits  glide  into  this  old  covenant-channel,  ima- 
gining that  God  accepts  of  us  the  better,  on  the  score  of  our 
inliLM-cnt  holiness,  or  external  acts  of  obedience  !  Now,  I 
say,  the  more  that  this  bias  of  the  heart  is  conquered,  the 
stronger  is  our  faith.  A  vigorous  and  lively  faith  overlooks 
all  graces,  duties,  attainments,  and  experiences,  as  grounds 
of  acceptance ;  and  founds  its  confidence  wholly  upon  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  the  merit  and  mediation  of  the  great  high 
priest  over  the  house  of  (lod,  by  virtue  of  the  covenant  of 
grace,  and  free  ]ironiiso  of  acceptance  in  him.  The  strong 
believer  casts  out  the  bond-woman,  and  her  seed  of  legal 
works  and  doings,  owning  himself  only  a  son  of  the  free-wo- 
man, an  heir  of  the  promise  of  grace  and  glory,  through 
Christ  and  his  imputed  righteousness.  Upon  this  rock  he 
drops  his  anchor,  upon  this  foundation  he  builds  his  hope, 


328  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

disclaiming  his  goodness  as  a  thing  that  extends  not  to  the 
Lord,  accounting  his  own  righteousness,  whether  legal  or 
evangelical,  before  or  after  conversion,  as  "  loss  and  dung, 
that  he  may  be  found  in  Christ,  having  the  righteousness 
which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ."  He  will  not  take  so 
much  as  a  stone  or  little  pinning  of  the  works  of  the  law,  to 
help  up  the  new  fabric  of  grace ;  no,  it  shall  be  all  grace  from 
top  to  bottom,  and  through  every  part  of  it,  and  grace  reign- 
ing through  imputed  righteousness  alone  :  Eph.  ii.  8,  9  :  "  By 
grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith  ;  and  that  not  of  yourselves: 
it  is  the  gift  of  God:  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should 
boast." 

2.  Strong  faith  will  build  its  confidence,  as  to  great  mat- 
ters, upon  a  naked  word  coming  from  the  mouth  of  Christ, 
even  though  sense  and  reason,  yea,  the  ordinary  course  of 
providence,  be  against  it.  This  we  see  exemplified  in  the 
case  of  Abraham,  formerly  mentioned,  Rom.  iv.  Though 
every  thing  seemed  to  make  against  him,  3^et  "  he  staggered 
not  at  the  promise  through  unbelief,  but  was  strong  in  faith, 
giving  glory  to  God."  Yea,  strong  faith  w^ill  catch  at  the 
least  hint'of  encouragement  from  the  Lord,  and  build  its  as- 
surance thereupon,  as  to  the  desired  event :  Matth.  viii.  5 — 
13,  the  centurion  comes  to  Christ  on  behalf  of  his  servant, 
who  was  stricken  with  a  palsy,  and  grievously  tormented. 
Christ  answers,  ver.  7,  "  I  will  come  and  heal  him."  Well, 
the  man's  faith  fixes  upon  this  simple  word  of  promise,  and  is 
so  much  assured  of  the  good-will,  power,  and  faithfulness  of 
the  Promisor,  that  he  makes  no  more  doubt  of  his  servant's 
recovery,  than  if  it  were  already  done,  being  persuaded,  that 
diseases  and  distempers  were  as  much  at  Christ's  beck,  and 
much  more,  than  his  soldiers  or  servants  were  at  his ;  and 
that  Christ's  woi'd  of  command  could  as  effectually  heal  at  a 
distance,  as  though  he  were  present:  upon  which,  verse  10, 
we  are  told,  that  Jesus  marvelled,  saying,  "  I  have  not  found 
so  great  faith,  no,  not  in  Israel." 

3.  Strong  faith  is  ordinarily  attended  with  a  firm  and  fixed 
resolution  to  hang  on  the  Lord,  till  it  get  the  errand  it  comes 
for:  and  no  supposable  discouragements  shall  make  it  quit 
its  grasp.  Jacob  was  a  strong  believer,  and,  by  the  strength  of 
his  faith,  "  he  had  power  with  God ;  yea,  he  had  power  over 
the  angel,  and  prevailed."  We  read,  Gen.  xxxii.  after  along 
night's  wrestling,  the  Lord  says  to  him,  "  Let  me  go,  for  the 
day  breaketh :"  Jacob  answers,  "  I  will  not  let  thee  go,  ex- 
cept thou  bless  me."  This  one  would  think,  looked  like  rude- 
ness and  ill  manners  in  Jacob,  to  speak  so  to  God  :  no,  it  was 
not  rudeness,  but  only  the  resolution  of  his  faith.  '  Lord,'  might 
Jacob  say,  'if  thou  ask  my  leave  to  go,  I  can  by  no  means 


XI.]  OPEXED  AND  APPLIED.  329 

yield  to  it;  let  the  day  break  and  pass  on,  let  night  come, 
and  the  next  day  break  again,  lame  Jacob,  and  the  living 
God,  shall  never  part,  till  I  get  the  blessing:'  and  his  resolute 
faith,  like  a  prince,  prevailed,  O  let  all  the  true  seed  of  Jacob 
follow  his  example,  and  they  "  shall  be  fed  with  the  heritage 
of  Jacob  their  father."  The  like  instance  we  see  in  the  Syro- 
])lienician  woman,  Matth.  xv.  22 — 28.  Her  faith  breaks 
tlirough  all  discouragements,  yea,  improves  seeming  discou- 
lagements  as  arguments  to  fortify  her  suit;  whereuj)on  Christ 
at  length  answers,  "  O  woman,  great  is  thy  faith."  Strong 
faith  will  rather  die  upon  the  spot,  than  quit  its  grasp  : — 
"  Though  he  slay  me,"  says  Job,  "  yet  will  I  trust  in  him." 

4.  Strong  faith,  though  it  may  be  troubled  at  the  hiding  of 
(he  Lord's  countenance,  yet  it  will  not  be  cast  down  at  every 
cloud,  as  though  the  Lord  had  forgotten  to  be  gracious :  no, 
it  presently  casts  its  eyes  on  the  covenant,  and  reads  love  in 
God's  words,  when  it  cannot  see  them  in  his  looks;  saying 
with  (he  church,  in  Mic.  vii.  8,9:  "Though  I  sit  in  darkness, 
the  Lord  will  be  a  light  unto  me: — he  will  bring  me  forth  to 
the  hght,  and  I  shall  behold  his  righteousness."  Why  ?  He 
has  said,  and  his  word  is  sure,  that  "  his  goings  forth  are  pre- 
pared," or  secured,  '•  as  the"  outgoings  of  the  morning-light, 
Hos.  vi.  3;  and  therefore  I  no  more  doubt  of  the  Lord's  re- 
turn, than  I  doubt  of  the  return  of  the  sun  in  the  morning, 
when  he  sets  out  of  sight  in  the  evening.  However  dark 
the  night  may  be,  yet  the  day  will  break,  and  (he  shadows  will 
fly  away  :  "  Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh 
in  the  morning."  And,  as  strong  faith  keeps  up  the  heart  from 
sinking  under  the  clouds  of  desertion,  temptation,  and  inward 
trouble ;  so  it  keeps  the  spirit  of  a  man  in  an  equal  poise, 
under  all  the  vicissitudes  of  time,  so  that  "  he  shall  not  be 
afraid  of  evil  (idings,  his  heart  being  fixed,  trusting  in  the 
Lord."  Although  the  fig  tree  should  not  blossom,  ttc.  yet  will 
he  "  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  and  be  glad  in  the  God  of  his  salva- 
tion," ilab.  iii.  17,  18.  Heroic  faith  has  the  moon  of  this 
world  under  its  feet;  it  tramj)les  upon  all  the  changes  of  time, 
saying  with  the  apostle,  "  1  have  learned  in  whatsoever  state 
I  am,  therewith  to  be  content,"  &.c.  However  matters  may 
be  situated  in  the  conduct  of  providence,  yet,  a  lively  faith 
can  see  that  there  are  no  changes  in  God's  covenant,  no  change 
of  his  love  or  purpose  of  grace. 

5.  The  more  fruitful  a  person  is  in  the  exercise  of  other 
graces,  the  stronger  is  his  faith.  You  know  the  plenty  and 
bigness  of  the  fruit  of  a  tree,  flows  from  (he  abundance  of  sap 
and  strength  in  the  root:  so  here,  faith  is  the  radical  grace, 
the  root  upon  which  the  other  graces  grow;  and  therefore, 
the  more  that  a  person  abounds  in  love,  hope,  repentance, 

28* 


330  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [sER. 

meekness,  humility,  and  other  graces,  the  more  vigorous  is  his 
faith :  for  as  the  tree  strikes  its  roots  into  the  ground,  and 
from  thence  draws  and  sends  a  digested  nourishment  through 
the  several  branches,  by  which  they  are  made  to  blossom 
and  bring  forth  ;  so  faith  unites  the  soul  to  Christ,  through  the 
word  of  grace,  and  fetches  out  sap  and  strength  from  that  true 
olive  by  which  the  soul  is  made  to  "  revive  as  the  corn,  to 
grow  as  the  vine,  and  the  scent  and  savour  thereof  to  be  as 
the  wine  of  Lebanon." 

The  5eco/2c/ question  was.  What  arc  the  usual  attendants  of 
a  weak  faith  ?  An  answer  to  this  question  may  easily  be  de- 
duced from  what  has  been  already  suggested  in  answer  to 
the  former;  a  weak  faith  having  the  opposite  symptoms  of  a 
strong.  However,  beside  what  may  be  gathered  this  way,  I 
shall  suggest  the  two  particulars  following  : — 

1.  Frequent  doubting,  staggering,  and  wavering  of  the  heart, 
is  a  concomitant  of  weak  faith.  You  know,  there  is  a  great 
deal  of  smoke  goes  up  from  the  fire,  while  it  is  weak,  not 
thoroughly  broken  up  ;  so  the  more  of  the  smoke  of  unbe- 
lieving doubts,  fears,  and  jealousies,  there  is  the  less  failh. 
Hence  doubting  and  believing  are  opposed;  ''  Wherefore  did.vt 
thou  doubt,  O  thou  of  little  faith?"  A  staggering  at  the  pro- 
mise through  unbelief  is  opposed  to  the  strength  of  faith,  Rom. 
iv.  20.  The  word  is  borrowed  from  a  man  walking,  whose 
feet  through  weakness  hit  one  another,  which  makes  him  alter 
his  pace,  one  step  is  quick,  and  another  slow  :  so  here,  the 
way  of  weak  faith  is  not  equal.  Perhaps,  under  a  sensible 
enjoyment,  he  is  this  hour  triumphing  in  his  high  places  ;  but 
anon  the  enjoyment  is  withdrawn,  and  he  alters  his  pace, 
and  staggers  through  unbelief,  saying,  "  His  promise  fails  for 
evermore;  he  hath  forgotten  to  be  gracious." 

2.  The  more  hasty  and  impatient  the  soul  is  under  delays, 
the  weaker  is  its  faith.  This  I  gather  from  Is.  xxviii.  16: 
"  He  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste."  Weak  faith  is  so 
hasty,  that  it  will  allow  of  no  time  to  intervene  betwixt  the 
petition  and  its  answer,  betwixt  the  promise  and  the  accom- 
plishment: If  the  answer  do  not  come  presently,  the  man  is 
ready  to  conclude,  "  The  Lord  doth  not  hear,  neither  doth 
the  God  of  Jacob  regard."  But  now,  strong  faith  makes  the 
soul  to  wait  God's  time  and  leisure,  saying,  "  1  will  direct  my 
prayer  unto  thee,  and  will  look  up.  I  will  look  unto  the 
Lord :  I  will  wait  for  the  God  of  my  salvation :  my  God  will 
hear  me." 

The  third  question  was  this,  How  may  the  truth  and  reality 
of  faith  be  known,  though  it  be  in  the  weakest  and  lowest 
degree?  I  answer, 

1.  True  faith,  even  in  the  weakest  measure,  will  look  on 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  331 

sin  as  an  enemy,  though  it  perhaps  dare  not  lay  claim  to 
Christ  as  a  friend.  True  faith  is  said  to  "  purify  the  heart," 
Acts  xv.  *J.  It  is  a  living  principle  in  the  soul,  wiiich  is  al- 
ways opposing  the  motions  of  indwelling  corruption.  Although 
indeed,  sometimes,  through  the  prevalency  of  sin,  it  cannot  be 
discerned,  more  than  the  living  spring  at  the  bottom  of  the  . 
well,  when  the  waters  are  muddied;  yet  like  the  living  spring, 
it  is  always  working  out  the  mud  and  filth,  till  the  waters  be 
perfectly  clear.  Perhaps  the  soul  is  so  far  from  perceiving 
any  real  grace,  any  actual  interest  in  Christ,  that  it  can  see 
nothing  but  atheism,  enmity,  unbelief,  ignorance,  pride,  and 
such  vermin  of  hell,  crawling  in  every  corner  ;  and  yet  at  the 
same  time  the  living  principle  of  faith  at  the  bottom  of  the 
heart  will  be  working  and  wrestling  against  these,  sometimes 
by  groans  ;  "  Wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  mci" 
sometimes  by  complaints,  "Iniquities  prevail  against  me:" 
sometimes  by  looks  to  heaven  for  relief,  "  I  know  not  what  to 
do,  but  mine  eyes  are  upon  thee :"  sometimes  by  cries  to  heaven, 
"  1  am  oppressed,  undertake  for  me  :"  sometimes  by  breathing 
desires  alter  more  holiness,  "  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart ;  Let 
my  heart  be  sound  in  thy  statutes;  O  that  my  ways  were  di- 
rected to  keep  thy  statutes !"  By  such  things,  the  truth  and 
reality  of  faith  may  be  discovered,  even  in  its  weakest  mea- 
sure and  degree. 

2.  True  faith,  though  ever  so  weak,  will  have  a  high  esti- 
mate and  valuation  of  Christ,  and  the  habitual  bent  and  bias 
of  the  soul  will  be  toward  him,  1  Pet.  ii.  7:  "  Unto  you  which 
believe,  he  is  precious."  Is.  xxvi.  8 :  "  The  desire  of  our  soul 
is  to  thy  name  and  to  the  remembrance  of  thee."  Weak 
faith,  perhaps,  dare  not  go  the  length  of  saying  with  the 
spouse,  "  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his:"  yet  it  will  be 
often  saying,  Othat  he  were  mine!  "O  that  thou  wert  as  my 
brother  lliat  sucked  the  breasts  of  my  mother!"  And  if  it 
could  get  out  its  breath,  it  would  even  cry,  "  Abba,  Father  ; 
My  Lord,  and  my  God:"  but  it  is,  as  it  were,  suppressed  and 
smothered,  when  it  would  say  so,  with  prevailing  unbelief. 
Where  true  faith  is,  there  is  a  void,  emptiness,  and  restlessness 
of  the  soul,  like  the  lish  out  of  its  element,  or  a  bone  out  of 
joint,  till  some  view  of  Christ  come,  and  then,  indeed,  it  re- 
turns unto  its  rest.  I  remember,  after  the  creation  of  Adam, 
God  caused  all  the  creatures  to  [)ass  before  him:  but  among 
them  all  there  was  not  found  a  hel[)  meet  for  him:  there  was 
something  disagrccai)le  and  unsatisfying  in  all  the  inferior 
creatures;  so  that  though  he  had  them  all  at  his  command, 
yet  still  man  was  in  a  solitary  condition,  Gen.  ii.  20.  But  so 
soon  as  ever  the  woman  was  presented  to  him,  he  says,  ver. 
23,  "  This  is  now   bone  of  my  bone,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh ;" 


332  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

this  indeed  is  a  help  meet  for  me.  Just  so  is  it  with  the  soul 
in  whom  there  is  a  principle  of  true  faith  :  present  riches,  pro- 
fits, pleasures,  and  all  worldly  contentments  to  him,  he  still 
finds  sometliing  unsuitable  and  unsavoury  in  them  all ;  but  let 
Christ  be  revealed  to  him,  immediately  he  cries  out,  O  this  is, 
a  help  meet  for  me  indeed  !  Is.  xi.  10 :  "  To  him  shall  the 
Gentiles  seek,  for  his  rest  is  glorious."  Psal.  Ixxiii.  25:  "Whom 
have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that 
I  desire  besides  thee." 

3,  True  faith,  though  in  the  lowest  degree,  will  not  rest 
there,  but  breathes  after  higher' degrees  of  faith.  Set  the 
highest  degree  of  faith  before  a  weak  believer,  tell  him  of  the 
faith  of  Abraham,  how  he  believed  without  staggering;  the 
man  will  indeed  be  humbled  under  a  sense  of  his  short-com- 
ings, and  lament  his  own  unbelief;  yet,  at  the  same  time,  he 
will  find  a  breathing,  and  eager  desire  in  his  soul  to  win  such 
a  length  of  believing.  Thus,  like  Paul,  he  "forgets  those 
things  which  are  behind,  and  reacheth  forth  unto  those  things 
which  are  before,"  &c.  When  the  weak  believer  hears  of 
the  full  assurance  of  failh,  his  language  is,  "  Lord,  help  my 
unbelief;  Lord,  increase  my  faith."  I  might  tell  you  of  many 
other  evidences  of  faith  in  its  truth  and  reality,  though  weak, 
as,  that  it  works  by  love;  it  empties  the  soul,  and  humbles  it; 
though  the  man  cannot  see  himself  great  in  God's  eyes,  yet 
he  sees  himself  nothing  in  his  own  eyes ;  as  he  values  Christ 
highly,  so  he  values  himself  less  than  the  least  of  all  God's 
mercies.     But  I  do  not  insist. 

Inf.  5.  Is  it  the  will  of  God  that  we  should  draw  near  to 
him  in  Christ,  with  full  assurance  of  faith  ?  then  let  us  study 
to  do  the  will  of  God  in  this  matter.  Seeing  the  door  of  the 
holiest  is  open,  the  "  way  consecrated  for  us,"  and  the  "  High 
Priest  entered  within  the  veil;  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true 
heart,  in  full  assurance  of  fjiith."  I  exhort  you  not  only  to 
"  believe,"  but  to  be  "strong  in  the  faith."  Study  to  have  a 
faith  proportioned,  in  some  measure,  to  the  grounds  of  faith 
already  mentioned. 

But  here  a  question  will  readily  be  moved.  Is  it  the  duty 
of  all  the  hearers  of  the  gospel,  at  first  to  believe  after  this 
manner,  or  to  draw  near  with  a  full  assurance  of  faith?  For 
answer, 

1.  I  grant,  that  the  first  approaches  of  a  sinner  to  God  in 
Christ  by  faith,  are  for  the  most  part  weak  and  feeble,  at- 
tended with  much  fear  and  trembling,  through  the  preva- 
lence and  strength  of  unbelief,  a  sense  of  utter  unworthiness, 
and  awful  impressions  of  the  glorious  majesty  of  God ;  all 
which  readily  makes  him,  with  the  publican,  to  "stand  afar 
off,  smiting  on  his  breast,  crying,  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sin- 
ner."    But  yet, 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  333 

2.  I  affirm,  that  there  is  a  sufficient  ground  laid,  in  the  gos- 
pel revelation  and  promise,  for  a  sinner,  even  in  his  first  ap- 
proach to  God  in  Christ,  to  come  with  full  assurance  of  faith. 
This  will  evidently  appear,  if  we  consider,  that  by  the  glori- 
ous gospel,  a  wide  door  of  access  is  cast  open  to  all  without 
exception;  all  grounds  of  unbelief  and  distrust  arc  removed, 
every  bar  and  impediment  which  might  make  them  to  halt 
and  hesitate  is  rolled  away.  This  is  given  in  commission  to 
ministers,  to  "  prepare  the  way  of  the  people,  to  cast  up,  cast 
up  the  high-way,  to  gather  out  the  stones,  and  lift  up  a  stand- 
ard for  the  people,"  Is.  Ixii.  10.  When  we  call  sinners  to  be- 
lieve, we  do  not  call  them  to  come  with  a  weak  faith,  or  with 
a  doubting,  disputing  faith  ;  but  we  invite  and  call  them  to 
come  with  assurance  of  acceptance  and  welcome,  grounded 
upon  his  infallible  word  of  piomise ;  "Him  that  cometh  to 
me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 

3.  I  find  the  Lord  directing  sinners,  even  in  their  first  ap- 
proaches, to  draw  near  to  him  in  Christ,  with  full  assurance 
of  faith,  Jer.  iii.  19  :  "  But  I  said.  How  shall  I  put  thee  among 
the  children,  and  give  thee  a  pleasant  land,  a  goodly  heritage 
of  the  hosts  of  nations?"  Here  is  a  very  puzzling  question, 
such  as  none  can  answer  but  God  himself.  Well,  but  wiiat 
is  the  answer  which  the  Lord  puts  in  the  sinner's  mouth  ? 
"  Thou  shalt  call  me,  My  Father,  and  shalt  not  turn  away 
from  me."  The  first  breath  of  the  Spirit  of  adoption  is,  Abha, 
Father,  Rom.  viii.  15;  a  word  of  faith  or  confidence.  Christ 
puts  words  of  assurance  in  our  mouths,  teaching  us,  when  we 
pray,  to  say,  "  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven."  And  every 
one  apart  is  to  say,  "  My  Father  which  art  in  heaven,"  &c. 
Agreeably  to  which  is  the  direction  given.  Jam.  i.  6.  We 
are  told,  verse  5,  that  "  if  any  man"  (be  he  a  saint,  or  a  sin- 
ner) "  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all 
men  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not ;  and  it  shall  be  given  him." 
Well,  here  is  noble  encouragement  to  all ;  but  they  who 
would  speed  well,  are  ordered  to  come  in  the  full  assurance 
of  faith,  verse  0 :  "  But  then  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing  wa- 
vering," &.C. 

4.  I  find  sinners  in  their  first  approaches,  sometimes  prac- 
tising this  direction,  and  coming  with  words  of  assurance,  Jer. 
iii.  22,  says  the  l^ord,  "Return,  yo  backsliding  children,  and 
I  will  heal  your  backslidings."  And  what  is  the  first  echo  of 
faith  to  this  call?  "  Behold,  we  come  unto  thee,  for  thou  art 
the  Lord  our  God."  So  Zech.  xiii.  1) ;  "  I  will  say.  It  is  my 
people ;"  there  is  the  word  of  grace,  and  ground  of  faith : 
and  the  language  of  faith,  correspondent  to  it,  immediately 
follows;  "They  shall  say,  the  Lord  is  my  God."  Is.  xlv. 
24 :  "  Surely  shall  one  say.  In  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness 


334  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

and  strength."  Besides  all  this,  none,  I  think,  can  doubt, 
but  it  is  the  sinner's  duty,  at  first,  in  obedience  to  the  first 
commandment,  to  know  and  acknowledge  the  Lord  as  God, 
and  as  our  God;  and  how  this  can  be  done  but  by  believing, 
I  cannot  tell. 

Well,  then,  seeing  there  is  such  a  door  of  faith  opened  to 
sinners  in  the  gospel,  let  sinners  enter  in  with  boldness,  and 
be  saved :  John  x.  9  :  "I  am  the  door,"  says  Christ :  "  by  me 
if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved,  and  shall  go  in  and 
out,  and  find  pasture." 

Object.  1.  May  the  sinner  say,  How  shall  I  venture  to  draw 
near  with  assurance  of  acceptance?  I  have  such  a  burden  of 
sin  and  guilt  lying  upon  me,  and  it  has  such  a  prevalency  and 
ascendant  over  me,  that  my  confidence  is  quite  marred  :  for 
my  part,  I  may  well  say  with  David,  Psal.  xl.  12,  "Innume- 
rable evils  have  compassed  me  about,  mine  iniquities  have 
taken  hold  upon  me,  so  that  I  am  not  able  to  look  up:  they 
are  more  than  the  hairs  of  mine  head,  therefore  my  heart 
faileth  me."  To  this  I  answer,  (1.)  By  M'ay  of  concession 
that  it  is  indeed  impossible  for  a  person  living  in  the  love  and 
practice  of  sin,  to  draw  near  to  God  with  the  confidence  of 
faith ;  for  in  the  very  act  of  drawing  near,  the  heart  is  piiri- 
Jied  by  faith,  in  the  blood  of  Jesus ;  or,  as  it  is  expressed  in  the 
latter  clause  of  the  text,  he  has  his  "  heart  sprinkled  from  an 
evil  conscience,  and  his  body  washed  with  pure  water."  In 
believing  we  "  cease  to  do  evil,  and  learn  to  do  well."  Faith, 
apprehending  the  mercy  of  God  In  Christ,  turns  the  soul  from 
sin  to  God.  ,  So  that  it  is  as  impossible  for  a  person  to  draw 
near  to  God  with  the  confidence  of  faith,  while  he  lives  in 
the  love  and  practice  of  sin,  as  it  is  for  a  person  to  come  to 
you,  and  go  from  you,  at  the  same  instant  of  time.  While 
the  heart  is  in  league  with  sin,  it  is  departing  from  the  Lord: 
how  then  in  this  case  can  the  sinner  draw  near  to  God  ?  far 
less  can  he  draw  near  with  assurance  of  acceptance.  There 
is  a  great  difTe^ence  betwixt  iniquity  prevailing  in  the  heart, 
and  iniquity  regarded  in  the  heart.  In  the  last  case,  a  person 
cannot  draw  near  with  acceptance:  Psal.  Ixvi.  18:  "  If  I  re- 
gard iniquity  in  my  heart:  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me."  As 
if  he  had  said,  If  I  love  it,  or  give  it  kindly  harbour  in  my 
heart,  God  will  not  accept  of  me,  or  my  prayers;  because  in 
that  case  he  could  not  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  which  is 
an  inseparable  concomitant  of  the  assurance  of  faith.  But  in 
the  former  case,  namely,  of  prevailing  iniquity,  it  is  not  only 
possible,  but  actually  precedented,  for  a  person  to  draw  near 
with  the  full  assurance  of  faith ;  as  we  see  in  the  instance  of 
David,  Psal.  Ixv.  3  :  "  Iniquities,"  says  he,  "  prevail  against 
me."    But  what  follows '?  "  As  for  our  trangressions,  thou  shalt 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  335 

purge  them  away."  Now,  this  being  the  case  pointed  at  in 
the  objection,  it  ought  to  be  no  prejudice  or  hinderance  to 
your  drawing  near  to  the  hoHest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  with 
full  assurance  of  faith,  seeing  he  is  faithful  who  hath  promised 
acceptance  in  the  beloved.  (2.)  Whereas,  O  sinner,  thou 
com|)lainest  of  a  burden  of  sin  and  guilt  lying  upon  thee, 
which  mars  thy  conlidence ;  I  only  ask,  For  whom  thinkest 
thou,  was  the  way  to  the  holiest  opened  by  the  blood  of  Je- 
sus ?  was  it  for  the  righteous,  or  for  guilty  sinners  ?  An  in- 
nocent or  holy  person  needs  no  such  way  of  access:  it  is  only 
calculated  and  shapen  for  the  guilty  criminal  and  transgres- 
sor, such  as  thou  art;  and  "though  thy  sins  be  as  scarlet, 
ihcy  shall  be  as  white  as  snow ;  though  they  be  red  like  crim- 
son, they  shall  be  as  wool,"  that  moment  thou  enterest  in  by 
the  blood  of  Jesus:  and  therefore,  lei  us  draiv  near  uith  a  (rue 
heart,  in  full  assiircmce  offailh.  Whither  can  a  guilty  sinner 
go,  but  to  the  Lord  pardoning  iniquity,  transgression  and  sin? 
Whither  can  a  polluted  sinner  go,  save  to  the  fountain  opened 
for  sin  and  unclcaDuess  ?  (3.)  'J'he  boldness  and  assurance  of 
faith  is  not  only  consistent,  but  is  always  accompanied  with  a 
soul-abasing  sense  of  utter  unworthiness,  because  of  the  guilt, 
and  tilth,  and  power  of  sin.  And  the  reason  of  this  is  plain, 
because,  in  believing,  the  man,  through  an  nptaking  of  sin 
and  guilt,  is  carried  out  of  himself  to  seek  his  standing  and 
the  ground  of  his  confidence  in  another,  even  in  Christ,  and 
the  mercy  of  God  in  him.  So  David,  Psal.  cxxx.  3,  4:  "If 
thou.  Lord,  shouldst  mark  inicjuities,  O  Lord,  who  shall  stand  ? 
But  there  is  forgiveness  with  thee,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared," 
&c.  And' therefore,  let  a  sense  of  sin,  in  its  guilt  and  preva- 
lence, carry  thee  out  of  thyself,  to  draw  near,  by  the  blood  of 
Jesus,  with  full  assurance  of  faith.  It  was  a  preposterous  way 
of  reasoniui^  in  Peter,  to  say,  "Lord,  depart  from  me,  for  I 
am  a  sinful  man."  He  should  rather  have  said,  '  J^ord,  come 
t<t  me,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man  ;'  for  where  can  a  sinner  be  bet- 
ter than  with  the  Saviour  of  sinners? 

Ohjtxi.  2.  You  call  us  to  draw  near  with  the  assurance  of 
faith;  but,  alas!  how  can  1  do  this,  seeing  I  am  in  the  dark 
about  my  interest  in  Christ?  If  I  knew  that  I  had  peace  with 
God,  my  sin  pardoned,  my  person  accepted,  and  that  1  were 
in  a  state  of  grace  and  favour,  in  that  case  I  could  draw  near 
with  contidence  indeed.  But  the  case  is  quite  otherwise: 
clouds  and  darkness  are  round  about  me;  I  doubt  if  ever 
God  dealt  with  my  heart  eilijctually  by  his  grace:  Mow, 
then,  can  I  draw  near  with  the  confidence  of  faith?  Afisw. 
If  you  never  draw  near  to  (lod  with  the  assurance  of  faith, 
till  you  come  to  a  sensible  assurance  of  your  interest  in 
Christ,  and  of  your  being  in  a  state  of  grace,  you  will  never 


336  *  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

draw  near  to  him  in  your  life :  and  the  reason  of  this  is, 
because  a  sensible  assurance  of  an  interest  in  Christ,  is  the 
fruit  and  effect  of  the  soul's  drawing  near  by  faith ;  and  the 
effect  can  never  go  before  its  cause.  The  way  to  come  at 
that  assurance  of  a  state  of  grace,  is  to  draw  near  with  the 
assurance  of  faith,  grounded,  not  upon  any  gracious  work 
within  you,  but  upon  the  gracious  promise  of  God  in  his 
word,  and  the  mediation  of  the  great  High  Pj-iest  over  the 
house  of  God:  Heb.  iv.  14,  IG:  "Seeing  we  have  a  great 
High  Priest,  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus,  the  Son  of 
God, — let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace," 
&.C.  Faith  (as  I  said  just  now)  still  seeks  a  ground  of  confi- 
dence, not  in  grace  received,  or  any  thing  within  the  man, 
but  only  in  Christ,  and  the  gracious  promise  of  acceptance 
through  him ;  and  therefore,  the  best  way  in  the  world  to 
rise  above  all  these  doubts,  fears,  and  perplexities  respecting 
your  gracious  state,  is,  by  a  direct  act  of  faith,  to  go  to  God 
by  the  new  and  living  way,  assuring  and  persuading  your 
own  souls,  that  a  God  of  grace  and  love  "  hates  putting 
away,"  Is.  1.  10.  He  that  "  walketh  in  darkness,  and  hath 
no  light,"  what  course  is  he  to  take?  "  Let  him  trust  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  himself  upon  his  God:"  where, 
by  the  name  of  the  Lord,  we  are  to  understand  the  grace  and 
mercy,  power  and  faithfulness,  of  God,  pledged  in  the  pro- 
mises of  the  covenant.  Here  we  are  to  cast  anchor;  upon  these 
we  are  to  build  the  confidence  and  assurance  of  faith,  when 
we  have  nothing  to  look  or  trust  to.  Faith,  both  in  its  first 
act,  and  in  its  after-actings,  fastens  upon  this  name  of  the 
Lord:  when  at  first  it  fetches  the  soul  out  of  the  darkness  of 
a  natural  state,  and  when  afterw^irds,  by  its  renewed  actings, 
it  brings  the  soul  from  under  the  dark  and  black  clouds  of 
desertion,  temptation,  and  despondency,  it  still  trusts  in  the 
name  of  God,  as  it  is  set  in  Christ,  and  set  forth  in  the  cove- 
nant, particularly  in  the  absolute  promises  of  it.  And  there- 
fore, though  indeed,  in  the  duty  of  self-examination,  we  are 
to  look  inward  for  the  marks  and  evidences  of  grace,  in  order 
to  our  arriving  at  an  assurance  of  sense  :  yet,  in  the  duty  of 
believing,  and  in  order  to  our  coming  at  the  assurance  of  faith, 
we  must  look  wholly  outward  to  the  promise,  and  the  name 
of  God  pledged  therein.  Thus  did  Abraham,  the  father  of 
the  faithful,  Rom.  iv.  20,  21  ;  and  so  must  we,  if  we  would  be 
the  true  seed  of  Abraham. 

Object.  3.  You  call  sinners  to  believe,  and  to  believe  with 
an  assured  faith:  But  to  what  purpose  is  all  this?  may  one 
say:  faith  is  "  the  gift  of  God,"  the  work  of  his  Spirit ;  I  have 
no  power  to  believe,  till  God  work  it  in  me ;  and  therefore 
all  this  labour,  in  persuading  us  to  believe,  might  be  spared. 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  337 

I  answer,  Your  own  inability  to  believe,  by  any  strength  or 
power  of  yours,  is  so  far  from  being  an  argument  against, 
that  it  is  one  of  the  strongest  arguments  why  you  should  be- 
lieve :  for  when  wc  call  you  to  believe,  we  do  not  call  you  to 
work  or  do  any  thing  by  your  own  power ;  but,  because  you 
have  no  power,  to  trust  in  the  doings  and  strength  of  anotlier, 
who,  as  he  has  wrought  all  your  worksybryo?/,  so  he  engages 
himself  by  promise,  to  work  all  your  works  "  in  you ;"  and 
particularly,  being  "  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  faith,"  is  ready 
and  willing  to  "fulfil  in  you  all  the  good  pleasure  of  his  good- 
ness, and  the  work  of  faith  with  power."  Every  creature 
answers  its  name ;  and  will  God  be  wanting  to  answer  his  ? 
No,  surely ;  the  name  that  he  takes  to  himself  is  declarative 
of  his  nature  :  and  therefore,  since  he  has  taken  this  name  to 
himself,  of  being  the  "Author  of  Faith,"  and  the  "Finisher" 
thereof,  we  may,  with  the  greatest  assurance  of  faith,  "  trust 
in  this  name  of  the  Lord,"  that  he  will  both  begin  the  good 
work,  and  carry  it  on  to  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  And 
this  very  committing  of  the  work  of  faith  to  him,  from  a  sense 
of  your  own  inability,  is  that  believing  which  we  urge  and 
call  you  to.  Faith  is  a  grace  which  just  springs  out  of  the 
ruin  of  all  self-sufliciency  and  excellency;  finding  neither  right- 
eousness nor  strength  within,  it  looks  abroad,  and  cries,  "  Sure- 
ly in  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength." 

Unbelief  and  carnal  reason  are  ready  to  argue,  Because 
God  by  his  Spirit  must  do  all,  therefore  we  will  sit  still  and 
do  nothing.  But  the  Spirit  of  God,  whose  reasonings  I  am 
sure  arc  infinitely  better,  argues  after  a  quite  different  man- 
ner, Phil.  ii.  12, 13 :  "  Work  oivt  your  own  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling ;  for  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to 
will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure."  O  what  glorious  en- 
couragement is  here  for  a  poor  impotent  sinner  to  essay  and 
endeavour  at  believing  !  Here  is  the  arm  of  Omnipotence, 
reaching  forth  for  thy  help  and  through-bearing  in  the  work 
he  calls  thee  to.  Up,  therefore,  and  be  doing;  for  "  thy  God 
commands  thy  strength;"  and  therefore  let  him  be  "  the  glory 
of  thy  strength." 

But,  say  you,  seeing  wc  cannot  work  the  work  of  faith, 
why  does  he  yet  command  hi  Is  it  not  a  hardship  to  require 
of  us  what  wc  have  no  ability  to  do?  Jlnsrr.  Why  do  you 
send  your  little  children  to  school  with  the  A,  B,  C,  in  their 
hands,  before  they  can  read  one  letter?  You  do  not  think 
it  a  hardshi])  to  j)nt  the  book  in  their  hand,  and  bid  them 
read,  thougli  they  know  not  a  letter,  because  you  ofler  to 
teach  them  yourself,  or  by  another  in  your  place.  So  here, 
we  are  commanded  to  "  work  the  work  of  God ;"  which  is 
to  "  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent ;"  which  yet  is  no 

VOL.  I.  29 


338  THE  ASSURANCE  OP  TAITH,  [sER. 

hardship,  notwithstanding  of  utter  inability  for  it  in  ourselves  ; 
because,  at  the  same  time  that  he  commands  believing,  he 
tells  us,  for  our  encouragement,  that  he  himself  is  the  Author 
of  faith,  and  is  ready  to  work  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do. 
If  a  master  should  command  a  servant  to  poise  or  lift  a  bur- 
den which  he  is  not  able  to  move,  or  to  work  a  turn  which 
he  has  no  skill  to  manage  ;  it  might  indeed  discourage  the 
servant  from  attemptin<i;  it,  if  he  were  required  to  do  it  by  his 
own  strength  or  skill ;  but  when  the  master  tells  him,  1  will 
assist,  I  will  direct,  I  will  do  all,  only  put  to  thy  hand,  what 
servant  would  refuse  or  decline  the  service  in  this  case'?  or 
if  he  should,  do  you  not  think  he  would  deserve  to  be  beaten 
with  many  stripes  1  The  application  is  obvious  :  It  is  God's 
ordinary  way  to  come  and  join  with  the  poor  soid,  and  enable 
it  to  believe,  while,  in  obedience  to  his  comniand,  it  is  endea- 
vouring to  believe  in  Christ.  Like  a  kind  nriaster  of  a  school, 
when  the  child,  in  obedience  to  him,  takes  the  pen  in  his  hand, 
and  scribbles  the  best  way  he  can,  the  master  takes  his  hand 
in  his,  and  leads  and  learns  him  to  write  :  so,  when  we  take, 
as  it  were,  the  pen  in  our  hand,  and  oflcr  to  wa'ite,  at  his  com- 
mand, he  takes  our  hand  in  his,  directing,  strengthening,  and 
enabling  us  to  be-lieve:  so  that,  if  there  be  but  a  willing  m.ind 
to  this  work,  it  is  accepted  :  where  he  gives  to  will,  he  will 
also  give  to  do,  of  his  good  pleasure ;  these  two  are  insepa- 
rably connected  in  the  order  of  God's  covenant. 

But  you  may  still  object,  All  the  endeavours  of  a  natural 
man  are  still  but  natural  and  sinful  actions;  and  will  ever 
God  concur  by  his  almighly  power  with  the  acts  or  endea- 
vours of  nature.  Answ.  Akhough  God  be  not  obliged  to 
concur  with  the  endeavours  of  nature  ;  yet,  such  is  his  grace, 
love,  and  good-will,  towards  man  upon  earth,  such  is  the 
strength  of  his  desire  after  our  salvation,  such  pleasure  has 
he  in  a  sinner's  believing,  such  a  regard  has  he  to  what  he 
himself  has  commanded,  that  we  find  him  many  times  actual- 
ly concurring  with  the  poor  helpless  sinner,  in  his  impotent 
efforts  at  obedience  to  what  he  calls  for.  It  was  no  gracious 
principle  that  moved  Naaman  the  Syrian  to  go  wash  in  the 
waters  of  Jordan  ;  yet,  because  he  did  what  was  commanded, 
God  was  pleased  to  concur  with  the  mean  of  his  own  ap- 
pointment, and  cured  his  leprous  body,  and,  for  aught  I  know, 
his  soul  also.  Let  us  believe  as  we  can,  in  obedience  to  God's 
command,  and,  in  dependence  upon  his  almighty  power ;  and 
while  we  are  doing  so,  although  the  act  be  at  the  beginning 
but  natural,  yet,  in  the  very  acting,  promised  and  purchased 
grace  strikes  in,  and  turns  it  into  a  supernatural  act  of  be- 
lieving. As  when  Christ  was  about  to  work  that  famous 
miracle  at  Cana,  in  Galilee,  he  does  not  first  turn  the  water 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  339 

into  wine;  but  he  first  bids  them  pour  out  the  water,  and,  in 
pouring  of  it  out,  the  water  was  changed  into  wine:  so  the 
loaves  were  multipHed,  while  the  disciples,  in  obedience  to 
the  command  of  Christ,  were  dividing  them  among  the  mul- 
titude. Just  so  here,  while  the  poor  soul,  in  a  subordination 
to  the  divine  j)ower,  and,  in  obedience  to  the  divine  command, 
is  attempting  to  believe,  a  God  of  grace  changes  the  attempt 
into  a  true  genuine  faith;  so  that  the  soul,  through  the 
mighty  power  of  God,  ere  ever  it  is  aware,  is  brought  really 
to  believe,  and  that  in  away  it  knows  not  how:  for  "  the 
wind  blowelh  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hcarest  the  sound 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and  whither  it 
goeth:  so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit." 

Thus,  I  say,  in  the  very  acting  of  faith  we  are  enabled  to 
act  it;  when  we  take  the  pen  in  our  hand,  God  takes  us  by 
the  hand,  and  writes  for  us,  leading  us  in  the  "  way  we  know 
not."  It  is  with  us  in  believing,  many  times,  as  in  praying. 
The  man  goes  to  prayer  with  his  heart  as  cold  as  the  ice, 
and  as  hard  as  the  nether  millstone ;  he  cannot  open  his 
mouth  before  the  Lord ;  his  tongue  is  tacked,  his  heart  is  locked 
up:  but  yet,  while  the  poor  soul  is  striving  to  pour  out  its 
heart  into  God's  bosom,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  falls  on  him, 
even  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  supplication,  by  which  his  bonds 
are  loosed,  and  his  soul  made  like  the  chariots  of  Ammina- 
dib.  So,  while  the  poor  soul  is  striving  at  believing,  the 
Spirit  of  faith  comes  and  concurs  with  it,  exerting  that  ex- 
ceeding great  and  mighty  power  which  raised  Christ  from 
the  dead,  by  which  he  comes  to  be  "  filled  with  joy  and  peace 
in  believing." 

Perhaps  you  may  say,  '  You  urge  us  much  to  essay  be- 
lieving; but  pray  give  us  your  best  advice  how  to  manage  in 
this  matter.'  O  that  the  Spirit  of  God  may  concur !  There 
are  these  two  or  three  things  I  oflcr,  by  way  of  advice,  to  you 
vvlio  are  in  good  earnest;  and,  O!  what  man  is  there,  that 
has  a  soul  to  be  saved,  and  who  looks  forward  to  a  vast  eter- 
nity of  well  or  wo,  that  should  not  be  in  good  earnest  as  to 
this  niatter! 

1.  My  first  advice,  then,  is  this.  Study  to  have  your  hearts 
well  stored  with  all  these  considerations,  which  arc  fit  fuel 
and  matter  by  which  faith  is  generated,  or  begotten,  in  the 
hearts  of  sinners.  Although  the  act  of  saving  faith  be  the 
effect  of  the  divine  power  and  grace;  yet  it  is  in  the  power 
of  nature,  by  a  common  concourse,  to  stock  and  store  the 
mind  with  these  things  which  arc  the  seed  of  faith.  The  hus- 
bandman, though  he  cannot  make  one  grain  of  corn  grow, 
yet  he  can  plough  and  sow  his  ground  ;  and  when  he  has  done 
his  part,  he  leaves  the  seed  under  the  clod,  and  looks  up  to 


340  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [sER. 

heaven  for  the  waterings  of  the  earher  and  latter  rains;  and 
accordingly,  God  ordinarily  crowns  his  endeavours  with  suc- 
cess, making  the  heavens  to  hear  the  earth,  and  the  earth  to 
hear  the  corn,  whereby  it  brings  forth  ten,  twenty,  or  a  hun- 
dred fold.     So  here,  let  us  do  what  is  incumbent  on  us,  and 
what  we  have  power  in  an  ordinary  way  to  do;  let  us  sow 
the  seeds,  I  mean,  let  us  store  our  minds  with  the  pure  and 
precious  truths  of  God,  and   acquaint  ourselves  with  these 
things  Vk'hich  are  to  be  believed,  as  they  are  laid  before  us  in 
the  holy  oracles  of  the  scriptures  of  truth ;  and  having  thus 
laid  in  the  seed  into  the  ground  or  soil  of  our  hearts,  let  us 
look  heavenward,  and  wait  for  a  shower  of  the  Spirit's  in- 
fluences, according  to  that  word  of  grace  or  promise,  Isa. 
xliv.  3:  "I  will  pour  water  upon  him   that  is  thirsty,  and 
floods  upon  the  dry  ground."     You  know,  they  that  offered 
sacrifices  of  old,  though  ihey  could  not  make  fire  come  down 
from  heaven  to  consume  their  sacrifices;  yet  they  could  fetch 
the  bullock  out  of  the  stall,  or  the  lamb  out  of  the  fold;  they 
could  bring  it  to  the  altar,  and  bind  it  with  cords  to  the 
horns  of  the  altar ;  they  could  gather  their  sticks,  and  lay  in 
proper  fuel ;  and  having  done  their  part,  they  looked  up  to 
heaven  for  the  celestial  fire  to  set  all  on  a  flame  together. 
In  like  manner,  I  say,  do  what  is  incumbent  on  you ;  gather 
your  sticks,  lay  in  the  proper  fuel  of  faith,  store  your  minds 
with  the  materials  of  believing,  which  you  are  daily  reading 
or  hearing  in  the  word.     Study  to  impress  your  souls  with 
the  doctrines  of  your  lost  estate  in  the  first  Adam,  and  the 
way  of  your  salvation  by  grace,  in  and  through  the  second 
Adam,  Jesus  Christ.     Think  upon  the   near  approach  that 
the  high  and  lofty  One  has  made  to  us  in  the  person  of  his 
eternal   Son,  by  his  manifestation   in'  our  nature,  when  he 
passed  by  the  nature  of  angels.     O  think  on  the  excellency 
of  his  person,  as  he  is  Immanuel,  God-man,  God  with  us, 
God  on  our  side,  to  bruise  the  head  of  the  old  serpent,  who 
had  spoiled  and  ruined  us.     Think  upon  his  suretyship  and 
substitution  in  our  room ;  how  he  was  "  made  sin  for  us,  that 
we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him;"  how  he 
was  "  made  a  curse  for  us,  that  we  might  be  redeemed  from 
the  curse ;"  how  he  was  "  delivered  for  our  offences,  and 
raised  again  for  our  justification."     Think  upon  the  fulness 
of  grace  and  truth,  of  merit  and  Spirit,  that  is  in  him;   and 
how  all  that  fulness  of  grace  that  is  laid  up  in  him,  is  laid  out 
to  us  in  a  covenant  of  grace  and  promise,  and  that  promise 
or  covenant  left  to  us,  and  put  in  our  hands,  and  we  required 
to  take  hold  of  it,  to  make  use  of  it  in  a  way  of  believing. 
These  are  some  of  the  materials  of  faith ;  faith  comes  by 
hearing  of  these  things,  and  by  thinking  and  meditating  upon 


1 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  341 

them :  "  By  these  things  do  men  live;  and  in  all  these  things 
is  the  life  of  our  spirits,"  Isa.  xxxviii.  10.  And,  therefore,  re- 
volve them  in  your  minds,  roll  them  like  a  sweet  morsel  un-- 
der  your  tongues,  think  and  think  again  upon  them,  and,  in 
thinking,  present  them  to  your  understanding,  as  things  in 
which  your  eternal  state  is  concerned.  You  have  as  good 
ground  to  expect  the  concurring  power  of  the  Spirit  of  faith 
in  this  way  and  method,  to  fullil  in  you  the  work  of  faith 
with  power,  as  ever  they  of  old  had  to  look  for  the  celestial 
fire  to  come  down  and  consume  their  sacrifices,  as  a  testimony 
o(  the  divine  acceptance,  when  they  had,  according  to  the 
command  of  God,  done  what  was  incumbent  on  them,  in 
preparing  their  materials. 

2.  Another  advice  I  give  you  is  this:  Study  not  only  to 
gather  these  materials  of  faith,  but  to  be  fully  persuaded  of 
the  truth  and  certainty  of  every  thing  that  God  has  revealed 
in  his  woi'd,  especially  of  those  things  which  relate  more  im-r 
mediately  to  the  mystery  of  salvation  through  Christ.  We 
must  needs  believe  the  report  of  the  gospel,  and  set  our  seal 
to  the  record  of  God,  in  his  word.  Particularly,  be  fully 
persuaded  that  you  are  bankrupt,  ruined,  and  lost,  to  all  in^ 
tents  and  purpoh;es,  by  the  breach  of  the  first  covenant,  being 
under  the  wrath  of  God,  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  the  power 
of  Satan;  and  that  you  have  no  more  power  to  relieve  your- 
selves out  of  this  miserable  condition,  than  the  new-born  in- 
fant cast  out  into  the  open  field,  Ezek.  xvi.  And  in  digging 
into  the  rock  wbence  you  were  hewn,  be  not  afraid  to  go  to 
the  bottom,  I  mean,  to  know  the  worst  of  yourselves;  for  true 
faith  springs  out  of  the  ruin  of  self.  Despair  and  self-loathing 
make  way  for  a  suitable  prizing  and  improving  of  the  blessed 
remedy.  Want  of  necessaries  at  home  obliges  men  to  go 
abroad,  either  to  beg  or  buy  where  they  may  have  them. 
The  denial  of  self,  in  point  of  righteousness  and  strength, 
lands  the  soul  in  Chiist,  saying,  "  Surely  in  the  liord  liave  I 
righteousness  and  strength."  Again,  study  to  be  fully  assured, 
that  there  is  no  help  or  relief  for  you  out  of  your  lost  condir 
tion,  but  only  by  faith's  acceptance  and  ap))lication  of  Christ, 
upon  the  warrant  of  God's  word  of  grace;  there  is.no  coming 
to  the  Father  but  by  him,  no  other  name  whereby  men  can 
be  saved;  every  other  door  of  access  is  barred  and  con- 
demned sinc'e  the  fall.  Be  convinced  of  Christ's  ability  and 
sufficiency  to  save  you  from  sin,  and  all  its  dismal  train  of 
miseries:  he  is  a  mighty  Jledeemer,  on  whom  God  has  laid 
our  help,  able  to  save  to  the  very  uttermost.  Be  persuaded, 
that  he  is  a  Saviour  every  way  calculated  and  suited  to  thy 
necessity  ;  being  made  of  God  unto  us,  wisdom,  righteousness, 
sanctification,  and  redemption;  and  thai  his  otlice  as  a  65i» 

29'^ 


342  THE  ASSURAXCE  OF  FAITH,  [sER. 

viour,  as  well  as  his  own  promise,  obliges  him  to  save  every 
one  that  comes  to  him  in  a  way  of  believing :  that  everlasting 
life  is  yours,  and  you  actually  have  it,  that  moment  you  re- 
ceive him  as  the  free  gift  of  God;  "he  that  hath  the  Son 
hath  life:"  that  there  is  no  condition  or  qualification,  no  work 
or  duty,  required  in  the  word  of  God,  in  order  to  procure  a 
right  and  title  to  eternal  life;  but  that  you  are  to  come  in 
upon  Christ's  title,  who  is  the  righteous  heir,  and  who  has 
made  a  disposition  or  assignment  of  his  right  to  us  in  his  testa- 
ment, without  any  clogs  or  conditions.  And  if  you  venture 
to  make  your  works,  duties,  or  any  good  thing  in  you,  the 
condition  of  Christ's  latter-will,  you  alter  the  will  of  the  dead; 
you  in  eflect  destroy  the  freedom  of  a  covenant  of  grace,  and 
build  up  a  partition-wall  between  Christ  and  you,  which  you 
shall  never  be  able  to  climb  over. 

3.  Another  advice  I  give  you,  is  this,  Believe  that  it  is  your 
duty  to  believe,  in  obedience  to  the  express  command  of  God, 
with  an  eye  to  his  promised  Spirit.  First  view  the  grounds 
that  your  faith  has  to  go  upon,  already  spoken  to ;  and  then 
cast  your  eye  upon  the  divine  command  and  call,  warrantintj, 
encouraging,  and  requiring,  you  to  vcntureupon  these  grounds; 
and  so  long  as  these  are  kept  in  view,  there  is  no  fear  of  pre- 
sumption ;  how  can  it  be  presumption  to  obey  the  express 
command  of  Heaven?  yea,  the  greatest  command  that  ever 
was  issued  out  to  man  from  the  throne  of  glory  above,  1  John 
iii.  23.  He  speaks  as  if  there  were  no  other  command  in  the 
word  of  God;  because  we  fulfil  the  whole  law  as  a  covenant, 
in  the  very  first  act  of  believing,  by  renouncing  our  own,  and 
submitting  to  the  law-abiding  and  law-magnifying  righteous- 
ness of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  thereby  oui'  personal  obedience 
also  to  the  law  as  a  rule,  is  set  upon  such  a  footing  as  to  be 
"  accepted  in  the  beloved,"  for  let  us  do  what  we  will,  we 
shall  never  please  God,  or  be  accepted  of  him,  till  we  believe 
in  the  name  of  his  Son,  Heb.  xi.  6.  And  therefore  I  say 
again,  strive  at  believing,  in  obedience  to  the  command  of  God. 
It  is  as  much  your  duty  to  believe,  as  to  obey  any  command 
of  the  moral  law  ;  and  disobedience  to  this  command  of  be- 
lieving, will  damn  you  eternally,  yea,  do  it  more  cirectually 
than  murder,  adultery,  theft,  or  any  other  breach  of  the  law 
that  I  can  name.  Pray  tell  me,  sirs,  why  do  vou  ever  bow  a 
knee,  or  open  a  mouth  to  God,  in  prayer?  Do  you  set  about 
this  duty,  because  you  have  power  and  strength  in  yourself  to 
pierce  heaven  by  your  prayers,  or  to  order  your  cause  before 
God?  No,  surely,  but  because  God  has  commanded  you  to 
call  upon  him,  therefore,  powerless  as  you  are,  though  you 
know  not  how  to  pray,  or  what  to  pray  for,  yet  you  essay  it. 
Now,  why  do  you  not  the  same  in  the  case  of  believing,  as  in 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  343 

praying,  since  the  one  is  commanded  as  well  as  the  other  1 
for  I  say,  you  have  as  little  power  in  yourselves  topray  aright 
as  to  believe  aright.  There  arc  many  who,  as  I  was  saying 
before,  shift  off  the  great  dut)""  of  believing  from  day  to  day, 
under  this  pretext,  that  they  want  power  to  believe.  But 
this  is  an  objection  that  militates  against  all  duties,  as  well  as 
that  of  believing.  We  are  not  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think 
any  thing  as  of  ourselves,  as  the  apostle  assures  us;  but  will 
you,  for  this  reason  desist  from  any  essay  to  think  upon  what 
is  good  and  benficial  to  your  souls?  No;  we  try  meditation, 
we  endeavour  to  think  on  what  is  good,  and,  in  musing  the 
fire  burns:  God  comes  in  with  the  breathings  of  his  Spirit, 
and  then  our  meditations  of  him  are  sweet,  and  we  are  glad 
in  the  Lord.  So,  while  the  soul,  from  a  sense  of  its  lost  state, 
is  trying  to  roll  and  rest  itself  on  Christ,  in  obedience  to  the 
command  of  God,  God  comes  in  with  his  Spirit  of  faith,  and 
fills  us  with  joy  and  peace  in  believing. 

4.  Although  you  should  not  find  any  sensible  concurrence 
of  the  power  of  God  coming  along  with  your  endeavours  at 
obedience  to  the  command  of  believing,  yet  give  it  not  over, 
but  still  continue  the  attempt :  "  Wait  on  the  Lord :  be  of 
good  courage,  and  he  shall  strengthen  thine  heart :  wait,  I 
say,  on  the  Lord."  Object.  I  have  often  attempted  to  believe, 
but  yet  1  am  as  far  from  it  as  ever;  the  power  of  God  does 
not  come  along;  and  therefore  I  may  quite  give  it  over.  For 
answer,  1  refer  you  to  a  word,  Heb.  x.  30,  37  :  "  Ye  have  need 
of  patience  ;  that  after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God,  ye  might 
receive  the  promise.  For  yet  a  little  while,  and  he  that  shall 
come  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry."  In  trying  to  act  faith  in 
obedience  to  the  divine  command  ye  have  need  of  patience; 
for  "he  that  believeth  doth  not  make  haste."  You  must  re- 
solve to  believe,  and  wait,  and  wait,  and  believe,  and  never 
give  it  over:  and  when  you  have  done  the  will  of  God  in  this 
matter,  as  you  can,  you  must  hold  on  with  them  that  have 
clean  hands,  even  though  you  find  no  sensible  influence  con- 
curring ;  for  it  is  the  command  of  God  in  his  word,  and  not 
the  influence  of  the  Spiiit,  that  is  the  rule  and  measure  of 
your  duty.  And  if  you  continue  doing  the  will  of  God  in 
this  matter,  with  an  eye  to  him  who  is  the  authoi-and  finisher 
of  faith,  you  may  assure  yourselves,  that  "  in  a  little  while,  he 
that  shall  come  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry."  It  is  the  "  will 
of  God,"  and  the  "  work  of  God,"  at  which  thou  art  aiming, 
even  to"  believe  in  him  whom  he  hath  sent;"  and  will  not  a 
(lod  of  grace  and  love,  with  "  whom  compassions  flow,"  put 
liis  hand  to  his  own  work,  and  hel[)  a  poor  creature  to  do 
what  is  his  own  will?  yea, surely,  thou  mayst  be  "confident  of 


344  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

this  very  thing,"  when  he  has  passed  his  word  for  it,  that  he 
will  "  work  in  thee,  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  own  good 
pleasure."  There  is  nothing  in  all  the  world  so  pleasing  to 
God,  as  to  see  a  poor  soul  aiming  to  close  with,  and  accept  of 
his  Christ:  he  is,  as  it  were,  pained  at  the  heart,  when  sinners 
are  backward  to  believe  in  his  Son ;  and  will  he  not  then  be 
forward  to  help  a  poor  soul  that  is  aiming  at  it?  You  know, 
an  indulgent  mother,  when  her  breasts  are  full  and  swelled 
with  milk,  will  be  ready,  not  only  to  draw  out  her  breast,  but 
to  help  her  poor  infant  toward  it,  when  in  want  of  milk  or 
trying  to  suck.  Has  a  mother  such  compassion  toward  her 
sucking  child ;  and  is  there  not  infinitely  more  compassion  with 
the  Father  of  mercies,  toward  a  poor  soul  that  is  trying  to 
suck  the  full  breasts  of  his  grace  and  mercy  drawn  out  to  all 
in  a  gospel  dispensation?  He  whose  bowels  are  sending  out  a 
sound  after  sinners  in  the  gospel  call,  will'not  be  wanting  to 
lend  his  helping  hand  to  enable  you  to  believe;  and  therefore 
say  with  David,  Psal.  xlii.  5,  "  Hope  thou  in  God,  for  I  shall 
yet  praise  him  for  the  help  of  his  countenance." 

Object.  I  have  tried  believing  so  long  and  so  often,  that  I 
am  quite  wearied,  my  strength  is  gone,  and  yet  no  power 
from  above  ;  what  shall  I  do?  God  takes  no  notice  of  me, 
Answ.  Is.  xl.  27,  28,  &c.  "Why  sayest  thou,  O  Jacob,  and 
speakest,  O  Israel,  My  way  is  hid  from  the  J^ord,  and  my 
judgment  is  passed  over  from  mv  God  ?  Hast  thou  not  known? 
hast  thou  not  heard,  that  the  everlasting  God,  the  Lord,  the 
Creator  of  the  ends  of  the  earth,  fainteth  not,  neither  is  weary? 
there  is  no  searching  of  his  understanding.  He  giveth  power 
to  the  faint;  and  to  them  that  have  no  might,  he  increaseth 
strength."  Thou  imaginest  that  God's  helping  hand  is  with- 
drawn, and  that  he  takes  no  notice  of  thy  endeavours  to  be- 
lieve. But  why  sayest  thou  so?  He  is  nearer  than  thou  ap- 
prehendest:  Behold  he  standeth  behind  our  wall,  ready  to 
give  grace,  and  mercy  to  help  in  time  of  need,  ready  to  give 
power  to  the  faint,  and  strength  to  them  that  have  no  might : 
and  power  from  on  high  to  believe  is  nearest,  when  we  are 
most<:arried  out  of  ourselves  in  point  of  strength  and  sufficien- 
cy. And  therefore  give  it  not  over:  "  Wait,  I  say,  on  the  Lord  ; 
for  they  that  wait  upon  him  shall  renew  their  strength."  It 
is  only  the  weak  man  that  will  lean  to  the  help  of  another  : 
now,  faith  is  leaning  on  Christ  when  we  cannot  stand  alone, 
Cant.  viii.  5:  "  Who  is  this  that  comcth  up  from  the  wilder- 
ness, leaning  upon  her  beloved?"  It  is  only  the  wearied  man 
that  will  sit  down  and  rest:  now,  faith  is  the  soul's  resting  in 
or  upon  Christ,  Psal.  xxxvii.  7 :  "  Hest  in  the  Lord,  and  wait 
patiently  for  him."  Heb.  iv,  3  :  "  We  which  have  believed  do 


XI.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  345 

enter  into  rest."  When  a  man  can  do  nothing  else,  when  he 
is  so  feeble  that  he  cannot  put  his  fiand  to  a  turn,  yet  he  can 
rest:  so  here,  because  thou  art  weak,  and  without  strength 
for  any  work  of  the  law,  therefore  the  Lord  calls  ihee  to  rest 
thy  weary,  sinking  soul  upon  the  l^ord  Jesus,  on  whom  he  has 
laid  thy  help.  And  therefore  let  thy  weakness  encourage  thee 
to  revive,  instead  of  discouraging  thee. 

But  now,  1  come  to  offer  a  word  of  exhortation  to  those 
whose  hearts  fall  in  with  the  foregoing  exhortation.  "  Do  ye 
now  believe,"  though  in  the  weakest  degree  ?  Let  me  ex- 
hort you  not  to  rest  in  a  low  measure  of  faith,  but  press 
after  the  highest  degree  of  it.  Forget  things  behind,  reach 
forth  unto  things  that  are  before ;  believe  better  than  yc  have 
yet  done.  Go  on  from  faith  to  faith,  and  thus  learn  to  drazo 
near  with  a  true  heart,  m  full  assurance  of  faith  :  and  thus 
you  shall  be  the  children  of  faithful  Abraham,  who  "  stag- 
gered not  at  the  promise  through  unbelief;  but  was  strong  in 
faith,  giving  glory  to  God ;  being  fully  persuaded,  that  what 
he  had  promised,  he  was  able  also  to  perform."  You  see  what 
was  the  ground  of  Abraham's  faith,  by  which  he  believed 
without  staggering ;  it  was  nothing  else  than  the  promise  of 
life  and  salvation,  through  a  Messiah  to  come.  Well,  you 
have  the  very  same  ground  of  faith  laid  before  you,  with,  a 
far  greater  advantage  now  under  the  New  Testament ;  name- 
ly, the  promise  of  acceptance,  peace,  pardon,  grace  and  glory, 
through  a  Messiah  who  is  already  come, and  finished  the  work 
which  the  Father  gave  him  to  do ;  and  therefore  believe  with- 
out staggering,  as  he  did. 

That  I  may  quicken  you  to  press  after  a  higher  measure  of 
faith,  I  offer  the  following  considerations : — 

\.  Little  faith  is  not  easily  discerned  ;  it  is  but  like  a  grain 
of  mustard  seed  lying  in  the  ground,  which  one  can  scarce 
distinguish  from  the  dust  which  lies  under  his  feet;  and  when 
faith  is  not  discerned,  God  loses  the  glory  of  his  own  grace, 
and  you  also  lose  the  comfort  of  it. 

2.  The  world  we  live  in  requires  a  strong  faith.  It  is  a  den 
of  lions,  and  a  mountain  of  leopards  ;  the  roaring  lion  is  going 
about  seeking  to  devour.  Red  seas  and  Jordans  of  trouble  lie 
in  our  way  to  Canaan,  through  the  howling  wilderness.  Storms 
and  tempests  of  persecution  and  tribulation  may  blow,  which 
will  make  the  strong  believer  to  stagger  and  shake  :  and  if  so, 
has  not  the  weak  believer  reason  to  fortify  himself,  by  study- 
ing to  believe  better  than  he  has  done  ?  for  it  is  by  faith  that 
wc  stand  in  an  evil  da  v. 

3.  Contentment  with  little  faith,  is  no  good  sign  of  the  reality 
of  faith;  for  (as  was  hinted  before)  it  is  of  the  nature  of  true 
grace,  to  breathe  after  its  own  perfection.     They  who  have 


346  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

the  least  degree  of  it,  press  after  the  highest.     They  that 
know  the  Lord,  follow  on  to  know  him. 

4.  Consider  the  advantages  of  a  strong  faith,  beyond  a  weak, 
Is/,  A  strong  faith  has  a  firnn  and  solid  peace  coming  along 
with  it:  Is.  xxvi.  3:  "Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace, 
whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee."  But  weak  faith  has  its  peace 
disturbed  at  every  turn  of  providence.  2dly,  Strong  faith 
brings  great  joy  with  it ;  hence  we  are  said  to  be  "  filled 
with  joy  and  peace  in  believing ;"  yea,  the  joy  of  a  lively 
faith  is  a  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory,"  1  Pet.  i.  8. — 
But  now  the  weak  believer,  though  he  may  perhaps  some- 
times be  filled  with  the  joy  of  sense,  yet  he  has  but  little  of 
the  joy  of  believing.  Hence  it  is,  that  whenever  sense  is 
withdrawn,  he  is  in  the  very  suburbs  of  hell,  crying,  "  The 
Lord  hath  forgotten  to  be  gracious,  his  promise  fails  for  ever- 
more. 2dly,  strong  faith  is  more  steady  in  a  storm  than  a 
weak  faith  is.  Strong  faith,  when  the  storm  blows,  casts  out 
the  anchor  of  hope,  and  rides  in  safety,  crying,  "  I  will  not  be 
afraid,  though  the  earth  be  removed,  and  though  the  moun- 
tains be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea,  and  though  the 
waters  thereof  roar."  But  now,  weak  faith,  like  Peter  walk- 
ing on  the  waters,  is  ready  at  every  billow  to  cry  out,  "  Mas- 
ter, I  perish."  When  created  comforts  fail,  when  the  fields 
yield  no  increase,  weak  faith  is  ready  to  say,  I  and  my 
family  will  perish:  but  strong  faith  will  say.  Up  the  heart, 
there  is  no  fear ;  "  my  bread  shall  be  given  me,  my  water 
shall  be  sure;"  because  a  God  of  truth  has  said  it,  whose  is 
the  "  earth,  and  the  fulness  thereof."  He  that  "  feeds  the  ra- 
vens," will  not  let  his  children  starve;  he  that  "clothes  the 
lilies,"  will  not  let  me  go  naked.  4/A/y,  Strong  faith  has  more 
confidence  and  boldness  in  entering  into  the  holiest,  more 
moyen  and  interest  in  heaven,  than  weak  faith  has,  John  xiv. 
13,  14;  Mark  xi.  24;  James  i.  6.  Weak  faith,  although  God 
will  not  reject  its  suit, yet  its  returns  are  not  so  clear  and  full; 
yea,  I  will  venture  to  say,  that  unbelieving  doubts,  and  fears, 
and  jealousies,  mar  the  success  of  many  a  good  petition,  bthly, 
Strong  faith  makes  the  approaches  of  death  more  easy  than 
they  are  to  the  weak  believer.  Strong  faith  takes  up  the 
telescope  of  the  promise,  and  looks  beyond  death,  to  the  land 
afar  oft',  and  rejoices  in  the  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,  saying, 
as  the  head  Christ  did,  Psal.  xvi,  9,  "  My  heart  is  glad,  and 
my  glory  rejoiceth  ;  my  flesh  also  shall  rest  in  hope  :"  for  he 
hath  "  sfiowed  me  the  path  of  life,"  the  new  and  living  way 
to  those  "  rivers  of  pleasures,"  and  that  "  fulness  of  joy,"  which 
are  "  at  God's  right  hand  for  evermore."  Strong  faith,  view- 
ing an  exalted  Redeemer,  sees  death  and  hell  among  the 
trophies  of  his  victory,  and  thereupon  triumphs  over  it  as  a 


Xi.]  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  347 

vanquished  and  slain  enemy,  saying,  "  O  death,  where  is  Ihy 
sting  '?  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  1  Thanks  be  to  God,  who 
giveth  me  the  victory,  through  Jesus  Christ  my  Lord."  But 
now,  weak  faith  shivers  and  trembles  at  the  approaches  of 
death,  lest  it  should  be  swallowed  up  in  the  swellings  of  that 
Jordan.  Let  these  considerations,  I  say,  quicken  you  to  breathe 
after  the  increase  of  your  weak  faith,  that  you  may  draw  near 
with  full  assurance  of  faith. 

I  conclude  this  whole  discourse  with  a  word,  L  of  encou- 
ragement; and,  2.  of  advice,  to  weak  believers:  for  our 
glorious  Master  has  commanded  us,  to  "strengthen  the  weak 
hands,  to  confirm  the  feeble  knees ;"  and  to  "  say  to  them 
that  are  of  a  fearful  spirit,  Be  strong,  fear  not." 

L  A  word  of  comfort  and  encouragement  to  the  poor 
tender  lambs  and  weaklings  in  God's  flock,  who  are  fre- 
quently halting  and  staggering,  through  the  prevalence  of 
unbelief. 

(L)  Know,  for  thy  comfort,  that  the  weakest  believer  is 
as  nearly  related  to  God  as  a  Father,  as  the  strongest  believer 
is.  The  weakest  and  youngest  babe  in  a  family  is  as  dear  to 
the  father  as  the  tirst-born,  or  the  son  who  is  come  to  his  full 
strength  and  stature.  Every  branch  of  a  tree  is  not  alike 
strong  or  big ;  and  yet  the  tenderest  twig  is  as  really  united 
to  the  root,  and  as  really  partakes  of  the  sap  of  the  root,  as 
the  strongest  and  principal  branch.  So,  here,  the  \\  eakest 
believer  is  in  Christ,  and  partakes  of  his  Spirit,  as  well  as  the 
strongest. 

(2.)  The  weak  believer  is  clothed  with  the  white  raiment 
of  Christ's  righteousness,  and  is  as  much  justified  by  it,  as 
the  strongest.  Our  great  High  Priest  is  clothed  with  a  gar- 
ment down  to  his  feet,  by  which  every  member  of  his  body 
mystical  is  equally  covered.  It  is  equally  true  of  every  be- 
liever, that  •'  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in 
Christ,"  Rom.  viii.  1. 

(3.)  The  least  and  weakest  degree  of  faith  shall  hold  out 
to  the  end.  They  are  all  "  kept  by  the  power  of  God, 
through  faith  unto  salvation."  lie  will  not  break  the  bruised 
reed,  nor  quench  the  smoking  flax ;  where  the  good  work 
is  begun,  his  faithfulness  is  engaged  to  carry  it  on  to  the 
day  of  Christ.  The  weakest  degree  of  faith  has  glory  and 
salvation  knit  to  it  by  (iod's  promise,  as  well  as  the  strong- 
est:  It  is  not,  "  He  that  believeth  slrongli/  shall  be  saved  ;" 
but,  "He  that  believeth"  indefinitely,  whether  his  faith  be 
weak  or  strong. 

(4.)  Our  blessed  Redeemer  for  ordinary  vents  his  affection 
in  a  more  tender  and  sensible  manner  toward  weak  believers, 
than  toward  the  strong.     The  good  Shepherd  of  Israel  "  car- 


348  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAITH,  [SER. 

ries  the  lambs  in  his  bosom,  and  gently  leads  them  that  are 
with  young."  Hence  it  comes,  that  weak  believers  have 
commonly  more  sensible  ravishing  joys  and  consolations  than 
strong  believers.  Much  like  a  wise  and  affectionate  parent, 
who  will  take  his  young  infant  on  his  knee,  dandle  it,  and 
hug  it  in  his  bosom,  while  he  will  not  allow  -bis  affections  to 
run  out  after  such  a  manner  toward  his  son  of  age  and  sta- 
ture, for  that  were  to  make  a  fool  of  him. 

May  the  poor  weak  believer  say.  These  are  strong  con-* 
solations  indeed,  if  I  might  lay  claim  to  them :  but  that  is 
what  I  still  fear,  that  I  have  no  faith  at  all,  no,  not  like  a 
grain  of  mustard  seed.  Beside  what  was  said  on  this  in  the 
former  part  of  the  discourse,  I  shall  only  ask  these  two  ques- 
tions :  1st,  Does  not  thy  heart  throb  and  faint  within  thee, 
when  thou  thinkest  of  a  parting  with  the  Lord  Jesus  1  If  so, 
this  says,  that  his  love  is  shed  abroad  in  thy  heart  by  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  and  consequently  a  root  and  principle  of  faith, 
from  whence  it  flows,  cleaving  to  the  Lord  like  the  iron 
touched  with  the  loadstone.  And  I  tell  thee  good  news,  that 
as  thou  hatest  to  be  put  away  from  him,  so  "  he  hates  putting 
away ;"  and  therefore  there  never  shall  be  a  separation.  2dly, 
Dost  thou  not  find  a  restlessness  in  thy  spirit,  an  uneasiness  in 
thy  bosom,  when  the  Lord  withdraws,  like  a  bone  out  of  joint, 
or  a  fish  out  of  its  element  1  If  so,  the  root  of  faith  is  within ; 
Christ  has  been  with  thee  in  a  way  of  grace  and  love,  other- 
wise thou  couldst  not  distinguish  between  absence  and  pre- 
sence. And  if  ever  Christ  made  thee  a  visit,  his  first  visit 
shall  not  be  his  last ;  for  "  his  goings  forth  are  prepared,"  or 
secured  "  like  the  morning." 

2.  I  come  to  shut  up  all  with  a  few  advices  to  weak  be- 
lievers, in  order  to  the  increase  of  their  faith  toward  a  full 
assurance. 

(L)  Be  humbled  under  a  sense  of  remaining  unbelief,  and 
the  weakness  of  your  faith  ;  for  "  the  Lord  giveth  grace 
(and  more  grace)  to  the  humble."  The  more  that  self  is 
pulled  down,  the  higher  is  Christ  exalted  in  a  way  of  be- 
lieving. 

(2.)  Be  greedy  of  more  faith.  Covetousness  in  the 
things  of  this  world  is  idolatry:  but  this  is  among  the  best 
things,  which  you  are  allowed  earnestly  to  covet;  and  the 
more  you  covet  and  desire  of  the  Spirit  of  faith,  the  more 
you  shall  get ;  for  "  he  satisfieth  the  longing  soul,  and  filleth 
the  hungry  soul  with  goodness.  Open  thy  mouth  wide,  and 
I  will  fill  it." 

(3.)  Be  well  acquainted  with  the  grounds  of  faith,  as  they 
are  laid  in  the  gospel  revelation,  some  of  which  I  have  point- 
ed at  in  the  preceding  discourse.     I  am  persuaded,  that  one 


Xi.]  THE  ASSURANCE  OF  FAlTH,  OPENED  AND  APPLIED.  349 

great  reason  why  so  many  do  not  believe  at  all,  and  why 
the  faith  of  many  real  believers  remains  so  weak,  is  their  unac- 
qwaintcdness  with  the  strong  and  sure  grounds  that  their  faith 
has  to  build  upon.  Weak,  timorous  believers,  fixed  upon  the 
foundation  God  has  laid  in  Zion,  are  just  like  a  man  stand- 
ing on  a  firm  immoveable  rock,  his  head  turns  giddy,  and  he 
ini^agines  that  the  rock  is  turning  ui)side  down  with  him,  while 
the  failure  is  not  in  the  rock,  but  in  his  own  head.  Our  faith 
fails  us,  through  our  unac(iuaintedness  with  the  stability  of 
God's  covenant  and  promise.  And,  therefore,  I  say,  study  to 
be  better  acquainted  with  the  promise  and  faithfulness,  power 
and  love,  of  the  Promiser. 

(4.)  If  you  would  have  weak  faith  increased  and  strength- 
ened, then  be  freciuently  exercising  any  weak  faith  you  have; 
for  gracious  as  well  as  natural  habits  are  increased  and  im- 
proved by  repeated  acts:  "  To  him  that  hath,"  and  improves 
well  what  he  hath,  "  shall  be  given."  This  is  the  way  to  have 
your  mite  turned  into  a  talent;  and  your  talent  of  faith,  by 
frequent  exercise,  shall,  in  due  time,  become  as  ten  talents. 

(5.)  When  you  get  any  sensible  experiences  of  the  Lord's 
love,  improve  them,  not  as  the  grounds  of  your  faith,  but  as 
encouragements  to  go  on  in  trusting  and  believing,  upon  the 
grounds  of  faith  laid  before  you  in  the  word.  These  sensible 
tastes  of  the  Lord's  loving  kindness  are  given  you,  not  that 
you  should  dote  upon  the  sweetness  of  them,  but  to  encourage 
and  farther  you  in  trusting  and  believing:  Psal.  xxxvi.  7: 
"  How  excellent  is  thy  loving  kindness,  O  God!  therefore,  the 
children  of  men  put  their  trust  under  the  shadow  of  thy 
wings."  It  is  a  common  fault  among  many  believers  in  our 
day,  when  they  find  any  thing  of  sensible  presence,  then,  in- 
deed, they  rejoice,  and  they  have  good  reason  so  to  do;  but 
no  sooner  doth  a  cloud  come,  but  their  faith,  as  well  as  their 
joy,  vanishes,  and  they  have  as  little  trust  to  put  in  the  word 
and  promise  of  the  God  of  their  life,  when  his  back  is  turned, 
or  he  out  of  their  sight,  as  though  they  never  had  received  a 
kindness  at  his  hand.  And  this?  is  a  reason,  I  am  convinced, 
why  it  tares  so  ill  with  many  of  us  at  this  day;  and,  there- 
fore, let  us  amend  it.  And  what  comfort  and  joy  we  find  in 
his  presence,  let  it  encourage  and  engage  us  to  trust,  and 
hope,  and  wait,  and  believe  in  him,  when  absent  to  our  sense. 
And  ilwe  thus  iin])rove  the  marks  «>f  grace  and  consolations 
of  his  Spirit,  the  joy  of  the  Lord  shall  be  our  strength;  and 
our  path  shall  be  indeed  "  as  the  path  of  the  just,  and  as  the 
shining  light,  which  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
day." 

VOL.  I.  30 


350 


8ERIVIO]\    XII. 

GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.* 
God  is  love. — 1  John  iv.  16. 

My  friends,  the  gospel  is  called  good  news,  and  a  joyful 
sound;  and  I  do  not  know  what  better  news  could  be  brought 
into  a  company  of  sinners  of  Adam's  family,  who  are  lying 
under  the  sentence  of  death,  and  condemned  from  heaven, 
and  under  the  awful  apprehensions  of  the  wrath  and  ven- 
geance of  the  great  God,  than  to  tell  you  that  God  is  love. 
And  I  am  sure,  that,  if  this  report  of  a  God  in  Christ  were  but 
received  and  entertained  in  a  way  of  believing,  it  would  make 
every  one  of  this  assembly  join  issue  with  the  angels  at  the 
birth  of  Christ,  saying,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on 
earth,  peace,  good-will  towards  men."  God  is  love.  This  is 
not  to  be  understood  of  God  essentially,  but  manifestatively, 
in  the  manifestation  that  he  has  made  of  himself  in  Christ:  he 
is  love,  or  love  is  the  swaying  attribute  of  his  nature. 

We  are  this  day  called  to  celebrate  a  love-feast:  I  have 
therefore  chosen  to  discourse  a  little  at  this  time  on  that  attri- 
bute and  perfection  of  the  divine  nature,  which  is  most  sig- 
nally and  remarkably  displayed  in  this  ordinance,  which  is 
the  very  same  with  that  by  which  God  is  described  in  the 
words  of  my  text,  God  is  love. 

It  is  a  great  question  which  you  have  in  your  Lesser  Cate- 
chism, What  is  God?  It  puts  men  and  angels  to  an  ever- 
lasting stand  and  nonplus,  to  tell  what  he  is.  "  Who  can  by 
searching  find  out  God  ?  who  can  find  out  the  Almighty  unto 
perfection?"  who  is  capable  to  tell  the  first  letter  of  his  glori- 
ous and  ever  blessed  name  1  The  highest  seraphim  in  hea- 
Ten  cannot  form  an  adequate  conception  of  him,  and,  there- 
fore, is  not  capable  to  give  a  full  description  of  him :  it  is  only 
some  of  the  back  parts  of  his  glory  that  are  seen  or  known 
by  created  beings.  I  remember  to  have  heard  of  a  certain 
philosopher,  who,  being  asked  what  God  is,  desired  time  to 
answer  it;  when  that  time  was  come,  desired  a  longer;  and 
when  that  was  come,  desired  yet  a  longer;  and  so  on:  and 

*  Preached  immediately  before  the  celebration  of  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  supper,  at  Portmoak,  July  17,  1726. 


Xii.]  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  351 

being  asked  the  reason  why  he  protracted  the  time,  and 
deferred  his  answer,  he  repHed,  Tiiat  the  more  he  thought  on 
God,  the  more  he  was  swallowed  up,  and  at  a  loss  iiow  to 
describe  him.  And  so  will  it  be  with  every  finite  understand- 
ing, that  thinks  to  find  him  out  to  perfection :  it  is  only  God 
himself  who  can  resolve  the  question,  and  tell  wliat  he  is. 
And  I  remember  of  a  three-fold  answer  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
gives  to  this  question  in  scripture,  IVhat  is  God?  One  you 
have,  John  iv.  24 :  God  is  a  Spirit;  a  second  you  have,  1  .John 
i.  5:  God  is  liglU;  a  third  you  have  in  the  words  of  my  text, 
God  is  love.  The  first  two  tell  what  God  is  in  himself,  but  this 
tells  us  what  God  is  to  us. 

If  the  question  were  asked,  What  is  God,  to  a  guilty  sin- 
ner, that  has  violated  his  law,  trampled  upon  his  authority, 
and  lifted  up  rebellious  arms  against  his  Sovereign?  one  would 
think  that  the  answer  would  be,  God  is  a  God  of  fury,  God  is 
wrath,  God  is  hatred,  God  is  vengeance:  but,  to  the  eternal 
surprise  of  men  and  angels,  the  very  reverse !  the  answer  is, 
God  is  love. 

The  text,  you  see,  is  short,  but.  Oh!  it  is  massy,  full  to  a 
wonder:  it  is  but  one  simple  proposition.  Where  notice,  (1.) 
The  subject  of  the  proposition,  God,  whose  name  commands 
reverence  and  adoration  among  men  and  angels.  I  conceive 
that  God  is  not  spoken  of  personally  here,  but  essentially,  as 
having  a  respect  to  all  the  persons  of  the  adorable  Trinity,  who 
are  one  in  essence,  will,  and  operation;  so  that  the  meaning 
is,  the  Father  is  love,  the  Son  is  love,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
love.  (2.)  We  have  the  predicate  of  the  proposition,  or  the 
thing  asserted  concerning  him,  he  is  love.  There  is  a  height 
and  a  depth  in  this  expression,  which  surpasses  our  compre- 
hension: and  we  cannot  give  a  just  commentary  upon  it;  for 
we  do  but  darken  counsel  by  words  without  knowledge,  when 
we  speak  of  God.  All  I  shall  say  of  it,  by  way  of  explication, 
is  only  to  tell  you,  that  God  is  one  simple  and  uncompounded 
Being,  and  the  divine  attributes  and  perfections  are  all  one  in 
him:  his  wisdom  is  nothing  else  but  the  infinitely  wise  God; 
his  power  is  nothing  else  but  the  omnipotent  or  almighty 
God;  his  holiness  is  nothing  else  but  the  infinitely  holy  God; 
his  justice  is  the  just  and  righteous  God;  so  here  love  denotes 
the  loving  God,  or  a  God  of  love.  I  shall  only  notice  farther, 
that  God  here,  in  this  description  he  gives  of  himself,  is  pre- 
sented to  our  view,  not  in  the  law,  but  in  the  gosj)el-revelation 
of  himself.  When  God  is  viewed  by  a  guilty  sinner  in  the 
law  revelation,  his  justice  and  wrath  immediately  appear  ready 
to  take  vengeance  on  the  workers  of  inifjuity;  hence,  the  ho- 
liest of  the  saints  of  God,  when  they  view  him  in  this  glass, 
cannot  miss  to  fall  a  trembling:  "  I  remembered  God,"  says 


352  GOD  m  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  [sER. 

the  holy  man,  Psal  Ixvii.  3,  "and  was  troubled."  But  when 
God  is  viewed  in  the  gospel  revelation,  or  as  he  is  in  Christ, 
not  imputing  their  trespasses  to  them,  then  grace,  and  love, 
and  good-will  present  themselves  to  the  sinner's  view.  And 
in  this  view  God  is  to  be  considered  in  this  description  we 
have  of  him,  God  is  love.  From  the  words  thus  briefly 
opened,  the  observation  I  ofTer  is  this: — 

DocT.  "  That  God  manifesting  himself  in  Christ  is  a  God 
of  love." 

Now,  in  prosecuting  this  doctrine,  I  shall  endeavour, 

I.  To  premise  two  or  three  things  for  clearing  the  way. 

II.  Prove  that  God  in  Christ  is  a  God  of  love. 

III.  Offer  you  a  view  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ. 

IV.  Inquire  whence  it  is  that  God  in  Christ  should  be  a 
God  of  love.     And, 

V.  Apply  the  whole. 

I.  The  first  thing  Is,  to  premise  two  or  three  things  for 
clearing  this  doctrine. 

1.  Know,  that  the  goodness,  sweetness,  and  pleasantness  of 
God's  nature  is  the  foundation  of  his  love;  he  has  a  heroic 
disposition  of  communicating  of  himself  to  others,  and  from 
thence  flows  his  love  to  mankind.  Hence  it  is,  that  when 
God  had  a  mind  to  make  known  his  love  to  Moses,  he  tells 
him,  that  he  would  make  all  his  goodness  to  pass  before  him; 
and,  accordingly,  he  proclaims  himself  to  be,  "  The  Lord,  the 
Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abun- 
dant in  goodness  and  truth."  And  with  this  view,  I  think 
our  divines,  in  the  4th  question  of  the  Lesser  Catechism,  speak 
neither  of  the  love,  mercy,  nor  grace  of  God,  but  wrap  them 
up  in  that  general  of  goodness,  wisdom,  power,  holiness,  jus- 
tice, and  truth. 

2.  I  premise,  that  love  is  the  regnant  or  prevailing  attribute 
of  the  divine  nature,  if  I  may  so  speak.  So  much  seems  to 
be  pointed  at  in  the  expression  of  the  text,  God  is  love.  I  do 
not  find  any  other  attribute  of  the  divine  nature  so  expressed 
in  the  scripture;  we  do  not  find  it  is  said,  God  is  mercy,  God  is 
justice,  God  is  holiness,  God  is  power,  or  God  is  wisdom:  no; 
the  expression  in  this  attribute  has  something  pecuUar  in  it, 
God  is  love.  And  I  conceive  it  plainly  bears  this  much,  that 
love  is,  as  it  were,  the  imperial  or  commanding  attribute  of 
the  divine  nature,  insomuch  that  every  other  attribute  receives 
a  dye  and  tincture  of  love  from  it:  there  is  a  strain  of  love 
runs  through  every  one  of  them,  and  it  is  as  it  were  the  spring 
that  sets  all  on  work.  What  but  love  sets  wisdom  on  work 
to  contrive  our  redemption?  what  but  love  actuates  infinite 


Xii.]  GOD  Ii\  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  358 

power  to  execute  that  contrivance?  what  but  love  sets  the 
bowels  of  mercy  rolling  towards  the  miserable  sinner?  Thus, 
I  say,  love  is  the  first  wheel  as  it  were  that  sets  all  the  other 
wheels  a  going. 

3.  The  gift  of  Christ  to  a  lost  world  is  the  most  signal  and 
glorious  display  of  the  love  of  God  that  ever  heaven  or  earth 
heard  tell  of:  hence  is  that  of  the  apostle,  in  the  10th  verse  of 
this  chapter  where  my  text  lies,  "Herein  is  love,  not  that  we 
loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,"  but  how  was  this  love  ma- 
nifested ?  "  He  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins." 
To  the  same  purpose  is  that  which  you  have,  John  iii.  16: 
"  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  The  love  of  God  to  sinners  lay  hid,  as  it 
were,  under  a  veil  of  wrath  and  justice,  till  Christ  appeared, 
undertaking  to  satisfy  justice,  and  to  bear  the  wrath  of  his 
Father  in  our  room;  then,  indeed,  the  kindness  and  love  of 
God  to  man  appeared,  venting  itself  in  a  most  glorious  and 
triumjihant  manner,  insomuch  that,  in  and  through  Christ, 
grace  and  love  "  reign  through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life, 
by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."     But  this  leads  to, 

II.  The  second  thing  in  the  method,  which  was,  to  male  it 
a  little  more  evident,  that  God  in  Christ  is  a  God  of  love. 
This  will  be  abundantly  clear,  if  we  consider  these  few 
things : — 

1.  God  in  Christ  is  a  reconciled  God,  a  God  of  peace,  that 
has  received  the  atonement:  2  Cor.  v.  19:  "God  was  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself"  Rom.  v.  10: 
"  When  we  were  enemies,  we  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the 
death  of  his  Son."  He  both  finds  the  ransom,  and  accepts 
of  the  ransom  that  he  has  found ;  and  having  accepted  of  the 
ransom,  of  the  Surety,  he  yn'oclaims  himself  to  be  "the  God 
of  peace,  that  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  Oh,  sirs!  does  not  this  say  tiiat  God  is  love?  what 
greater  evidence  of  it  could  God  give,  tiian  to  provide  a  ran- 
som, and  to  receive  it,  than  to  cry,  "Deliver  them  from  go- 
ing down  to  the  ]^it,  for  I  have  found  a  ransom  ?" 

2.  God  in  (,'hrist  is  a  promising  God;  and  does  not  this  say 
that  he  is  a  God  of  love?  God  abstractly  considered  is  a 
threatening  God,  a  revenging  God;  but,  in  Christ,  a  promising 
God;  and  we  find,  ii  Cor.  i.  20,  that  all  the  jinxuiscs  of  God 
are  in  Christ,  and  injiim  yea  and  amen."  Whenever  you 
meet  with  any  promise  in  the  Bible,  «)f  grace  or  of  glory,  of 
peace  or  of  pardon,  or  be  what  it  will,  you  should  still  take 
it  up  as  a  promise  of  a  God  in  Christ:  Christ  having  fulfilled 
the  condition  of  the  promise  of  eternal  life,  by  his  obedience 
and  death,  the  promises  are  given  out  to  us,  through  him,  as 

30* 


354  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVEi.  [sER. 

the  immediate  ground  and  foundation  of  our  faith,  ^ith  an 
intimation  and  advertisement,  "  The  promise  is  unto  you,  and 
to  your  seed,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the 
Lord  our  God  shall  call."  Sirs,  if  any  man  should  present 
to  you  a  bond,  bill,  or  security,  for  a  vast  sum  of  money, 
which  would  enrich  you  for  all  your  days,  you  would  look 
upon  it  as  a  great  and  indisputable  evidence  of  his  love  to 
you.  Well,  this  is  the  very  case  between  God  and  you; 
through  Christ,  he  is  a  promising  God ;  he  comes  in  a  gospel 
dispensation,  saying,  "  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you ;  I  will 
be  merciful  to  their  unrighteousness,  and  their  sins  and  their 
iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more,"  &c.  These  promises  are 
presented  to  you  as  the  ground  of  your  faith ;  and  that  very 
moment  you  take  hold  of  them  in  a  way  of  believing,  you 
come  to  be  possessed  of  them,  and  all  the  benefits  of  his  pur- 
chase, according  to  that,  Is.  Iv.  3 :  "  Hear,  and  your  soul  shall 
live ;"  it  is  the  hearing  of  faith  that  is  intended ;  "  and  I  will 
make"  or  establish  "an  everlasting  covenant  with  you,  even 
the  sure  mercies  of  David."  Oh,  sirs !  does  not  this  say  that 
God  is  love? 

3.  God  in  Christ  is  a  God  sitting  upon  a  throne  of  grace: 
and  does  not  this  say,  that  God  is  love  ?  God  has  a  threefold 
throne, — a  throne  of  glory,  a  throne  of  justice,  and  a  throne 
of  grace.  The  first  of  these,  his  throne  of  glory,  is  so  bright, 
that  it  dazzles  the  eyes  of  angels,  and  they  cover  their  faces 
with  their  wings  when  they  approach  it.  The  second,  name- 
ly, his  throne  of  justice,  is  clothed  with  red  vengeance;  and 
it  is  so  terrible,  that  the  most  holy  saints  tremble  when  they 
behold  it,  "  If  thou,  Lord,  shouldst  mark  iniquities,  O  Lord, 
who  shall  stand? — In  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justi- 
fied." And  because  we  were  not  able  to  stand  here,  he  has 
erected  another  throne,  namely,  a  throne  of  grace,  from 
whence  he  issues  out  acts  of  grace  and  mercy  to  guilty  sin- 
ners; and  so  soon  as  he  is  seen  sitting  upon  his  throne,  he  is 
taken  up  as  a  God  of  love;  and  upon  this  the  poor  sinner,  that 
was  trembling  at  the  thoughts  of  being  cited  before  the  throne 
of  justice,  flees  for  his  life  to  the  throne  of  grace,  saying 
with  the  apostle,  Heb.  iv.  16:  "Let  us  therefore  come  boldly 
3,into  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and 
find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need." 

4,  God  in  Christ  is  a  God  matching  with  us,  and  betrothing 
us  unto  himself  in  loving  kindness;  and  does  not  this  say,  that 
he  is  a  God  of  love?  There  is  a  twofold  match  that  the  great 
and  infinite  Jehovah  has  made  with  Adam's  family.  (1.)  He 
matches  With  our  nature  by  a  personal  union  in  the  person  of 
his  eternal  S;0i3 :  he  marries  our  nature ;  and  thus  he  becomes 
&kin  to  the  whole  family  of  Adam,  an  honour  that  the  angelic 


Xii.]  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVfi.  355 

family  was  never  dignified  with;  for  "he  takes  not  on  him 
the  nature  of  angels,  but  the  seed  of  Abraham."  Oh,  sirs  ! 
what  shall  I  tell  you?  strange  and  surprising  news  indeed, 
"God  is  manifested  in  the  flesh!"  The  great  God  becomes 
related  to  us  in  Christ;  for  he  is  clothed  with  our  nature; 
he  is  become  "  bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our  flesh ;"  and 
what  is  the  language  of  this,  but  that  of  the  angels  at  his  birth, 
"glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  good  will  and  peace  towards  men 
upon  earth  t"  (2.)  Another  match  he  makes  with  us,  is,  by 
taking  us  actually  under  the  bond  of  a  marriage  relation. 
The  match  is  proposed  to  all  in  the  call  and  offer  of  the  gos- 
pel: but  you  know  the  bare  proposal  of  marriage  does  not 
make  marriage,  till  once  the  consent  of  the  bride  be  obtained; 
and  the  moment  the  soul  gives  its  assent  and  consent  to  the 
proposal  made  in  the  gospel,  he  betroths  that  soul  to  himself 
in  loving  kindness  and  in  mercy,  in  righteousness  and  in 
judgment;  and  the  Lord  rejoices  over  that  soul,  as  a  bride- 
groom rejoices  over  the  bride,  saying  to  it,  "  Thy  Maker  is 
thine  husband,  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name,"  Is.  liv.  5.  And, 
oh,  sirs!  does  not  this  say  that  God  is  love?  Because  the  dis- 
tance between  him  and  us  was  too  groat,  (abstractly  consi- 
dered,) therefore,  he  first  comes  on  a  level  with  us,  by  taking 
on  our  nature,  that  so  the  inequality  of  the  persons  might  be 
no  stop:  he  becomes  our  husband,  and  we  his  spouse  and 
bride. 

5.  God  in  Christ  is  a  God  with  us,  on  our  side,  our  friend, 
and  takes  part  with  us  against  all  evil  or  danger:  and  does 
not  this  say,  that  God  is  love,  as  he  is  in  Christ?  Oh,  sii-s! 
God  out  of  Christ  is  a  God  against  us:  hence,  he  is  said  to  be 
"angry  with  the  wicked  every  day;"  he  "  whets  his  glittering 
sword,  and  his  hand  takes  hold  on  judgment,"  to  render  ven- 
geance to  every  transgressor  of  his  iioly  law.  But  God  in 
('hrist  is  not  a  God  against  us,  but  a  God  with  us,  or  a  God 
for  us;  the  name  hnmanuel  im])orts,  God  irith  us.  And  every 
one  that  takes  a  God  in  Christ  for  their  God,  may  say,  upon 
warrantable  grounds,  with  the  church,  Psal.  xlvi.  7:  "The 
Lord  of  hosts  is  with  us,  the  Gf)d  of  Jacob  is  our  refuge." 
And  they  may  say  it  upon  a  covenant  ground,  for  God  in 
Christ  has  said,  Is.  xliii.  2:  "Wiion  thou  j^assest  through  the' 
waters,  I  will  be  with  thee;  and  through  the  rivers,  they 
shall  not  overflow  thee. — 1  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake 
thee." 

6.  God  in  Christ  is  a  pardoning  God:  and  docs  not  this  de- 
clare him  to  be  a  God  of  love?  "I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blot- 
tetli  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake,  and  will  not 
remember  thy  sins.  I  will  be  merciful  to  their  unrighteous- 
ness," &c. 


356  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  [SER. 

7.  God  in  Christ  is  a  pitying  God ;  he  pities  Christless  and 
unbeUeving  sinners,  and  is  loath  at  his  very  heart  to  give  up 
with  them:  Hos.  xi.  8:  "How  shall  I  give  thee  up,  Ephraim? 
how  shall  I  deliver  thee,  Israel?  how  shall  I  make  thee  as 
Admah?  how  shall  I  set  thee  as  Zeboim?  Mine  heart  is 
turned  within  me,  my  repentings  are  kindled  together."  And 
how  great  is  his  pity  to  the  soul  that  believes  in  him !  His 
pity  to  them  is  like  the  pity  of  a  father  to  his  son:  Psal. 
ciii.  13:  "Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children,  so  the  Lord 
pitieth  them  that  fear  him."  It  is  like  the  pity  of  a  fond  mo- 
ther to  a  sucking  child:  Is.  Ixix.  15:  "Can  a  woman  forget 
her  sucking  child,  that  he  should  not  have  compassion  on  the 
son  of  her  womb  1  yea,  they  may  forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget 
thee." 

8.  God  in  Christ  is  a  God  of  infinite  bounty  and  liberahty, 
and  a  prayer-hearing  God;  (I  cast  things  together,  that  I  may 
not  be  tedious.)  Oh,  sirs!  his  heart  is  free,  and  his  hand  is 
full  and  open;  open-hearted,  open-handed:  "If  any  man  lack 
wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally, 
and  upbraideth  not."  Such  is  his  bounty  and  liberality,  that 
it  is  nothing  but  ask  and  have  with  him:  "Ask,  and  it  shall 
be  given  you;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
opened  unto  you,"  Matth.  vii.  7.  When  we  have  asked  great 
things  of  him,  he  [chides]  us,  as  if  we  had  asked  nothing:  he 
does  not  deal  with  a  scrimp  or  a  sparing  hand :  no,  no :  "  Ask, 
and  ye  shall  receive,"  says  he,  "  that  your  joy  may  be  full." 
Yes,  such  is  his  bounty,  that  he  is  ready  to  do  for  us  exceed- 
ing abundantly  above  what  we  can  either  ask  or  think;  such 
is  his  bounty,  that  he  presents  us  with  the  blessings  of  his 
goodness:  his  goodness  and  mercy  are  like  the  rain  or  dew, 
that  does  not  wait  for  the  sons  of  men:  Is.  Ixv.  24:  "  And  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  that,  before  they  call,  I  will  answer,  and 
while  they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will  hear." 

9.  God  in  Christ  is  an  inciting  God,  an  entreating  God,  to 
sinners:  and  does  not  this  say,  that  he  is  a  God  of  love?  He 
invites  us  to  come  to  him  for  all  needful  grace:  Is.  Iv.  1 :  "Ho, 
every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that 
hath  no  money;  come  ye,  buy  and  eat;  yea,  come,  buy  wine 
and  milk  without  money,  and  without  price."  He  is  an  en- 
treating God  in  Christ:  2  Cor.  v.  20:  "Wc  are  ambassadors 
for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us:  we  pray 
you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  He  com- 
plains of  the  backwardness  of  sinners  to  come  to  him :  "  Ye 
will  not  come  to  me,  that  ye  might  have  life."  He  expostu- 
lates with  them  on  this  account:  "  O  my  people,  what  have 
I  done  unto  thee,  and  wherein  have  I  wearied  thee  ?  testify 
against  me."     He  waits  for  an  answer;  he  will  not  take  a  re- 


Xii.j  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  357 

pulse.  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door,  and  knock."  And  he 
stands  knocking  till  his  locks  are  wet.  Oh!  does  not  all  this 
say  that  God  in  Christ  is  love? 

10.  To  crown  all,  God  in  Christ  is  our  God.  He  makes 
a  grant  of  himself  in  the  covenant  asj  such;  "  I  will  be  their 
God:"  and  he  allows  us  to  claim  him  by  faith  as  our  God, 
upon  this  very  grant  he  makes  of  himself  to  us  in  Christ,  Zech. 
xiii.  9:  "  I  will  say.  It  is  my  people;  and  they  shall  say.  The 
Lord  is  my  God."  And,  oh!  happy  that  soul  that  is  enabled 
to  give  faith's  echo  to  this  covenant  grant,  and  say,  "  This 
God  is  my  God  for  ever  and  ever;  and  he  will  be  my  Guide 
even  unto  death."  In  a  word,  God  in  Christ  is  our  Father; 
for  it  is  only  a  God  in  Christ  that  says,  "I  will  be  unto  them 
a  Father,  and  they  shall  be  unto  mc  sons  and  daughters." 
He  has  taught  us  to  say,  "  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven." 
And  he  is  displeased  with  us,  when  we  are  shy  with  him, 
through  unbelief,  to  call  him  by  this  endearing  title:  Jer.  iii.  4: 
"  Wilt  thou  not  from  this  time  cry  unto  me.  My  Father, — 
and  not  turn  away  from  mc?"  Oh!  what  but  the  infinite 
bowels  of  love  could  speak  in  such  a  style  and  dialect !  Now, 
from  all  this  I  think  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  is  abundantly 
evident,  that  God  in  Christ  is  a  God  of  love. 

III.  The  third  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  offer  you  some 
views  of  the  love  of  this  God  in  Christ.  And  there  is  only  a 
threefold  view  of  it  that  I  shall  present  you  with.  1.  View  it 
in  the  kinds  of  it.  2.  View  it  in  the  dimensions  of  it.  3.  In 
its  qualities. 

First,  I  say,  let  us  view  the  love  of  a  God  of  love,  in  the 
different  kinds  of  it. 

1.  Then,  He  has  a.  love  of  benevolence,  or  good-will,  which 
he  bears  towards  men,  particularly  towards  the  whole  visible 
church.  The  lifting  up  of  the  brazen  serpent  in  the  camp  of 
Israel,  that  whosoever  looked  to  it  might  be  healed,  was  a 
clear  evidence  of  his  good-will  to  the  whole  camp:  so  the 
manifestation  of  Christ  in  the  nature  of  man,  and  the  revela- 
tion of  him  in  the  gospel,  is  an  evidence  of  the  good-will  he 
bears  to  the  salvation  of  all,  John  iii.  15,  IG.  He  declares  it 
on  his  word,  that  he  is  "  not  willing  that  any  should  perish, 
but  that  all  should  come  to  repentance;"  and,  lest  his  word 
should  not  be  believed,  he  has  confirmed  it  with  his  oath, 
Ezek.  xxxiii.  11:  "As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no 
pleasure  in  the  deatli  of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn 
from  his  way  and  live." 

2.  He  has  a  love,  not  only  t)f  benevolence,  but  of  benefi- 
cence ;  he  not  only  wishes  you  well,  but  does  well  unto  you. 
Oh,  sirs !  many  a  good  turn  has  he  done  you,  particularly  you 


358  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  [sER. 

who  are  members  of  the  visible  church ;  he  gives  you  Hne 
upon  Hne,  precept  upon  precept;  he  makes  you  to  hear  the 
joyful  sound,  the  voice  of  the  turtle:  many  a  minister  has  he 
sent  you;  many  an  offer  of  Christ,  and  of  life  through  him, 
has  he  made  to  you;  many  a  time  has  he  knocked  at  thy 
door,  by  word,  by  conscience,  and  the  motions  and  whispers 
of  his  Spirit ;  so  that  he  may  say  to  us,  as  he  did  of  his  vine- 
yard, Is.  V.  4:  "  What  could  have  been  done  more  for  them, 
that  I  have  not  done?'  And  because  of  your  obstinacy  in 
unbelief  and  sin,  he  may  challenge  you  as  he  did  Israel,  and 
say,  Mic.  vi.  3 :  "  O,  my  people,  what  have  I  done  unto  thee, 
and  wherein  have  I  wearied  thee?  testify  against  me.  Was 
I  ever  a  barren  wilderness,  or  a  land  of  darkness?"  Thus,  I 
say,  God's  love  of  benevolence  and  beneficence  is,  in  some 
respects,  extended  to  all. 

3.  There  is  a  love  of  complacency,  or  dehght  and  satis- 
faction, which  is  peculiar  only  to  believers;  who,  because  of 
the  excellency  of  his  loving  kindness,  do  put  their  trust  under 
the  shadow  of  his  wings.  Oh,  believer,  the  Lord  loves  thee, 
a  God  of  love  loves  thee,  not  only  with  a  love  of  benevolence 
and  beneficence,  as  he  does  others,  in  some  respects,  but  he 
loves  thee  with  a  complacent  love,  as  so  to  take  pleasure  in 
thee:  "  The  Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  his  people:  he  will  beau- 
tify the  meek  with  salvation."  He  loves  thee  with  a  love  of 
estimation :  he  puts  such  a  high  value  and  estimate  upon  thee, 
that  thou  art  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  thou  art  his 
treasure,  and  his  peculiar  treasure :  "  The  Lord's  portion  is 
his  people:  Jacob  is  the  lot  of  his  inheritance."  He  loves 
thee  with  a  love  of  union;  he  desires  thy  company,  and  to 
hear  thy  voice,  and  to  see  thy  countenance:  Cant.  ii.  14:  "O, 
my  dove,  that  art  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  in  the  secret  places 
of  the  stairs,  let  me  see  thy  countenance,  let  me  hear  thy 
voice;  for  sweet  is  thy  voice,  and  thy  countenance  is  come- 
ly." He  loves  thee  with  an  ecstatic  love :  his  love  runs  out 
into  a  kind  of  rapture  and  ecstasy.  Cant.  iv.  9,  twice  with  one 
breath  he  cries  out,  "  Thou  hast  ravished  my  heart,  my  sister, 
my  spouse;  thou  hast  ravished  my  heart  with  one  of  thine 
eyes,  with  one  chain  of  thy  neck."  No  where  is  the  word 
used  in  scripture  but  here;  "Thou  hast  ravished  my  heart." 
New  words  are,  as  it  were,  coined  to  express  the  inexpressi- 
ble love,  that  a  God  in  Christ  bears  towards  his  people.  The 
word  signifies,  thou  hast  unhearted  me  :  it  is  an_  allusion  to 
that  which  is  a  weakness  in  us,  when  our  affections  run  so 
much  out  to  any  particular  object,  as  to  become  heartless  of 
any  thing  else.  Some  render  the  words,  "  thou  hast  wounded 
or  pierced  my  heart,  Oh,  my  sister,"  &c.     The  love  of  God 


Xii.]  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  359 

runs  so  deep,  that  he  was  content,  in  the  person  of  his  eter- 
nal Son,  to  be  "  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised 
for  our  iniquities." 

Now,  the  complacent  love  of  God  to  his  people  is  various- 
ly expressed  in  scripture.     As, 

1st,  His  love  is  said  to  be  a  pastoral  love,  or  the  love  a 
shepherd  has  to  his  flock:  Is.  xl.  11 :  "  He  shall  feed  his  flock 
like  a  shepherd,"  &c. 

2dh/,  His  love  is  a  friendly  love :  "  Ye  are  my  friends," 
says  he,  "  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you."  And,  like 
a  true  friend,  he  communicates  his  mind  to  them,  John  xv.  15: 
"  Henceforth  I  call  you  not  servants ;  for  the  servant  knoweth 
not  what  his  Lord  doth :  but  I  have  called  you  friends ;  for 
all  things  that  I  have  heard  of  my  Father,  I  have  made  known 
unto  you.  Unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the 
kingd(jm ;  but  to  others  it  is  not  given." 

3(l/i/,  His  complacency  in  them  sometimes  runs  out  into  a 
conjugal  love:  Is.  liv.  5:  "Thy  Maker  is  thine  husband,  the 
Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name,"  &c. 

4thh/,  Sometimes  it  runs  out  into  a  paternal  love :  "  I  will 
be  to  them  a  Father,  and  they  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters, 
saith  the  Lord  Almighty."  But  why  do  I  stand  on  this?  In 
one  word,  his  love  is  the  love  of  a  God;  his  love  cannot  be 
expressed  by  any  similitude,  for  God  is  love;  he  is  as  it  were 
all  one  flame  of  love  to  the  believer.  Love  is  in  him  in  its 
j)erfection,  and  perfect  love  casts  out  hatred:  his  heart  is  just 
the  very  centre  of  love;  and  whatsoever  sparks  of  love  are  to 
be  found  in  any  of  our  hearts,  they  are  all  kindled  at  this 
fire.  As  all  the  waters  that  are  in  the  rivers  come  originally 
from  the  sea,  and  return  back  to  it  again ;  so  any  drop  of 
love  that  is  to  be  found  in  any  of  our  hearts,  is  just  an  ema- 
nation of  his  love,  returning  back  again  into  its  proper  cen- 
tre, from  whence  it  came.  And  thus  much  for  the  different 
kinds  of  his  love. 

Secondly,  Let  us  view  the  love  of  God  in  its  dimensions. 
Among  corporeal  beings  there  are  only  three  dimensions  rec- 
koned; but  the  apostle,  speaking  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ, 
admits  of  a  fourth,  Eph.  iii.  17,  18.  He  there  speaks  of  the 
height,  the  depth,  the  breadth,  and  length,  of  the  love  of  God, 
which  ])asses  knowledge. 

1.  It  is  so  liigii,  that  the  height  of  it  can  never  be  reached; 
no,  not  by  the  most  soaring  angel  or  seraphim  in  heaven.  We 
find,  that  the  S])irit  of  God,  when  he  would  express  his  love, 
runs  above  the  height  ol"  the  highest  heavens  to  borrow  a  si- 
militude for  the  illustration  of  it,  comparing  it  to  the  love 
which  the  Father  bears  the  Son,  John  xv.  9:  "As  the  Fa- 
ther hath  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved  you."     Oh!  who  can  tell 


360  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.     _       [SER.' 

how  the  Father  loves  the  Son !  there  is  more  here  than  all 
the  angels  in  heaven  are  capable  either  to  conceive  or  ex- 
press ;  yet  such  is  the  love  of  a  God  of  love  to  believers. 

2.  He  speaks  not  only  of  a  height,  but  a  depth  in  this  love. 
The  heart  of  man  is  a  great  depth,  that  none  knows  it,  but  he 
that  knows  all  things ;  and  if  the  heart  of  man  be  such  a  great 
depth,  what  must  the  heart  of  God  be?  Yet  this  love  is  rooted 
in  the  very  heart  of  God ;  so  much  is  implied  in  the  very  ex- 
pression of  the  text,  God  is  love.  His  love  is  a  heart  of  love. 
He  loves  with  the  whole  heart,  and  with  the  whole  soul.  So 
deep  is  his  love,  that  it  descended,  as  it  were,  to  the  depth  to 
help  and  relieve  us ;  it  descended  unto  the  depth  of  hell,  in  the 
dying  agonies  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  bring  us  up  from  the 
depth  of  misery  and  distress  into  which  we  had  plunged  our- 
selves. 

3.  This  love  of  a  God  of  love  has  also  a  breadth  with  it, 
which  can  never  be  measured.  So  broad  is  this  love,  that 
in  the  word  of  grace,  and  external  dispensation  of  the  gospel, 
it  reaches  forth  its  arms  to  embrace  a  lost  world:  John  iii.  16: 
"  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life."  So  broad  is  it,  that  it  takes  in  Jew  and 
Gentile,  Barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  or  free;  it  takes  in  those 
that  lived  before  the  law,  those  that  lived  under  the  law,  those 
that  live  under  the  gospel.  Oh,  sirs !  the  love  of  God  is  broad ; 
his  heart  is  wide  and  capacious :  you  need  not  fear  as  if  there 
were  no  room  for  you:  no,  no,  for  all  the  innumerable  multi- . 
tude  that  his  love  has  grasped,  there  is  yet  room  for  you,  room 
for  me,  and  room  for  all  the  world  that  come  to  him  through 
Christ. 

4.  The  apostle  yet  adds  another  dimension  to  this  love,  and 
that  is,  the  length  of  it;  and,  in  short,  it  is  as  long  as  eternity. 
Look  back  to  an  eternity  past,  and  we  shall  find,  that  his  love, 
like  himself,  never  had  a  beginning :  "  I  have  loved  thee  with 
an  everlasting  love."  And  let  us  look  forward  to  an  eternity 
to  come,  and  we  shall  find  that  his  love  shall  never  have  an 
end;  for  it  is  "from  everlasting  to  everlasting;"  he  rests  in 
his  love,  and  changes  not:  "The  mountains  shall  depart,  and 
the  hills  be  removed,  but  my  kindness  shall  not  depart  from 
thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my  peace  be  removed, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  hath  mercy  on  thee."  Thus,  you  see  its 
dimensions. 

Thirdly,  Let  us  take  a  view  of  the  love  of  a  God  of  love 
in  its  qualities  and  properties. 

1.  His  love  is  a  free  love :  Hos.  xiv.  4 :  "  I  will  heal  their 
backsliding,  I  will  love  them  freely."  This  love  is  free  in  its 
first  fountain,  viewing  it,  I  mean,  as  it  lies  in  the  heart  of 


Xn.]  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVfi.  361 

God.  What  made  him  to  set  his  love  upon  any  of  Adam's 
posterity,  and  to  choose  them  from  eternity  1  The  cause  of 
it  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  creature,  but  in  himself;  only  his 
own  sovereign  will  and  grace  is  the  cause  of  it;  for  he  "pre- 
destinated us  unto  tiie  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus  (^hrist  to 
himself,  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,"  Eph.  i.  5: 
"  He  hath  saved  us  and  called  us  with  a  holy  calling,  not  ac- 
cording to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and 
grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus,  before  the  world 
began,"  2  Tim.  i.  9.  And  then,  again,  this  love  is  free,  not 
only  in  its  first  fountain,  but  free  in  the  ofier,  revelation,  and 
manifestation  of  it  in  the  word:  and  the  love  of  God,  as  it  is 
in  the  word  of  grace,  is  a  common  love,  common  to  all  the 
hearers  of  the  gospel,  in  regard  it  comes  to  every  man's  door, 
and  ofiers  itself  to  him:  "Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come. 
Whosoever  will,  let  him  come,"  &c.  "  Unto  you,  O  men,  I 
call,  and  my  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  man."  And  then  it  is  a 
free  love,  in  regard  of  the  application  of  it  to  the  elect  soul  in 
a  day  of  power ;  the  love  of  God  is  manifested  in  the  word 
of  grace  taken  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  shed  abroad  upon  the 
sinner's  heart,  and  that  without  regard  to  any  good  qualifica- 
tion or  work  of  righteousness  in  us.  In  a  word,  this  love  of 
a  God  of  love  is  free,  in  opposition  to  merit.  That  which 
conciliates  love  among  men,  is  cither  beauty,  strength,  wis- 
dom, riches,  or  some  such  qualification  or  inducement :  but 
no  such  thing  is  to  be  found  in  any  of  Adam's  posterity: 
"When  thou  wast  in  thy  blood,  I  said  unto  tiiee.  Live;  and 
thy  time  was  a  time  of  love,"  Instead  of  beauty,  nothing  but 
deformity;  instead  of  strength,  nothing  but  weakness ;  instead 
of  riches,  nothing  but  poverty.  And  as  it  is  free  in  opposi- 
tion to  merit,  so  it  is  free  in  opposition  to  any  constraint  or 
force.  Love  is  a  thing  that  cannot  be  forced  ;  no,  it  is  volun- 
tary, and  of  its  own  accord.  God's  love  is  only  owing  to 
the  freedom  of  his  own  will,  Eph.  i.  9, 

2.  The  love  of  this  God  of  love  is  a  strong  and  invincible 
love.  Before  his  love  could  reach  us  in  the  application  of  it, 
it  had  mountains  to  level:  but,  "behold,  he  cometh,  leaping 
upon  the  mountains,  and  skipping  upon  tfie  hills."  There 
were  deep  seas  and  Hoods  in  the  way  of  his  love,  but  "  many 
waters  could  not  (lucnch  it,  ncitiuM-  were  all  floods  able  to 
drown  it:"  it  runs  through  vvcvy  diljicnlty.  it  encounters  every 
impediinent  in  its  way.  The  infinite  distance  between  God 
and  a  creature,  was  a  l)ar  in  the  way  of  this  hne:  but  he 
conquers  this  impediment;  for  "God  is  manifested  in  the 
flesh."  The  moral  distance  between  a  filthy  guilty  sinner  is 
an  impediment  in  the  way  of  this  love:  but  h(>  breaks  this 
bar  also ;  for  the  Son  of  God  is  not  only  manifested  in  the 

VOL.  I.  31 


362  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  [SER. 

flesh,  but  "  made  in  the  Ukeness  of  sinful  flesh,  yea,  made  sin 
for  us."  The  curse  of  the  law  was  a  bar  in  the  way :  but 
this  bar  he  breaks;  for  Christ  was  "  made  a  curse  for  us,  that 
we  might  be  redeemed  from  the  curse  of  the  law."  Sin  in  its 
guilt,  and  filth,  and  power,  lay  in  the  way  of  his  love :  but 
love  breaks  through  this,  and  "finishes  transgression,  and 
makes  an  end  of  sin."  Ignominy  and  disgrace  lay  in  its  way, 
grief  and  sorrow :  but  this  love  conquers  that :  for  he  was  con- 
tent to  endure  the  cross,  and  love  despises  the  shame  of  it ;  he 
is  content,  out  of  love,  to  become  "  a  man  of  sorrows  and  ac- 
quainted with  grief"  And  then,  when  this  love  comes  to  the 
sinner,  in  order  to  conversion,  it  finds  him  dead,  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins :  the  man  has  perhaps  laid  twenty,  thirty,  for- 
ty, or  sixty  years  in  the  grave  of  sin,  so  that,  lo,  he  stinks : 
Oh,  what  an  object  is  he !  he  is  an  object  of  loathing  instead 
of  love :  but  yet  this  love  of  a  God  of  love  conquers  this  im- 
pediment also :  for,  "  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  for  the  great 
love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  he  quickened  us."  And  then, 
after  this  love  has  actually  grasped  the  soul  in  effectual  calling, 
how  many  provocations  gets  it  by  the  whoredoms  of  heart 
and  life-departing  from  the  Lord  ?  and  yet,  such  is  the  invin- 
cible nature  of  this  love,  that  it  overcomes  all,  and  abides  firm 
to  the  end;  hence,  says  the  apostle,  Rom.  viii.  35,  37,  "  Who 
shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  shall  tribulation,  or 
distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or 
sword  1  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  con- 
querors, through  him  that  loved  us."  It  is  because  his  love 
is  invincible,  that  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  him 
that  loved  us ;  because  his  love  is  strong  as  death,  therefore, 
death  shall  not  separate ;  because  it  is  deep  as  hell,  therefore, 
neither  hell  nor  devils  shall  be  able  to  make  a  separation. 

3.  The  love  of  this  God  of  love,  is  an  incomparable,  yea, 
a  superlative  love.  I^et  us  but  view  here  how  much  a  God 
in  Christ  loves  them  who  "  trust  under  the  shadow  of  his 
wings,  because  of  the  excellency  of  his  loving  kindness."  (1.) 
He  loves  them  more  than  he  loves  all  other  men:  Is.  xliii.  3, 
4 :  "  I  will  give  men  for  thee,  and  people  for  thy  life."  (2.) 
He  loves  believers  more  than  he  loves  angels.  Angels  are 
his  servants,  believers  are  his  sons ;  angels  are  his  subjects, 
believers  ai-e  his  bride.  (3.)  He  loves  them  more  than  he 
loves  the  whole  world.  The  world  consists  of  heaven  and 
earth.  As  for  the  earth,  he  did  not  value  that,  for  the  love 
he  had  to  his  people :  when  the  devil  proffered  him  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of  them,  he  contemned 
them  all,  out  of  love  he  had  to  his  people.  As  for  heaven,  he 
left  the  glory  of  the  higher  house,  to  dwell  with  men  upon 
earth.     Yea,  I  shall  add,  (4.)  The  love  of  an  incarnate  Deity 


XII.]  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  303 

is  greater  to  his  people  than  to  himself.  He  loved  their  life 
and  safety  more  than  his  own;  for  he  laid  down  his  life  for 
his  friends,  that  they  might  not  die :  he  prayed  more  for  them 
than  he  did  for  himself,  as  you  may  see,  John  xvii.  through- 
out. In  a  word,  out  of  love  he  bore  to  us,  he  parted  with 
those  things  that  are  reckoned  most  valuable  among  men. 
Men  make  a  great  account  of  their  good  name;  but,  out  of 
love  to  us,  he  became  a  i-eproach  of  men.  Men  make  a  great 
account  of  their  riches;  but  "  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  our 
sakcs  he  became  poor."  Men  make  a  great  account  of  their 
life;  "skin  for  skin,  yea,  all  that  a  man  hath  will  he  give  for 
his  life;"  but  Christ  parted  with  this,  "  He  loved  me,  and  gave 
himself  for  me."  Men  do  or  should  make  a  great  account 
of  their  souls ;  and  yet,  out  of  love  to  us,  he  made  his  soul  an 
otfering,  "  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  death." 
Men,  I  mean  holy  men,  saints,  make  a  greater  account  of  the 
love  of  God  than  of  their  life,  "  Thy  love  is  better  than  life," 
says  David;  and  yet  Christ  was  content  to  lose  the  sense  of 
that  for  awhile,  out  of  love  to  us ;  and  it  was  withdrawn  from 
him,  to  that  degree,  that  he  cried  out  on  the  cross,  "  My  God, 
my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?"  Thus  much  for  a 
view  of  tiie  love  of  a  God  of  love. 

IV.  The  fourth  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  inquire  irhejice 
it  is  that,  in  Christ,  God  sltouhl  he  a  God  of  love  to  lost,  and 
undone,  and  rehcUious  sinners?  Whence  comes  this  strange 
alteration,  that  a  God  of  vengeance,  who  was  ready  to  de- 
stroy all  Adam's  posterity  because  of  sin,  should  lay  aside  his 
garments  of  vengeance,  and  appear  to  us  as  a  God  of  grace 
and  love  1 

Jlnsw.  1.  An  offended  and  angry  God  is  a  God  of  love  to 
us  in  Christ,  because  in  him  justice  is  satisfied ;  a  ransom  of 
infinite  value  is  paid  in  the  Redeemer's  blood.  The  justice 
of  God  stood  as  an  eternal  bar,  in  the  way  of  the  manifesta- 
tion of  love  to  any  of  Adam's  race  ;  but  no  sooner  did  justice 
get  a  perfect  satisfaction  in  the  death  of  the  Surety,  but  love 
vents  itself  with  infinite  delight  and  satisfaction,  and  God  pro- 
claims himself,  as  in  Exod.  xxxiv.  G :  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord 
God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in 
goodness  and  truth." 

2.  In  Christ  tlic  law  is  fulfilled ;  its  command  is  obeyed, 
and  its  curse  is  abolished.  The  violation  of  the  holy  law,  by 
the  first  sin  of  Adam,  was  the  thing  that  incensed  the  Ma- 
jesty of  heaven  against  us ;  ])ut  now  Christ  repairs  the  honour 
of  the  divine  law,  yea,  he  "  magnifies  it  and  makes  it  honour- 
able:" and  hence  it  is,  that  in  Christ  God  is  a  God  of  love; 
for  he  is  "well-pleased  for  his  righteousness'  sake." 

3.  In  Christ  God  is  a  God  of  love,  because  in  him  that 


364  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  [SER. 

arch-traitor  against  Heaven  is  condemned  and  destroyed.  No 
sooner  did  sin  enter  into  the  w^orld,  but  Heaven  cried  out  for 
vengeance  upon  it  and  the  sinner.  Now^,  Christ  undertakes 
to  "  finish  transgression  and  make  an  end  of  sin,"  Dan.  ix.  24; 
and,  accordingly,  for  this  purpose,  the  Son  of  God  was  mani- 
fested, to  take  away  the  sin  of  the  world :  he  "  condemned  sin 
in  the  flesh,"  Rom.  viii.  4.  And  hence  it  is,  that  God  is  a  God 
of  love  to  sinners. 

4.  In  Christ,  the  holiness  of  God  is  vindicated,  and  his  sove- 
reignty is  maintained,  and  all  his  other  attributes,  which  were 
affronted  by  the  sin  of  man,  are,  as  it  were,  illustrated  and 
set  in  a  pure  light.  Never  were  the  perfections  of  God  so 
gloriously  manifested  as  they  are  in  Christ ;  he  is  "  the  bright- 
ness of  the  Father's  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  per- 
son." There  is  a  constellation  of  all  the  divine  attributes  in 
him,  which  were  obscured  by  the  sin  of  man.  And  hence  it 
is,  that  God  in  him  is  a  God  of  love. 

5.  Because  in  him,  and  by  him,  the  image  of  God  in  man, 
which  was  defaced  by  the  fall,  is  again  restored.  This  we 
lost  in  the  first  Adam ;  but  it  is  again  restored  in  Christ,  the 
second  Adam ;  for,  through  him  we  are  "  renewed  in  know- 
ledge after  the  image  of  him  who  created  us."  But  I  do  not 
stay  farther  upon  this  head.     I  proceed  now  to, 

V.  The  fifth  thing  in  the  method,  which  was  the  applica- 
tion of  the  whole. 

Vae  first  of  the  doctrine  shall  be  of  information,  in  the  few 
following  particulars.  Is  it  so,  that  in  and  through  Christ 
God  is  a  God  of  love? 

1.  See,  hence,  how  much  we  owe  to  Christ;  for  it  is  owing 
to  his  incarnation,  obedience,  and  death,  that  ever  God  mani- 
fested himself  to  any  of  Adam's  posterity  as  a  God  of  love. 
The  love  of  God  to  us  runs  through  the  channel  of  blood,  that 
so  it  might  reach  us  in  a  consistency  with  the  honour  of  jus- 
tice ;  for  love  could  never  take  place,  to  the  hurt  or  prejudice 
of  justice;  but  in  him,  "Mercy  and  truth  are  met  together, 
righteousness  and  peace  kiss  each  other."  Oh,  then  !  how 
much  does  it  concern  us  to  celebrate  the  praises  of  our  Re- 
deemer Christ  Jesus,  and  to  cry,  "  To  him  that  loved  us,  be 
glory  and  praise ! "  and  "  Salvation  to  our  God,  and  to  the 
Lamb,  for  ever  and  ever !" 

2.  See,  hence,  the  excellency  of  the  gospel,  and  what  a  glo- 
rious privilege  it  is,  to  live  under  the  dispensations  thereof 
Why,  what  is  the  gospel  1  It  is  just  the  revelation  of  the  love  of 
God  in  Christ,  or  of  God  as  a  God  of  love  and  grace  in  Christ; 
and  may  we  not  cry  out  with  the  psalmist,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  15: 
"  Blessed  is  the  people  that  know  the  joyful  sound  ?"  What 
more  joyful  sound  can  come  to  the  ears  of  a  company  of 


XII.]  GOD  I\  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  SQS 

traitors,  rebels,  condemned  sinners,  than  that  the  God  against 
whom  they  have  sinned,  is  a  God  of  love,  a  reconciled  God, 
not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them  1  Oh,  sirs  !  prize  the 
gospel,  and  study  to  take  uj)  God  according  to  the  gospel-re- 
velation of  him ;  for  "  it  is  life  eternal  to  know^  him,"  and  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ,  as  he  is  set  forth  in  the  gospel. 

3.  See,  hence,  what  an  unreasonable  thing  the  enmity  of 
the  heart  against  God  is,  whether  reigning  enmity  in  the 
wicked,  or  remaining  in  the  saints.  "  The  carnal  mind  is 
enmity  against  God ;  and  much  of  this  remains  in  the  hearts 
of  believers  themselves,  while  in  an  imbodied  state,  as  is  plain 
in  the  case  of  the  apostle,  who  groaned  under  it,  saying, 
"  Wretched  man  that  I  am  !  I  find  a  law,  that  when  I  would 
do  good,  evil  is  present  with  me."  But,  oh,  sirs  !  let  us  see 
what  a  ridiculous  and  what  an  unjust  thing  it  is.  Oh  !  to  have 
enmity  against  love  !  strange,  indeed  !  What  a  monstrous 
thing  would  you  reckon  it  in  a  person,  lying  in  the  utmost  mi- 
sery, to  entertain  malice  or  enmity  in  his  heart,  against  one 
whose  bowels  are  yearning  towards  him,  and  oflering  to  relieve 
him  with  the  most  tender  compassion !  Yet  this  is  the  very 
case  between  God  and  us.  He  shows  himself  to  be  a  God 
of  love,  yea,  love  itself:  he  offers  his  salvation  to  us,  and  to 
bring  us  out  of  the  horrible  pit  and  miry  clay  of  sin  and  mi- 
sery ;  to  heal  our  wounds,  to  cure  our  diseases,  and  to  save 
us  with  an  everlasting  salvation:  and,  yet,  to  entertain  enmi- 
ty against  tliis  God  of  love,  oh  !  how  unjust  and  unreasonable 
is  it !  May  not  (^od  say  to  us  on  this  account,  "  Do  ye  thus 
requite  the  Lord,  O  foolish  peo])le  and  unwise?" 

4.  See,  hence,  what  way  the  natural  enmity  of  the  heart, 
and  obstinacy  of  the  will,  are  mastered  and  conquered  in  a 
day  of  conversion :  v^hy,  it  is  just  by  a  revelation  of  God  in 
C'hrist  to  tiie  sinner,  as  a  God  of  love.  The  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  comes  in  a  day  of  power,  and  he  shines  into  the  heart 
with  the  light  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  witli  this  liglit  of  the  knowledge,  there  is  an  emanation 
of  love  from  a  God  (jf  love,  which  conquers,  and  captivates, 
and  carries  down  the  power  of  enmity :  hence,  ho  is  said  to 
"  draw  with  the  cords  of  a  man,  and  with  the  bands  of  love." 
And  wlien  this  natiu'al  enmity  begins  to  gath.er  strength  again, 
in  the  soul  of  th.e  believer,  aiid  comes  in  like  a  flood,  the  Spi- 
rit of  the  liOrd  lifts  up  the  l)anner  of  love  agninst  it,  by  a  new 
manifestation  of  tlio  love  of  Got!  in  Christ:  thus  this  Jordan 
is  driven  back. 

5.  See,  hence,  whence  it  is  that  liiose  who  know  God  in 
Christ,  so  much  breathe  after  communion  and  fellowship  with 
liim  ;  whence  it  is  that  they  put  such  a  value  upon  these  tryst- 


366  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  [SER. 

ing  places  where  they  use  to  enjoy  him :  "why,  they  know  him 
to  be  a  God  of  love ;  and,  therefore,  one  day  in  his  courts,  is 
"better  than  a  thousand."  O!  says  David,  "how  amiable 
are  thy  tabernacles !  My  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living 
God :  when  shall  I  come  and  appear  before  God  1 "  He  knew 
him  to  be  a  God  of  love :  and  this  made  his  company  so  sweet 
and  desirable  to  him  :  "  O !  taste  and  see  that  God  is  good- 
— How  excellent  is  his  loving  kindness  ! "  It  "  is  better  than 
life." 

6.  See,  hence,  how  it  comes  that  there  is  no  fellowship  be- 
tween God  and  a  godless  sinner :  God  does  not  delight  in  their 
company,  and  they  do  not  delight  in  his  company :  why,  the 
matter  lies  here,  God  is  love,  and  the  sinner  is  "  enmity 
against  God ;"  and  what  fellowship  can  there  be  between 
things  that  are  so  opposite  to  one  another?  "  What  fellow- 
ship hath  light  with  darkness  ?  what  concord  between  Christ 
and  Belial,"  between  heaven  and  hell  ?  Oh,  sirs  \  beware  of 
venturing  to  come  to  the  table  of  a  God  of  love,  with  enmity 
in  your  hearts  against  him ;  lest  he  say  to  you,  as  he  did  to 
Judas,  "  Betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  man  with  a  kiss  1"  You 
cannot  give  a  deeper  wound  to  the  heart  of  a  God  of  love, 
than  to  come  with  enmity  to  his  feast  of  love :  hence  it  is,  that 
unworthy  comnumicants  are  said  to  "eat  and  drink  judgment 
to  themselves,"  and  to  be  "  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
the  Lord." 

7.  See  whence  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief  causes  us  to  depart 
from  the  living  God:  why,  the  plain  reason  is,  unbelief,  like 
the  sjnes  that  were  sent  up  to  Canaan,  brings  up  an  evil  re- 
port of  a  God  of  love ;  it  represents  him  as  a  God  of  hatred, 
wrath,  or  anger;  it  says  that  there  is  no  love  or  kindness  in 
his  heart :  that  God  iiath  "forgotten  to  be  gracious;"  tliat 
"  he  has  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercy;"  it  will  not  be- 
lieve the  report  of  the  gospel,  that  God  is  a  God  of  love;  it 
entertains  jealousies  of  his  grace,  love,  and  faithfulness:  and, 
hence  it  is,  that  it  turns  us  away  from  him.  So  long  as  we, 
through  unbelief,  view  God  as  an  enemy,  we  cannot  miss  to 
turn  away  from  him  ;  for  it  is  but  natural  for  any  man  to  turn 
away  from  an  enemy,  or  to  fly  his  company  or  presence,  as 
Adam  did. 

8.  See,  hen(X%  how  it  is  by  faith  we  draw  near  to  God. 
As  unbelief  turns  us  away  from  him ;  so  it  is  by  taith  we  come 
to  him,  and  have  access  to  his  presence:  wh}',  faith  believes 
tlie  gospel  report  of  a  God  in  (^hi  ist ;  that  he  is  a  God  of  love, 
a  reconciled  God.  a  God  sitting  u})on  a  throne  of  grace,  a 
God  matching  witli  our  nature,  making  proposals  of  marriage 
to  us;  a  God  with  us,  a  pardoning  God,  a  pitying  God,  a 
prayer-hearing  God,  a  liberal  God;  yea,  it  takes  him  up  as 


XII.]  GOD  m  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  367 

our  God  in  Christ,  sayinf?,  "  My  God,  my  Father,  and  the 
Rock  of  iny  salvation."  Now,  I  say,  this  is  the  view  in  which 
faith  presents  God  to  the  soul;  and  this  makes  the  soul  to  fol- 
low hard  after  God,  and  the  desire  of  the  soul  to  be  to  him, 
and  the  remembrance  <^)f  his  name. 

9.  See,  from  this  doctrine,  whence  it  is  that  God's  com- 
mandments are  not  grievous,  why  his  yoke  is  easy,  and  his 
burden  is  light :  why,  the  believer  sees  them  to  be  the  com- 
mandments of  love ;  and  love  sweetens  every  thing,  and  makes 
every  thing  easy  and  pleasant.  The  love  that  Jacob  had  to 
Rachel,  made  his  seven  years'  service  to  appear  but  a  few 
days:  so  here  it  is  love  that  commands,  and  love  obeys;  and 
this  makes  obedience  sweet  and  easy:  and  it  is  the  want  of 
due  uptakings  of  God  as  a  God  of  love,  and  of  his  command- 
ments as  the  commandments  of  love,  that  makes  them  into- 
lerable and  burdensome  to  the  wicked  and  ungodly.  Why 
do  they  "break  his  bands,  and  cast  away  his  cords  from 
them?"  Why,  they  have  no  consideration  of  God  as  a  God 
of  love ;  they  take  him  up  as  an  enemy,  and,  therefore,  any 
obedience  they  give  him  is  but  slavish. 

10.  See  from  this  doctrine,  what  a  lightsome  and  heart- 
some  dwclling-])lace  the  believer  has:  why,  he  dwells  in 
God;  God  is  his  dwclling-])!ace:  "lie  dwells  in  the  se<'ret 
place  of  the  Most  High,  and  abid(!s  under  the  shadow  of  the 
Almighty:"  and  that  is  in  the  midst  of  love;  for  God  is  love, 
"  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love  dwclleth  in  God."  Oh  what 
a  lightsome  dwelling  is  the  bosom  of  infinite  love!  and  "  he 
carries  his  lambs  in  his  bosom."  Porha])S,  believer,  you  "  so- 
journ in  Mcscch,  and  dwell  in  \\\c,  tents  of  Kcdar,  thy  soul 
dwells  with  them  that  hate  peace."  But  here  is  thy  com- 
fort; thou  (IvvoUest  in  love,  dwellest  in  God,  who  is  love; 
thf>u  liest  in  his  bosom:  and  this  may  l)ear  up  fliy  spirits:  for 
though  in  the  world  ihou  mayst  be  hated,  and  have  tribula- 
tion, yet  in  him  thou  hast  pca(;e. 

11.  See  from  this  doctrine  the  diflcrence  between  the  law 
and  the  gospel:  why,  the  law  presents  God  as  an  absolute 
God,  in  which  respect  he  is  a  consuming  fire  to  the  workers 
of  inifjuity:  be  is  a  revenging  God:  l)ut  the  gospel  |)resents 
God  to  our  view  as  a  God  of  lo\e  and  grace,  with  whom 
compassions  flow  towards  miserable  sinners.  Indeed,  we  that 
are  ministers  of  the  gosjx'l  are  bound  to  preach  the  law,  to 
stand  upon  INIount  Sinai  and  Ebal,  and  to  proclaim  the  curses 
of  the  broken  covenant  of  works  against  C'hristless  sinners: 
but  when  we  do  so,  our  design  is  just  to  scare  you  from  the 
law  as  a  cf)venant,  (<»  lead  you  ofi'  from  "the  mount  that  burns 
with  fire,"  from  "  blackness,  and  darkness,  and  toinpest,"  that 
you  may  tly  to  mount  Zion,  and  to  tlu;  blood  <jf  sprinkling, 


368  GOD  m  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.      "  [sER. 

and  in  him  to  God,  the  Judge  of  all,  that  through  his  atoning 
blood  you  may  find  him  to  be  a  God  of  love. 

Use  second  of  this  doctrine,  is  by  way  of  exhortation. 

1.  Is  it  so  that  God  is  lovel  Is  God  in  Christ  a  God  of 
love?  Oh!  then,  sirs,  believe  the  report  of  the  gospel:  Oh! 
receive  it  as  "a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion," that  God  in  Christ  is  love:  and  do  not  receive  it  upon 
my  testimony,  but  receive  it  upon  the  testimony  or  the  record 
of  the  "  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the 
Word,  and  the  Spirit :"  a  Trinity  of  persons  is  witnessing  and 
declaring  to  you,  that  God  is  love;  and,  therefore,  "  set  to 
your  seal  that  God  is  true  "  of  what  he  says  of  himself;  and, 
sirs,  remember,  that  if  you  do  not,  you  make  God  a  liar,  be- 
cause you  "receive  not  the  record  that  God  has  given  of 
himself" 

2.  My  exhortation  is,  not  only  to  believe  this  truth  con- 
cerning God,  but,  oh!  eat  it,  (as  Jeremiah  did.)  and  let  it  be 
"  the  joy  and  rejoicing  of  your  heart."  Eat  it,  say  you;  what 
is  that?  how  can  we  eat  it?  I  answer.  The  way  to  eat  it, 
is  to  apply  and  bring  it  home  to  your  own  souls.  Oh,  sirs, 
there  is  much  food  for  faith  in  this  little  word,  God  is  Jove, 
Oh!  may  faith  say,  is  God  love?  then  surely  he  will  make 
me  welcome  to  his  table:  he  is  a  God  of  infinite  bounty  and 
liberality  in  Christ,  and  he  will  give  that  which  is  good;  a 
God  of  love  will  give  grace  and  glory,  and  no  good  thing 
will  he  withhold  from  his  people. 

3.  Is  God  in  Christ  a  God  of  love?  yea,  love  itself?  Oh! 
then,  put  your  trust  in  him.  This  is  the  use  the  Spirit  of 
God  would  have  you  to  make  of  this  doctrine,  Psal.  xxxvi. 
7:  (a  sweet  and  remarkable  word,)  "  How  excellent  is  thy 
loving-kindness,  OGod!  therefore  the  children  of  men  put 
their  trust  under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings."  Oh,  sinners !  the 
wings  of  a  God  of  love  are  spread  out  to  you,  and  his  bowels 
are  sending  out  a  sound  after  you  in  this  glorious  gospel;  and 
his  hand  is  stretched  out  to  you  in  this  gospel,  saying,  "  Be- 
hold me,  behold  me."  Oh!  do  not  run  away  from  him  as 
an  enemy,  but  trust  him  as  a  friend  that  bears  good-will  to- 
wards you.  What  is  it,  O  man,  that  a  God  of  love  in  Christ 
is  not  ready  to  grant  to  thee?  Dost  thou  want  garments  to 
cover  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness?  a  God  of  love  is  ready 
to  grant  thee  this.  Perhaps  thou  hast  some  thoughts  of 
coming  to  a  communion-table;  but  thou  art  afraid  lest  thou 
be  found  naked  in  his  presence,  and  the  Master  of  the  feast 
say  unto  thee,  "Friend,  how  earnest  thou  in  hither,  not  having 
a  wedding  garment?"  Is  this  thy  case?  O  put  your  trust 
in  a  God  of  love  through  Christ,  and  he  will  clothe  you  with 
"  the  garments  of  salvation,  and  with  the  robes  of  righteous- 


XII.]  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  369 

ness."  Dost  thou  want  a  pardon  for  sin  ?  art  thou  a  broken 
bankrupt,  that  owes  thousands  of  talents  to  the  law  and  justice 
of  God  1  Art  thou  crying,  "  Mine  iniquities  are  gone  over 
mine  head;  as  a  heavy  burden,  they  are  too  heavy  for  me?" 
Well,  a  God  of  love  is  a  pardoning  God:  and  therefore  trust 
him  for  the  pardon  of  thy  sins ;  for  he  says,  "  I,  even  I,  am 
he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake,  and 
will  not  remember  thy  sins."  Oh,  may  you  say,  I  am  a  poor 
captive,  I  am  in  chains,  under  the  fetters  of  captivity  to  my 
spiritual  enemies;  the  bonds  of  iniquity  are  wreathed  about 
my  soul.  Well,  a  God  of  love  proclaims  "  liberty  to  the  cap- 
tives, and  the  opening  of  the  j)rison  to  them  that  are  bound;" 
and,  therefore,  O  trust  him,  and  he  will  make  thee  to  share 
of  the  glorious  liberty  of  his  own  children;  he  will  make  thy 
chains  and  fetters  to  fall  off  from  thee.  Art  thou  a  black  and 
ugly  sinner,  by  lying  among  the  pots,  black  like  the  Ethio- 
pian, spotted  like  the  leopard  ?  Well,  put  thy  trust  under  the 
wings  of  a  God  of  love ;  for  he  says,  "  though  thou  hast  lien 
among  the  pots,  I  will  make  thee  as  the  wings  of  a  dove  co- 
vered with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold. — I  will 
sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean."  Art 
thou  a  diseased  sinner,  full  of  bruises  and  puti'efying  sores ! 
Well,  put  thy  trust  in  a  God  of  love  in  Christ :  for  his  name  is 
Jehovah  Rophi,  "  I  am  the  Lord  that  healeth  thee."  Art  thou 
a  poor  wandering  bewildered  sinner,  that  hast  lost  thy  way  to 
heaven,  and  hast  gone  astray  like  a  lost  sheep?  Well,  come, 
put  your  trust  in  a  God  of  love:  for  he  has  "  compassion  on 
the  ignorant,  and  on  them  that  are  out  of  the  way;"  a  God 
of  love  in  Christ  has  said,  that  he  will  "  lead  the  blind,"  &c., 
and  that  he  will  make  "  the  wayfaring  man,  though  a  fool,  to 
walk  without  erring."  Art  thou  a  treacherous  dealer,  that 
hast  "  gone  a  whoring  after  other  lovers,"  prostrated  thyself 
to  every  vile  lust  ?  Well,  come  yet  and  put  thy  trust  under 
the  wings  of  a  God  of  love ;  for  his  voice  unto  you  is,  Jer.  iii. 
1,  "  Though  thou  hast  played  the  harlot  with  many  lovers, 
yet  return  again  to  me."  He  is  crying  from  the  top  of  the 
high  places  this  day,  "  Return,  O  backsliding  Israel ;  for  I  am 
married  unto  thee.  For  I  will  heal  thy  backslidings,  and  love 
thee  freely,  and  receive  thee  graciously."  So,  then,  I  say, 
whoever  thou  art,  or  whatever  thou  art,  I  invite  and  call  you 
to  trust  under  the  wings  of  a  God  of  love,  because  of  the  ex- 
cellency of  his  loving  kindness.  And  for  motives,  consider, 
1st,  That  you  cannot  do  a  God  of  love  a  greater  pleasure. 
Would  you  please  God  to-day,  or  oblige  his  very  heart? 
Well,  trust  him  as  a  God  of  love;  for  "  he  takcth  pleasure  in 
them  that  fear  him,  in  those  tliat  hope  in  his  mercy,"  or  that 
trust  in  him  as  a  God  of  love. 


370  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  [SEK. 

2dly,  Would  you  be  fed,  yea,  feasted,  this  day,  at  a  com- 
munion-table, with  the  fatness  of  God's  house,  with  fat  things 
full  of  marrow  1  Oh  !  then,  here  is  the  way  to  it ;  put  your 
trust  in  a  God  of  love,  come  in  under  his  wings :  Psal,  xxxvii. 
3 :  "  Trust  in  the  Lord,  and  do  good ;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in 
the  land,  and  verily  thou  shalt  be  fed."  You  see  you  have 
not  only  his  promise,  that  you  shall  be  fed,  but  his  promise 
supported  and  ratified  by  a  strong  asseveration,  Verily,  thou 
shalt  be  fed.  Would  you  be  fed  with  the  blessings  of  heaven, 
the  blessings  of  a  well-ordered  covenant,  the  sure  mercies  of 
David  !  Oh  !  then,  trust  in  a  God  of  love ;  for  "  blessed  are 
all  they  that  trust  in  him,"  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  12.  Would  you  have 
languishing  grace  revived,  brought  into  a  thriving  and  bloom- 
ing condition?  Oh!  then,  trust  in  a  God  of  love,  Jer.  xvii.  7, 
8 :  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  and  whose 
hope  the  Lord  is.  For  he  shall  be  as  a  tree  planted  by  the 
waters,  and  that  spreadeth  out  her  roots  by  the  river,  and 
shall  not  see  when  heat  cometh,  but  her  leaf  shall  be  green, 
and  shall  not  be  careful  in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall 
cease  from  yielding  fruit."  Would  you  be  filled  with  peace  ? 
then  trust  in  a  God  of  love  :  Is.  xxvi.  3 :  "  Thou  wilt  keep  him 
in  perfect  peace,  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee ;  because  he 
trusteth  in  thee."  Would  you  be  filled  with  the  joys  of  God's 
salvation?  then  trust  in  a  God  of  love :  Psal.  xiii.  5 :  "  I  have 
trusted  in  thy  mercy,  my  heart  shall  rejoice  in  thy  salvation." 
In  a  word,  not  to  insist,  trust  in  a  God  of  love,  and  you  shall 
never  perish :  "  none  perish  that  trust  in  him :"  you  shall  ne- 
ver be  confounded  nor  dismayed;  and  he  will  never  forsake 
you:  "Thou,  Lord,  hast  not  forsaken  them  that  seek  thee, 
and  trust  in  thee."  You  shall  have  all  needful  preparation 
for  a  communion  table ;  for  "  the  preparation  of  the  heart, 
and  answer  of  the  tongue,  comes  from  him."  So,  then,  I  say, 
trust  in  a  God  of  love.  I  think  it  is  enough  to  engage  you 
all  to  trust  him,  to  repeat  the  text,  and  to  say,  God  is  love. 
If  any  of  you  apprehend  a  man  to  be  your  enemy,  in  that  case 
you  will  have  no  trust  to  put  in  him ;  but  if  you  be  once  per- 
suaded he  loves  you,  and  wants  only  an  opportunity  to  do  you 
all  the  service  he  can,  in  that  case  you  will  trust  him  with 
assured  confidence.  Well,  sirs,  we  tell  you,  that  God  is  not 
only  a  friend,  bearing  good-will  to  you,  but  he  is  love,  love 
itself;  love  is  the  imperial  or  commanding  attribute  of  his  na- 
ture :  O,  how  excellent  is  his  loving  kindness !  therefore,  let 
the  sons  of  men,  let  sinners  and  saints,  put  their  trust  under 
the  shadow  of  his  wings. 

4.  A  fourth  exhortation  from  the  text  is  this:  Is  it  so,  that 
a  God  in  Christ  is  a  God  of  love?  Oh,  then,  sirs,  reciprocate 
your  love  on  a  God  of  love,  and  render  him  love  for  love 


XII.]  GOD  IN  CHRIST,  A  GOD  OF  LOVE.  371 

"  This  is  the  first  and  great  commandment"  of  the  moral  law, 
and  the  sum  of  the  first  table  of  the  law,  Matth.  xxii.  37,  38 : 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy 
mind."  Here  is  the  most  reasonable  and  just  command  that 
ever  was.  What  can  be  more  reasonable  than  to  love  him, 
who  is  not  only  lovely,  but  love  itself,  and  whose  love  runs 
out  towards  us  in  such  a  surprising  and  astonishing  way '? 
Sure  I  am,  it  is  your  "  reasonable  service,"  to  love  him  with 
all  thy  heart,  soul,  strength,  and  mind.  And,  sirs,  this  is  a 
command  which,  to  obey,  I  am  sure  will  not  be  painful ;  for, 
when  God  commands  you  to  love  him,  he  commands  you  to 
make  yourselves  happy ;  for  the  very  happiness  of  the  ration- 
al soul  lies  in  the  outgoings  of  God's  love  to  you,  and  the  out- 
goings of  your  love  and  affections  towards  him.  Oh,  sirs! 
love  to  a  God  of  love  "  is  the  fulfilment  of  the  law ;"  you  per- 
form all  duties,  and  exercise  all  graces  at  once,  when  you  get 
your  hearts  drawn  out  in  love  to  a  God  in  Christ.  What  is 
faith,  but  love  trusting  and  confiding  in  the  beloved  object? 
What  is  hope,  but  love  expecting  and  longing  after  the  en- 
joyment of  him?  What  is  patience,  but  love  bearing  and 
suflering  what  a  God  of  love  lays  on?  What  is  humility, 
but  love  lying  at  the  feet  of  a  God  of  love?  What  is  heaven- 
ly-mindedness,  but  love  soaring,  as  upon  eagles'  wings,  after 
a  God  of  love?  What  is  zeal,  but  love  inflamed  with  desire 
to  serve  a  God  of  love?  What  are  all  good  works,  but  love 
displaying  itself  in  actions  of  obedience  to  the  commands  of 
a  God  of  love?  What  is  it  to  communicate?  It  is  just  to 
show  forth  the  dying  love  of  a  God  of  love.  What  is  it  to 
pray,  but  to  ofl'er  up  our  desires  to  a  God  of  love  ?  What  is 
it  to  praise,  but  to  give  vent  to  the  heart  in  the  commenda- 
tion of  a  God  of  love  ?  So  that,  I  say,  when  you  love  a  God 
of  love,  you,  as  it  were,  do  all  things  at  once.  And  then,  to 
engage  and  encourage  your  love,  in  the  very  command  it- 
self he  presents  himself  tf>  thee  as  thy  God,  "  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God."  Thus,  he  ushers  in  the  command- 
ment of  the  moral  law,  with,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which 
have  brought  thee  out  of  the  house  of  bondage."  He  is  thy 
God,  not  only  by  creation,  as  he  is  the  God  of  all  living;  but 
he  is  thy  God  in  covenant,  thy  God  in  Christ:  and  when  he 
savs,  "  I  am  thy  God,"  he  in  cnect  says,  All  that  I  am,  all 
that  I  have,  all  that  I  can  d<»,  I  make  over  to  you  in  an  ever- 
lasting covenant,  whidi  shall  never  be  broken.  Oh.  sirs!  shall 
not  ail  this  kindle  a  llaiiio  of  love  in  your  i)osonis  to  a  God  of 
love?  This  is  a  large  field,  and  would  admit  of  a  great  en- 
largement: but,  that  I  may  not  hinder  the  great  work  of  the 
day,  I  shall  proceed  no  farther.  The  Lord  bless  what  has 
been  said,  and  to  his  name  be  praise. 


372 


8ERMOIV    XIII. 


UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.' 


John  xvi.  8,  9. — And  when  he  is  come,  he  will  convince  the  world  of  sin,  and 
of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment:  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me. 


He  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned  already. — John  hi.  18. 

Christ  having,  in  the  preceding  verse,  declared  the  great 
end  and  design  of  his  mission  by  the  Father,  or  of  his  mani- 
festation in  our  nature ;  namely,  not  that  he  should  "  condemn 
the  world;  but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved;" 
in  the  verse  where  my  text  lies,  deduces  a  two-fold  inference 
therefrom.  The  first  is  very  sweet  and  comfortable,  in  the 
former  part  of  the  verse ;  "  He  that  believeth  on  him,  is  not 
condemned;"  that  is,  he  who  falls  in  with  the  great  end  of 
my  manifestation  in  the  nature  of  man,  he  who  gives  me  my 
errand,  by  intrusting  his  lost  and  ruined  soul  into  my  hand, 
although  he  be  a  sinner,  and  a  great  sinner,  though  the  law 
and  justice  of  God  be  pursuing  him,  for  the  many  millions  of 
talents  he  is  owing :  yet  the  process  shall  be  stopped,  the  judg- 
ment arrested,  the  sentence  of  the  broken  law  cancelled,  in- 
somuch that  he  cannot  come  into  condemnation ;  and  if  he 
be  not  condemned,  he  must  be  absolved  and  acquitted.  I,  as 
his  Surety,  have  paid  the  debt,  and  obtained  the  discharge 
under  the  hand  of  justice ;  I  was  made  sin  for  him,  that  he 
might  he  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  me:  and,  there- 
fore, who  can  lay  any  thing  to  his  charge? 

The  second  inference,  drawn  from  the  design  of  the  incar- 
nation of  the  Son  of  God,  is  very  terrible  and  awful ;  and  you 
have  it  in  the  words  I  design  to  insist  a  little  upon,  He  that 
believeth  not,  is  condemned  already.  For  which  there  is  a 
very  relevant  reason  given,  in  the  close  of  the  verse:  "Be- 
cause he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten 
Son  of  God." 

It  is  the  middle  clause  of  the  verse  on  which  I  am  to  speak — 

*  Preached  at  the  Tolbooth  Church  of  Edinburgh,  March  2,  1727. 


XIII.]        UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED,  ETC.  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  373 

He  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned  already.  Where  we  may 
notice,  (1.)  A  capital  crime  chargeable  upon  most  of  gospel 
hearers,  not  believing.  (2.)  An  awful  sentence  passed  against 
the  criminal;  //e  is  condemned.  (3.)  The  quality  of  the  sen- 
tence implied  in  that  expression,  condemned  already.  Which 
may  point  either  at  the  certainty  of  the  unbeliever's  condem- 
nation :  it  is  not  simply  a  thing  future,  or  to  be  done;  but  it 
is  done  already.  The  sentence  is  pronounced  and  gone  forth 
against  him,  fi'om  the  mouth  of  the  righteous  Judge ;  yea,  not 
only  is  sentence  passed,  but  is  partly  executed,  the  law  having 
delivered  him  over,  in  a  way  of  righteous  judgment,  into  the 
power  and  dominion  of  sin,  which  is  spiritual  death.  Or,  the 
word  already  may  point  at  the  severity  of  the  unbeliever's 
sentence;  his  sin  is  of  such  a  deep  dye,  of  such  a  criminal 
nature,  that  the  Judge  cannot  sit  with  it,  as  he  doth  with 
other  sins,  Psal.  1.  21.  It  offers  such  indignity  to  his  beloved 
Son,  the  darling  of  his  soul,  that  he  cannot  shun  to  adjudge 
the  panel  to  immediate  death.  Or,  the  word  may  intimate 
this  much  to  us,  that  the  sentence  of  the  broken  law  stands 
in  full  force  and  vigour  against  the  unbelieving  sitiner,  for  all 
his  other  sins:  he  despises  the  only  remedy,  the  only  sacrifice 
for  sin;  and  therefore  every  sinful  thought,  word,  and  action, 
exposes  him  to  the  just  vengeance  of  a  righteous  God,  in 
time,  and  through  endless  eternity. 

My  doctrine  is,  "  That  every  unbeliever  is  a  sentenced  and 
condemned  criminal  before  God.  Or,  take  it,  if  you  will,  in 
the  very  words  of  the  text,  He  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned 
already." 

•     Here,  through  divine  assistance,  I  shall  speak, 

I.  Of  the  crime. 

II.  Of  the  sentence. 

III.  Of  the  grounds  on  which  the  sentence  is  founded. 

IV.  Deduce  some  inferences  from  the  whole. 

I  would  speak  a  little  of  the  crime,  which  is  unbelief,  by 
giving  some  account  of  it,  1.  In  its  nature;  2.  In  its  causes. 

As  for  the  first,  namely,  the  nature  of  unbelief.  Before  I 
proceed  to  show  in  what  it  consists,  to  prevent  mistakes,  I 
shall  name  a  few  things,  which  will  not  amount  to  tliis  heavy 
chariic  in  God's  reckonintj,  whatever  thev  may  sometimes  do 
in  the  court  ot  an  erring  or  nusnitormcd  conscience. 

1.  [Inbelief  does  not  lie  in  a  jK'rson's  being  in  the  dark  as 
to  his  actual  union  with  Christ,  or  interest  in  him.  A  real 
believer  may  want  the  sensible  assurance  of  God's  love,  and 
vet,  at  the  same  time,  be  acting  faith  with  an  assurance  of 
a})}»ropriation  upon  the  promise  of  a  reconciled  God  in  Christ. 

VOL.  I.  .  32 


374  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [SER. 

Sense  may  be  saying,  as  in  the  case  of  Heman,  Psal.  Ixxxviii. 
"  Thou  hast  laid  me  in  the  lowest  pit,  in  darkness,  in  the  deeps. 
I  am  afflicted  and  ready  to  die,  from  my  youth  up :  while  I 
suffer  thy  terrors,  I  am  distracted."  And  yet  faith  breathing 
out  its  appropriating  act,  and  saying,  "O  Lord  God  of  my 
salvation;"  it  will  look  in  the  face  of  a  hiding  and  smiting 
God,  and  say,  "  Though  he  should  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in 
him."  And,  seeing  it  is  so,  it  must  needs  follow,  that  unbe- 
lief does  not  lie  in  a  person's  being  in  the  dark  as  to  his  actual 
interest  in  Christ;  to  say  so,  were  to  "offend  against  the  ge- 
neration of  the  righteous,"  who  may  be  "trusting  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  and  staying  themselves  upon  their  God,  while 
they  walk  in  darkness,  and  see  no  light." 

2.  Unbelief  does  not  lie  in  the  interruption  of  the  actings 
and  exercise  of  faith.  We  find  the  faith  of  the  most  eminent 
saints  many  times  interrupted  in  its  exercise,  through  the 
prevalency  of  temptation  and  indwelling  corruption.  Psal. 
Ixxvii.  7,  &tc.,  the  h^ly  man  there,  in  a  fit  of  unbelief,  cries, 
"Hath  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious?  doth  his  promise  fail 
for  evermore?"  David,  in  the  like  case,  gives  the  lie  to  a 
God  of  truth,  through  the  sides  of  all  his  prophets,  Psal.  cxvi. 
10,  11:  "I  said  in  my  haste,  All  men  are  Hars."  This  was 
indeed  a  pang  of  unbelief;  but  it  did  not  argue  unbelief  in  its 
reign.  Many  times  faith  is  laid  asleep  in  its  habit,  while  yet 
the  life  of  it  remains ;  like  Samson  in  the  hands  of  the  Philis- 
tines, though  his  life  was  continued,  yet  the  locks,  in  which 
his  strength  lay,  were  cut  off. 

3.  This  unbelief,  of  which  I  speak,  does  not  consist  in  a 
disbelief  of  some  particular  truths  of  the  word,  through  igno- 
rance, providing  they  be  not  fundamental.  Every  error  in* 
the  head,  through  ignorance,  does  not  destroy  the  being  of 
faith  in  the  heart;  no  more  than  every  miscarriage  in  the 
life,  through  weakness,  destroys  the  being  and  reality  of  the 
grace  of  God  in  the  soul.  The  apostles,  we  find,  all  the  time 
of  Christ's  life,  yea,  after  his  resurrection  also,  were  in  an 
error  as  to  the  nature  of  the  Messiah's  kingdom,  imagining 
that  it  was  to  be  modelled  after  the  fashion  of  the  kingdoms 
of  this  world;  neither  did  they  believe  the  universal  call  and 
offer  of  the  gospel  to  the  Gentile  nations,  as  well  as  to  the 
.Tews,  until  they  were  convinced  of  their  error  by  Peter's 
vision.  But,  notwithstanding  of  this  error  of  theirs,  they  be- 
lieved in  Christ  as  the  promised  Messiah,  and  rested  on  him 
us  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

4.  I  do  not  here  speak  of  the  negative  unbelief  of  the  Hea- 
then world,  who  never  had  the  benefit  of  gospel  revelation  : 
"  How  shall  they  believe,"  (says  the  apostle,  Rom.  x.  14,)  "in 
him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard?"     Their  unbelief,  or  in- 


XIII.]  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  375 

fidelity,  is  more  properly  their  punishment  than  their  sin. 
They  can  no  more  be  punished  tor  not  behoving  in  Christ, 
than  a  man  can  be  condemned  lor  not  seeing  the  sun  at  mid- 
night, when  it  is  in  the  other  horizon ;  or  than  a  man  can  be 
blamed  for  not  receiving  a  gift  that  was  never  offered  to  him. 
So  that,  it  is  not  the  negative  unbelief  of  the  Heathens  of  which 
]  now  speak,  but  the  positive  unbelief  of  those  who  sit  under 
the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel. 

-  But,  say  you,  seeing  none  of  these  will  amount  to  the  charge 
of  unbelief,  in  what  does  it  consist  1  Jhisiv.  There  are  three 
things,  any  one  of  which  will  amount  to  this  capital  crime  : — 

1.  A  denial  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel ;  looking  upon  the 
word  of  God,  contained  in  the  scriptures,  as  a  fiction,  or  a 
ciinninf^hj  devised  fable.  I  am  very  suspicious  there  are  un- 
believers of  this  stamp  among  those  who  are  called  by  the 
name  of  Christians ;  men  pretending  to  be  great  masters  of 
reason,  who,  because  their  weak  and  depraved  minds  cannot 
grasp  the  unsearchable  mysteries  of  our  holy  religion,  do, 
therefore,  turn  infidels,  and  reject  the  whole  as  an  incredible 
paradox.  This  very  thing  upon  which  they  stumble,  proves 
it  to  be  of  a  divine  original.  The  unsearchable  wisdom  that 
appears  in  every  one  of  the  works  of  God,  proves  them  to  be 
indeed  his  works,  and  not  the  works  of  any  created  being. 
And  shall  it  be  imagined,  that  there  is  less  wisdom  in  his 
words  than  in  his  works,  when  they  are  the  more  immediate 
product  and  picture  of  his  infinite  understanding,  which  can 
never  be  searched  out  ?  Here,  if  any  where,  we  may  expect 
the  "deep  things  of  God;  the  wisdom  of  God  in  a  mystery, 
which  none  of  the  princes  of  this  world  knew." 

2.  A  doubting  or  wavering  uncertainty  of  mind  about  the 
truths  of  the  gospel,  will  amount  to  this  crime  of  unbeliet 
[)ointed  at  in  my  text.  There  are  some,  who,  though  they 
do  not  go  the  length  of  denying  llatly  that  the  Bible  is  the 
word  of  God,  or  that  the  gospel  is  of  a  divine  original, 
yet  they  waver,  and  are  in  sus]iense  about  it ;  like  the  wor- 
shippers of  Baal,  they  "halt  between  two  opinions;"  they  nei- 
ther believe  nor  disbelieve  it;  but  are  like  the  scales  of  an 
even  balance,  ready  to  turn  either  to  this  or  the  other  side. 
Such  are  unbelievers,  in  Christ's  reckoning;  for  "he  that  is 
not  with  me,"  says  he,  "is  against  me." 

.3.  When,  though  a  person  may  be  convinced  in  his  mind, 
by  rational  arguments,  that  the  Bible  is  the  word  of  God, 
that  the  gospel  is  of  a  divine  extract,  yet  does  not  fall  in  with 
the  great  design  of  the  scriptures,  by  receiving  Christ,  and 
resting  upon  him  alone  for  salvation,  as  he  is  there  presented 
and  discovered.  We  have  the  design  of  the  whole  word  of 
God  exi)ressed  in  one  verse,  John  xx.  31:  "These  things  are 


376  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [sER. 

written,  that  ye  might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  the  Son 
of  God,  and  that  behoving  ye  might  have  life  through  his 
name."  And  therefore  M^hen  Christ  is  not  received  as  the 
promised  Messiah,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  and  actually 
improved  for  these  ends  and  uses  for  which  he  is  revealed 
and  exhibited  in  the  word;  particularly  for  "wisdom,  right- 
eousness, sanctification,  and  redemption;"  in  this  case,  I  say, 
a  person  falls  under  the  heavy  charge  of  unbelief,  and  is  con- 
demned already.  This  last  is  the  unbelief  which  I  take  to 
be  principally  pointed  at  in  my  text,  and  is  most  frequent  and 
prevalent  among  the  hearers  of  the  gospel.  So  much  for  the 
nature  of  unbelief 

I  come,  secondly,  to  inquire  a  little  into  some  of  its  causes; 
and,  among  many  that  might  be  named,  I  shall  only  mention 
these  few: — 

1.  The  devil  has  a  great  hand  in  it.  Faith  is  the  great 
engine  by  which  his  kingdom  and  interest  is  overthrown  in 
the  world;  and  therefore  he  studies,  by  might  and  main,  to 
keep  the  sinner  under  the  power  of  unbelief:  for  which  end, 
he  uses  a  great  many  wiles  and  stratagems.  His  first  and 
principal  care  is,  to  hush  the  house,  and  keep  it  in  peace  and 
quiet.  In  order  to  this,  he  persuades  the  man  that  his  state 
is  good  enough;  that,  though  he  be  a  sinner,  yet  his  sins  are 
but  small  and  venial;  and  that  it  cannot  consist  with  the  jus- 
tice of  God  to  pursue  such  small  sins  with  eternal  punishment. 
If,  notwithstanding  these  surmises,  the  man's  conscience  can- 
not be  satisfied,  but  it  begins  to  awaken,  challenge,  and  smite 
him,  he  studies  to  lay  him  asleep  again,  with  the  prospect  of 
general  and  absolute  mercy.  If,  again,  this  lying  refuge  be 
beat  down  by  the  hail  of  divine  terrors,  he  betakes  himself  to 
another  artifice;  he  conceals  and  hides  the  atti^ibute  of  mercy, 
presenting  God  to  the  soul  as  an  implacable  and  inexorable 
Judge,  who  will  by  no  means  acquit  the  guilty ;  and  thus,  by 
hiding  the  remedy,  he  studies  to  drive  the  sinner  to  despair. 
And,  indeed,  the  devil  is  much  more  skilled  in  representing 
the  justice  than  the  mercy  of  God  to  a  sinner's  view,  being 
an  utter  stranger  to  the  last,  but  well  acquainted  with  the  first 
from  his  sad  experience.  But  whatever  views  he  gives  of 
God  to  the  sinner,  whether  in  his  justice  or  mercy,  his  design 
is  still  to  carry  the  soul  off  from  Christ,  and  the  mercy  of 
God  running  in  the  channel  of  his  satisfactory  blood.  By 
presenting  absolute  mercy,  he  encourages  the  sinner  to  go  on 
in  sin,  hoping  to  be  saved,  though  he  never  be  sanctified  by 
the  Spirit  of  Christ.  When  he  presents  the  justice  of  God, 
he  studies  to  drive  the  sinner  to  a  hopeless  despair  of  salva- 
tion by  his  atoning  blood;  and  thereupon  the  sinner  either 
with  Judas  runs  to  a  halter  for  ease,  or  puts  on  a  desperate 


XIII.]  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  87T 

resolution,  that  if  he  be  damned,  he  shall  be  damned  for 
something,  and  so  takes  a  full  swing  in  gratifying  his  lusts, 
crying  with  those,  Jer.  ii.  25,  "  There  is  no  hope.  We  have 
loved  strangers,  and  after  them  will  we  go."  If,  notwith- 
standing the  utmost  arts  and  efforts  of  hell,  the  remedy  be 
discovered  to  the  sinner,  namely,  Christ,  as  the  alone  founda- 
tion God  hath  laid  in  Zion;  then  the  enemy  has  another 
stratagem  at  hand  to  discourage  the  poor  sinner  from  making 
use  of  Christ:  he  persuades  the  man  that  he  is  not  fit  enough 
for  Christ;  he  must  be  so  humble,  so  holy,  so  penitent,  and 
have  this  and  the  other  qualification,  before  he  venture  to 
come  to  Christ.  O  if  I  were  sanctified,  mortified,  self-denied, 
washed,  then  Christ  would  make  me  welcome.  This  is  no- 
thing but  an  artifice  of  hell,  for  the  ruin  of  souls,  persuading 
sinners  that  they  must  bring  money  and  price  with  them  to 
Christ;  that  they  must  have  such  and  such  things  before  thev 
come  to  Christ,  which  are  only  to  be  got  by  an  actual  union 
with  him  by  faith.  Thus,  I  say,  the  devil  has  a  great  hand 
in  unbelief;  it  being  the  very  strength  of  his  kingdom;  and 
so  long  as  he  keeps  this  hold  in  safety,  he  is  very  easy  what 
shapes  of  morality,  civility,  or  profession,  a  man  may  cast 
himself  into;  for  he  well  knows  that  "he  who  believes  not, 
shall  be  damned,"  let  him  do  else  whatever  he  pleases. 

2.  Ignorance  is  another  great  cause  of  unbelief.  "  My 
people,"  says  the  Lord,  "are  destroyed  for  lack  of  know- 
ledge." Ignorance  of  God,  in  his  holiness,  justice,  and  other 
adorable  excellencies ;  ignorance  of  the  law  of  God  in  its 
])urity,  extent,  and  spirituality;  ignorance  of  sin  in  its  exceed- 
ing sinfulness;  ignorance  of  the  great  mystery  of  godliness, 
the  union  of  the  two  natures  in  the  person  of  our  wonderful 
Immanuel;  ignorance  of  his  substitution  in  the  room  of  sin- 
ners, and  of  that  everlasting  and  law-magnifying  righteous- 
ness he  has  brought  in  by  his  obedience  unto  the  death ; 
ignorance  of  the  free  access  sinners  have  to  Christ,  and  iiis 
whole  salvation,  in  and  by  a  confirmed  testament  or  promise, 
which  is  put  in  their  hands,  and  left  to  them,  Ileb.  iv.  1, 
that  they  may  use  and  claim  the  benefit  of  it  in  a  way  of  be- 
lieving: I  say,  the  god  of  this  world  "blinds  the  minds  of 
them  which  believe  not,"  that  they  may  not  know  "the  things 
which  belong  to  their  eternal  peace;"  he  is  afraid,  "lest  the 
light  of  th(;  glorious  gospel  oi  Christ,  who  is  the  imnge  of 
God,  should  shine  into  their  hearts."  \  am  ]-eisuaded,  did 
sinners  but  know  how  near  Christ,  and  his  j)urcl;ased  salva- 
tion, are  brought  to  them  by  the  gospel,  there  would  not  be 
so  many  unbelievers  among  us.  Peoj)le  generally  look  on 
Christ,  and  eternal  life  in  him,  as  things  that  are  far  out  of 
their  reach;  and  thereupon  they  turn  careless  and  easy  about 

32* 


378  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [SEB. 

them,  having  no  hope  of  ever  attaining  them,  being  things 
too  high  and  great  for  them.  But,  O  sirs,  this  is  only  a  veil 
or  mist  cast  before  your  eyes,  by  the  great  enemy  of  your 
salvation,  that  you  may  not  see  your  oivn  mercy;  for  were 
your  eyes  opened,  you  v^^ould  see  Christ,  and  all  the  blessings 
of  his  purchase,  brought,  as  it  were,  within  the  very  reach  of 
your  hand.  The  manna  is  lying  round  your  tent-door,  and 
you  have  no  more  ado  but  to  gather  and  use  it,  Is.  xlvi.  13; 
Rom.  X.  7,  8 ;  John  vi.  32. 

3.  Pride  is  another  great  cause  of  unbelief.  This  is  just 
the  poison  of  the  old  serpent,  who  being  "  lifted  up  with  pride, 
fell  into  condemnation."  By  pride  he  ruined  all  mankind  at 
first;  Ye  shall  be  as  gods;  and  by  pride  he  still  keeps  us  under 
his  power:  hence  we  read  of  high  and  towering  imagina- 
tions in  the  heart  of  man,  which  "exalt  themselves  against 
the  knowledge  of  Christ."  There  is  a  pride  in  the  heart  of 
man,  by  nature,  which  stands  directly  opposite  to  the  way  of 
salvation  by  grace:  God  is  willing  to  give  life,  but  we  will 
needs  merit  and  deserve  it :  God  will  have  all  to  be  of  grace, 
that  boasting  may  be  excluded;  but  we  will  have  all  in  a 
way  of  debt,  that  we  may  have  whereof  to  glory.  What, 
says  the  proud  heart,  will  ever  God  give,  or  shall  I  take, 
eternal  life  for  nothing?  No,  I  will  not  have  it,  unless  God 
will  accept  some  equivalent,  some  service  or  work  for  it. 
"Will  the  Lord  be  pleased  with  thousands  of  rams?"  &c. 
The  pride  of  the  heart  will  set  a  man  at  work  to  do  or  suffer 
any  thing  for  life  and  salvation,  rather  than  believe  in  Christ, 
and  be  saved  in  a  way  of  grace;  as  we  see  in  the  case  of 
the  poor  deluded  Papists.  They  will  rather  quit  their  king- 
doms and  thrones,  put  themselves  into  monasteries,  lie  on 
hair,  live  on  alms,  tire  themselves  with  saying  the  book  of 
Psalms  over  once  every  twenty-four  hours;  and  for  that  end 
break  their  sleep,  by  rising  twice  or  thrice  a  night,  saying  so 
many  prayers  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  to  this  and  the  other 
saint;  they  will  whip  themselves,  tear  their  bodies,  go  into 
penances  and  long  pilgrimages:  all  this,  and  much  more, 
will  they  do,  for  pardon  and  salvation,  rather  than  take 
God's  method,  which  is  to  receive  eternal  life,  as  the  free 
gift  of  God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Whence  comes 
all  this  stir,  but  only  from  the  pride  of  our  hearts,  which  will 
stoop  to  any  thing  of  our  own  devising,  though  ever  so  base 
and  mean,  rather  than  stoop  to  be  saved  in  a  way  of  grace  ? 
That  is  a  strange  instance  of  the  pride  of  the  heart,  which 
■we  have,  Rom.  x.  3,  where  it  is  said  of  the  proud  self-right-* 
eous  Jews, "  they  went  about  to  establish  their  own  righteous- 
ness, and  would  not  submit  unto  the  righteousness  of  God." 
O  strange!  shall  a  poor  naked  beggar,  that  has  not  a  rag  to 


XIII.]  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  379 

cover  him,  reckon  it  submission  or  humility  in  him  to  accept 
of  a  robe?  Shall  a  condemned  malefactor  reckon  it  submis- 
sion to  receive  the  king's  pardon?  the  captive  to  accept  of 
liberty?  or  a  man  mortally  wounded  to  accept  of  a  healing 
balm?  Yet  this  is  the  very  case  with  us:  through  the  pride 
of  our  hearts  we  will  not  submit  to  the  righteousness  of  God, 
but  will  needs  establish  a  righteousness  of  our  own.  Nature, 
though  assisted  by  external  revelation,  can  never  think  of 
another  way  of  salvation  than  that  of  the  first  Adam,  namely, 
by  doing  and  working.  To  be  saved  and  justified  by  the 
doing  and  dying  of  another,  is  a  mystery  which  flesh  and 
blood  cannot  receive,  till  the  strength  of  natural  pride  be 
broken  by  the  almighty  power  of  God.  Men  naturally  will 
wear  no  other  garment  than  that  which,  like  the  spider,  they 
spin  out  of  their  own  bowels.  But  what  says  God,  Is.  lix.  6? 
"  Their  webs  shall  not  become  garments,  neither  shall  they 
cover  themselves  with  their  works."  Man  will  needs  enter 
into  life  and  glory,  by  the  door  of  the  law,  which  God  has 
condemned  and  barred  against  all  mankind  since  the  fall; 
"for  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  living  be  justi- 
fied." Sirs,  allow  me  to  tell  you,  that  God  never  designed  to 
bring  man  to  life  by  the  law,  or  the  works  of  the  law:  no, 
the  law  of  works  was  only  intended  as  a  scaffold,  by  which 
he  meant  to  rear  up  a  house  of  mercy,  in  which  he  designed 
to  harbour  a  company  of  broken  debtors  and  bankrupts,  that 
they  might  live  upon  his  charity  and  grace  for  ever:  and 
immediately  upon  the  entrance  of  sin,  the  scaffold  of  the  law 
as  a  covenant  was  taken  down,  and  broken  in  pieces.  Oh ! 
what  devilish  pride  is  it  in  us,  to  attempt  the  rebuilding  of 
the  scaffold,  that  we  may  climb  up  to  heaven  by  it,  rather 
than  enter  the  threshold  of  the  house  of  mercy,  which  God 
has  resolved  shall  be  built  up  for  ever!  Psal.  Ixxxix.  2.  Sirs, 
allow  me  to  tell  you,  however  high  you  may  climb  heaven- 
ward upon  the  scaffold  of  the  law,  in  your  own  conceit,  and 
in  the  esteem  of  others;  yet  you  shall  be  cast  down  into  helly 
like  Capernaum.  Your  house  being  built  vpon  the  sand,  it 
will  fall,  and  srreat  will  be  the  fafl  thereof.  "The  day  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts  shall  be  upon  every  one  that  is  proud  and  lofty; 
and  the  loftiness  of  man  shall  be  bowed  down,  and  the  haugh- 
tiness of  men  shall  be  made  low:  and  the  Lord  alone  shall  be 
exalted,"  Is.  ii. 

4.  A  pretended  humility  and  self-denial  is  another  great 
bar  in  the  way  of  believing  to  many.  They  thrust  away 
C'hrist  and  the  mercy  of  God  from  them,  under  a  pretence 
that  they  are  not  fit  for  it.  O!  says  the  man,  I  am  such  a 
hell-deserving  sinner,  my  sins  are  so  great,  that  I  dare  not 
think  of  coming  to  Christ;  he  was  never  intended  for  the 


380  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [sER. 

like  of  me.  This  carries  a  fair  show  of  humiUty  and  self- 
denial,  while  it  is  only  a  devil  of  pride,  transforming  himself 
into  an  angel  of  light.  You  say  you  are  not  worthy  of  the 
mercy  of  God.  I  answer,  It  is  very  true;  but  then  you 
should  consider,  that  mercy  could  not  be  mercy,  if  you  were 
worthy  of  it;  it  would  be  merit,  and  not  mercy:  grace  would 
not  be  grace,  but  debt,  if  you  could  deserve  it.  This  way  of 
thinking  or  speaking  is  quite  subversive  of  a  covenant  of 
grace,  where  Christ,  and  all  the  blessings  of  his  purchase,  are 
made  over  to  us,  in  the  form  of  a  testamentary  deed,  or  free 
gift  and  legacy.  "I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my 
people:  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart;  I  will  sprinkle 
them  with  clean  water,"  &c.  In  these,  and  the  like  absolute 
and  unlimited  promises,  the  grace  and  favour  of  God  in  a 
Redeemer  comes  to  every  man's  door,  be  who  or  what  he 
will ;  and  by  these  great  and  precious  promises,  we  must  re- 
ceive Christ,  and  apply  him  in  a  suitableness  to  our  soul's  need, 
or  perish  for  ever.  And  to  refuse  Christ,  and  his  salvation  ten- 
dered in  the  word  of  grace,  under  this  pretext,  that  we  are 
great  sinners,  is  all  one,  as  if  a  traitor  should  refuse  his 
prince's  pardon,  because  he  has  been  in  arms  against  him ; 
or  as  if  one  should  refuse  to  accept  of  a  free  discharge,  be- 
cause he  is  a  bankrupt,  drowned  in  debt. 

5.  A  secret  jealousy,  as  if  God  were  not  in  good  earnest 
with  us,  when  he  offers  Christ  and  his  salvation  to  us  in  the 
gospel.  I  am  afraid  that  this  lies  at  bottom  with  many;  they 
do  not  really  believe,  that  God  is  willing  to  bestow  his  Christ, 
and  salvation  through  him,  upon  them,  though  he  be  every 
day  calling,  commanding,  beseeching,  and  entreating  them  to 
embrace  him.  But,  sirs,  what  else  is  this,  but  to  charge  God 
with  treachery  and  disingenuousness,  as  if  he  said  one  thing 
in  his  M'ord,  and  intended  another  in  his  heart?  God  says, 
"He  is  not  willing  that  you  should  perish;"  yea,  he  swears 
by  his  life,  that  he  has  no  pleasure  in  your  death,  but  rather 
that  you  turn  unto  him,  through  a  Redeemer,  and  live:  and 
yet,  to  think  or  say  that  he  is  not  in  good  earnest,  what  else 
is  this,  but  to  make  God  a  liar,  yea,  to  charge  him  with  per- 
jury? And  what  an  insufferable  afiront  is  this  to  a  God  of 
truth,  for  whom  "it  is  impossil)le  to  lie?"  We  cannot  oflcr 
a  greater  indignity  to  a  man  than  to  call  him  a  liar;  yea,  if 
we  but  insinuate  a  jealousy  of  his  veracity  and  ingenuousness, 
it  is  enough  to  exasperate  and  enrage  his  spirits;  for  "jea- 
lousy," says  Solomon,  "is  the  rage  of  a  man:"  and  how,  then, 
shall  we  imagine  that  God  will  sit  with  it?  O,  sirs!  be  ])er- 
suaded  that  God  speaks  the  truth  in  his  heart;  his  words  of 
grace  and  truth  in  the  scripture,  are  the  sweet  picture  of  his 
thoughts.     And,  therefore,  beware  of  harbouring  the  least 


XIII.]  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD,  381 

jealousy  in  your  hearts,  as  if  he  were  not  in  good  earnest 
when  he  offers  his  Christ  to  you,  and  commands  you  to  re- 
ceive him,  and  his  whole  salvation. 

6.  People  finding  peace  and  case  in  some  one  thing  or 
other  on  this  side  of"  Christ,  is  another  great  cause  of  unbelief. 
Perhaps  the  man  has  had  some  challenges  and  awakenings; 
upon  which,  he  falls  to  his  prayers,  vows,  promises,  resolu- 
tions, to  be  a  better  man  in  time  coming,  and  better  servant 
to  God;  upon  this  he  finds  quiet  and  ease,  and  there  he  rests, 
without  ever  coming  to  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  But,  sirs,  as 
sure  as  God  lives,  this  is  but  a  refuge  of  lies,  a  hiding  place 
which  "the  hail  shall  sweep  away."  Do  not  mistake  me;  I 
am  not  dissuading  you  from  duties,  but  only  persuading  you 
not  to  rest  in  your  duties ;  let  duties  be  as  wagons  to  carry 
your  souls  to  Christ,  who  is  tJie  end  of  the  law,  and  of  all  the 
duties  it  enjoins;  for  when  you  rest  in  them  as  a  righteousness 
or  ground  of  acceptance  before  God,  they  become  a  bar  in 
the  way  of  your  coming  to  (Christ,  and  they  prove  soul-damn- 
ing and  ruining  things,  instead  of  being  the  causes  or  means 
of  salvation.  And,  therefore,  go  a  little  farther  than  these; 
do  not  make  a  plaster  of  them  to  heal  the  wound  of  con- 
science; for  if  your  healing  do  not  come  from  under  the  wings 
of  the  sun  of  righteousness,  the  wound  will  fester,  and  prove 
deadly  in  the  issue.  Let  him  only  be  the  well-spring  of  your 
comfort,  who  is  the  consolation  of  Israel,  and  in  whom  all  our 
well-springs  are.  We  read  of  the  brook  Cherith,  which  sup- 
plied the  prophet  Elijah  with  water,  for  a  time;  but,  at  length, 
the  brook  dried  up,  and  he  had  perished,  unless  God  had 
brought  him  to  a  spring  of  water.  Just  so  it  is  with  many: 
they  lie  for  a  long  time  by  the  brooks  of  their  own  duties; 
and  finding  some  sort  o,f  ease  and  comfort  there,  conscience 
is  pacified,  and  they  rejoice,  because  they  think  God  will  pity 
and  save  them,  while  they  have  done  as  well  as  they  can. 
But,  depend  on  it,  these  brooks  will  dry  up,  and  your  souls 
will  starve  and  perish  for  ever,  if  you  do  not,  by  faith,  come 
to  the  fountain  opened  in  the  house  of  David,  and  draw  wa- 
ter out  of  this  well  of  salvation.  O  come,  sirs,  to  this  open 
and  overflowing  fountain:  "Whosoever  will,  let  him  come, 
and  drink  of  the  waters  of  life  freely:"  here  you  shall 
find  water  in  the  time  of  the  greatest  drought,  Is.  xli.  17: 
"When  the  poor  and  needy  seek  water,"  in  duties,  ordinances, 
and  created  comforts,  "and  there  is  none,  and  their  tongue 
faileth  for  thirst,  I,  the  Lord,  will  hear  them — I,  the  God  of 
Israel,  will  not  forsake  them."  Jer.  xvii.  7,  8:  "Blessed  is 
the  man  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord,  and  whose  hope  the  Lord 
is.  For  he  shall  be  as  a  tree  planted  by  the  waters,  and  that 
spreadeth  out  her  roots  by  the  river,  and  shall  not  see  when 


382  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [SER. 

heat  Cometh;  but  her  leaf  shall  be  green;  and  shall  not  be 
careful  in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease  from  yield- 
ing fruit."  So,  then,  beware  of  resting  on  this  side  of  Christ. 
Many  other  causes  of  unbelief  might  be  descanted  upon ;  but 
I  wave  them  at  present. 

11.  The  second  general  head  proposed  was,  to  gice  some 
account  of  the  condejnnatory  sentence  passed  against  this  crime 
of  tinhelief.  The  unbeliever  is  condemned  already.  Here  I 
shall,  1.  Prove  that  sentence  is  passed.  2.  Show  in  what 
courts  it  is  passed.     3.  Give  some  qualities  of  the  sentence. 

First,  I  would  prove  that  sentence  is  passed  against  the 
unbeliever.  I  need  not  stand  to  prove  this,  when  it  lies  so 
plain  and  clear  in  the  text:  He  t/tat  believeth  not,  is  condemned 
already.  The  word  rendered  to  condemn,  is  forensic,  bor- 
rowed from  courts  of  justice,  where  the  malefactor,  or  guilty 
person,  is  arraigned  and  indicted  before  the  judge,  his  crime 
made  legally  evident,  and  then  sentence  passed  against  him, 
according  to  the  natuie  and  demerit  of  his  crime.  So,  here, 
the  unbeliever  is,  as  it  were,  arraigned  before  the  bar  of  di- 
vine justice;  process  is  led  against  him,  and  he  found  guilty 
of  the  violation  of  the  royal  law  of  Heaven,  and  of  contemn- 
ing the  glorious  remedy  provided  and  offered  in  the  gospel; 
and,  thereupon,  sentence  goes  forth  against  him,  from  the 
mouth  of  the  great  Judge,  who  has  "justice  and  judgment  for 
the  habitation  of  his  throne."  This  man  believes  not  in  my 
Son,  and,  therefore,  I  condemn  him  to  death  everlasting;  he 
rejects  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  and,  therefore,  let  him  die  in 
his  sins;  he  would  needs  seek  life  by  the  law  as  a  covenant, 
and,  therefore,  let  the  curse  of  that  covenant  lie  on  him  for 
ever.  See,  to  the  same  purpose,  the  last  verse  of  this  chap- 
ter: "He  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life;  but 
the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him." 

Secondly,  I  come  to  tell  you  in  what  courts  the  unbeliever 
is  condemned. 

1,  Then,  he  is  already  condemned  in  the  court  of  the  law 
as  a  covenant,  by  which  he  is  seeking  to  be  justified  and 
saved:  Rom.  iii.  19:  "Now  we  know,  that  what  things  soe- 
ver the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  them  who  are  under  the  law : 
that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  may  be- 
come guilty  before  God."  Every  unbeliever  is  upon  a  law 
foundation;  he  is  seeking  salvation  and  righteousness  by  the 
works  of  the  law,  by  some  good  thing  or  other,  which  he  ap- 
prehends to  be  in  him,  or  done  by  him,  or  which  he  hopes  to 
do.  But  I  may  say  to  you,  who  are  of  this  law-spirit,  as 
Christ  said  to  the  self-righteous  Pharisees,  John  v.  45:  "There 
is  one  that  accuseth  you,  even  Moses,  in  whom  ye  trust;" 
where,  by  Moses,  we  must  understand  the  law  of  Moses, 


XIII.l  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  388 

The  same  say  I  to  you,  The  law  accuseth  and  condemneth, 
it  is  denouncing  its  heavy  anathemas  against  you,  while  you 
cleave  to  it  as  a  covenant:  "As  many  as  are  of  the  works  of 
the  law,  are  under  the  curse;  for  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every 
one  that  continucth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  While  you  are  out  of  Christ, 
cleaving  to  the  law  as  a  husband,  it  lays  you  under  the  curse 
for  every  and  the  least  failure  in  obedience.  O,  sirs !  the  ven- 
geance of  Heaven  lies  upon  you,  while  you  are  under  the 
power  of  unbelief;  you  are  cursed  in  your  basket  and  store, 
in  soul  and  body,  and  all  that  belongs  to  you:  and  the  curse 
not  being  causeless,  it  shall  come;  yea,  it  cleaves  to  you,  and 
will  cleave  to  you  for  ever,  unless,  by  faith,  you  flee  to  him 
who  "  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being 
made  a  curse  for  us." 

2.  The  unbeliever  is  already  condemned  in  the  gospel- 
court.  Now,  do  not  mistake  this  way  of  speaking,  as  if,  when 
I  speak  of  the  gospel-court,  I  meant,  that  the  gospel,  strictly 
considered,  condemned  any  man :  the  gospel,  like  its  glorious 
Author,  "  comes  not  into  the  w^orld  to  condemn  the  world, 
but  that  the  world,  through"  it,  "might  be  saved."  Neither 
do  I  mean,  as  if  there  were  new  precepts  and  penalties  in  the 
gospel,  considered  in  a  strict  sense,  which  were  never  found 
in  the  book  or  court  of  the  law.  This  is  an  assertion  which 
has  laid  the  foundation  for  a  train  of  damnable  and  soul-ru- 
ining errors ;  as  of  the  Antinomian  error,  in  discarding  the 
whole  moral  law  as  a  rule  of  obedience  under  the  gospel; 
the  Baxterian  error,  of  an  evangelical  righteousness  different 
from  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ;  the  Pelagian  and 
Arminian  error,  of  a  suflicicnt  grace  given  to  every  man  that 
hears  the  gospel,  to  believe  and  repent  by  his  own  power. 
But  when  I  speak  of  the  unbeliever's  being  condemned  in  the 
court  of  the  gospel,  my  meaning  is,  that  the  sentence  passed 
against  him  in  the  court  of  the  law,  is  aggregated  and  height- 
ened by  his  contcm])t  of  gos])el  grace.  All  I  intend  by  it  is 
comprised  in  that  awful  word,  Heb.  ii.  3: ,  "How  shall  we 
escape,  if  we  negloct  so  great  a  salvation?"  or  that,  Heb.  x. 
"28,  21):  "He  that  despised  Moses'  law,  died  without  mercy, 
under  two  or  throe  witnesses;  of  how  much  sorer  punishment, 
suppose  ye,  shall  he  be  thf>ught  worthy,  who  hath  trodden 
under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the 
covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing?" 

-3.  The  unbeliever  is  condemned  already  in  the  court  of  his 
own  conscience.  Conscience  is  Cod's  deputy  and  vicegerent, 
and,  in  the  name  and  authority  of  the  (lod  of  heaven,  it  keeps 
n  court  in  every  man's  breast,  and  cither  apjirovcs  or  con- 
demns, accuses  or  excuses,  according  to  the  views  and  up- 


384  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [sER. 

takings  that  it  has  to  the  holy  law  of  God.  When  the  law  is 
only  known  by  conscience,  in  the  letter  of  it,  it  condemns 
only  for  sins  which  lie  against  the  letter  of  the  law ;  but  when 
conscience  comes  to  be  irradiated  and  instructed  by  the  Spi- 
rit of  God,  in  the  spirituality  and  extent  of  the  law,  then  it 
condemns  even  for  those  spiritual  wickednesses,  that  are  of  a 
more  refined  nature,  and  which  lodge  in  the  high  places  of 
the  soul;  of  which  kind  is  the  sin  of  unbelief.  A  natural  con- 
science, even  though  assisted  by  external  revelation,  will  smite 
a  man  for  a  thousand  sins,  before  it  gives  him  one  check  for 
his  unbelief.  This  seems  to  be  the  peculiar  province  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  to  "convince  the  world  of  sin,  because  they 
believe  not  in  Christ,"  John  xvi.  8,  9.  And,  O !  when  once 
conscience,  by  the  direction  of  the  Spirit,  begins  to  smite  for 
this  sin  of  unbelief,  there  is  no  sin  in  the  world  that  appears 
in  such  a  formidable  hue ;  and  there  is  no  sin  that  the  worm 
of  conscience  will  gnaw  a  man  so  much  tor  in  hell  through 
eternity,  than  that  he  had  a  Saviour  in  his  offer,  and  yet  re- 
fused him.  In  a  word,  let  a  man  be  ever  so  moral  and  so- 
ber, let  him  have  ever  so  much  seeming  peace  and  quiet, 
yet  he  still  carries  an  evil  conscience  in  his  breast,  till  by 
faith  he  comes  to  get  his  heart  sprinkled  from  an  evil  con- 
science by  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  Heb.  x.  22. 

4.  The  unbeliever  is  already  condemned  in  the  court  of  the 
church;  or,  may  I  call  it,  in  the  ministerial  court.  Ministers, 
by  virtue  of  the  commission  they  have  received  from  their 
great  Lord  and  Master,  must  "  go  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature."  And  having  acted  according  to  their  com- 
mission, they  must,  in  the  same  authority  declare,  that  he  who 
beheves  this  gospel,  shall  be  saved;  he  who  belie veth  not,  shall 
be  damned.  Indeed,  this  ministerial  sentence  is  but  little  re- 
garded by  a  profane  and  secure  world,  who  are  ready  to  say 
or  think  that  our  words  are  but  wind.  But,  whether  sinners 
hear  or  forbear,  we  must,  by  our  commission,  declare  to  the 
righteous  or  believer,  "it  shall  be  well  with  him:"  but  "wo 
unto  the  wicked,  it  shall  be  ill  with  him ;  for  the  rewards  of 
his  hands  shall  be  given  him."  And  when  this  ministerial 
sentence,  whether  doctrinal  or  judicial,  is  faithfully  pro- 
nounced, whatever  men  may  think  of  it,  it  is  ratified  in  hea- 
ven: Matth.  xvi.  19:  "Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth, 
shall  be  bound  in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on 
earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven." 

5.  The  unbeliever  is  condemned  in  the  court  of  the  great 
God.  It  is  true,  every  one  of  these  courts  I  have  mentioned 
is  his;  he  sits  as  supreme  Judge  in  each  of  them:  but  they 
are  only  his  inferior  courts;  and  while  the  sinner's  sentence 
is  in  dependence  before  them,  there  is  still  access  for  an  ap- 


XIII.]  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  385 

peal  by  faith  to  a  throne  grace,  or  mercy  seat.  But  when 
once  a  man  comes  to  be  personally  sifted  before  the  bar  of 
God  at  death  or  judgment,  no  farther  appeal  can  be  admitted ; 
the  man  then  goes  out  of  mercy's  reach;  "  he  that  made  him 
will  have  no  mercy  upon  him;"  the  things  that  belonged  to 
his  peace  are  then  "  for  ever  hid  from  his  eyes."  O  that  an 
unbelieving  world  may  lay  this  to  heart  in  time,  before  their 
case  become  absolutely  hopeless  and  helpless:  "Consider 
this,  ye  that  forget  God,  lest  he  tear  you  in  pieces,  when  there 
is  none  to  deliver." 

Thirdly,  I  come  to  give  you  a  few  qualities  of  this  sentence 
of  condemnation  passed  against  the  unbelieving  sinner. 

1.  It  is  a  most  mature  and  deliberate  sentence;  the  sen- 
tence is  ■U'cll  advised  and  ripened,  before  it  is  pronounced  or 
executed.  "The  Lord  is  a  God  of  judgment,"  and  can  do 
nothing  that  is  rash  or  precipitate.  "The  Lord  is  a  God  of 
knowledge,  and  by  him  actions  are  weighed;"  he  ponders 
the  crime  before  he  sentences  the  criminal.  It  was  resolved 
among  the  counsels  of  heaven,  from  all  eternity,  that  every 
unbelieving  sinner  should  be  condemned  to  the  "lake  which 
burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone,  which  is  the  second  death," 
Rev.  xxi.  8. 

2.  It  is  a  most  righteous  sentence,  as  will  appear  when  we 
come  to  speak  of  the  grounds  upon  which  it  proceeds.  O, 
sirs,  God  will  be  clear  when  he  judges;  yea,  so  clear,  that  the 
guilty  panel,  before  all  be  done,  will  be  made  to  subscribe  to 
the  equity  of  the  sentence,  and  own  that  his  blood  is  upon  his 
own  head.  As  justice  satisfied,  and  judgment  executed  upon 
the  Surety,  is  the  foundation  of  a  throne  of  grace,  where  the 
believing  sinner  is  acquitted  and  absolved;  so,  vindictive  jus- 
tice and  judgment,  tcrniinating  on  the  person  of  the  sinner,  is 
the  habitation  of  the  throne  of  justice,  where  the  unbeliever 
is  condemned. 

3.  It  is  a  most  awful  and  terrible  sentence;  and  it  cannot 
be  othei-wise,  for  it  is  })ronounccd  by  a  terrible  Judge:  "With 
God  is  terrible  majesty.  He  cuttcth  ofl'the  spirit  of  princes, 
and  is  terrible  to  the  kings  of  the  earth."  The  sentence  goes 
forth  from  a  terrible  tribunal,  a  bench  clothed  with  red  ven- 
geance. The  nature  of  the  sentence  itself  is  terrible,  for  it  is 
a  sentence  of  condemnation.  To  be  condemned  to  a  natural 
or  bodily  death,  is  terrible;  but  to  be  condemned  to  eternal 
death,  to  be  "punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  [or  by]  the  glory  of  his  pow- 
er," has  a  terror  in  if,  that  surpasses  expression  and  imagina- 
tion. 

4.  When  the  sentence  comes  to  be  utiered  by  God  against 
the  unbeliever,  personally  compeering  before  his  tribunal, 

VOL.  I.  33 


386  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [SER. 

upon  the  back  of  death,  it  becomes  an  irrevocable  sentence, 
which  shall  never  be  repealed  through  eternity;  it  stands  ra- 
tified for  ever:  as  the  tree  falls,  so  v^^ill  it  lie;  for  God's  loving- 
kindness  is  not  declared  in  the  grave,  nor  his  faithfulness  in 
the  land  of  darkness. 

III.  The  third  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  inquit'e  into  the 
grounds  of  this  conde?nnatory  sentence.  And,  among  many 
others,  I  shall  instance  in  the  few  following. 

1.  The  unbeliever  is  condemned  already,  because,  by  his 
unbelief  he  has  offered  the  highest  indignity  to  a  Trinity  of 
persons  in  the  glorious  Godhead,  that  a  creature  is  capable  of. 
He  despises  the  love  of  the  Father,  who,  out  of  his  good- will 
and  kindness  to  a  lost  world,  "gave  his  only  begotten  Son." 
He  gives  him  to  be  incarnate;  he  gives  him  to  death;  and 
gives  him  and  his  whole  purchase  in  the  revelation  of  the 
gospel,  "that  whosoever  beheveth  in  him,  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life."  But  now  the  unbeliever  despises 
all  the  riches  of  this  grace  and  love,  and  practically  says, 
that  the  unspeakable  gift  of  God  is  not  worthy  to  be  taken  up 
at  his  foot.  And  as  he  despises  the  love  of  the  Father,  so  he 
tramples  upon  the  blood  of  the  Son,  as  if  it  were  an  unholy 
thing.  He  says,  upon  the  matter,  that  Christ  shed  his  blood 
in  vain;  hence,  unbelievers  are  said  to  "crucify  the  Son  of 
God  afresh:"  they  react  the  bloody  tragedy  that  was  once 
acted  upon  Mount  Calvary;  and,  upon  the  same  account,  the 
unbelieving  communicant  is  said  to  be  "guilty  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  the  Lord."  Again,  the  unbelieving  sinner  sins 
against  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  do  not  mean  that  every  unbeliever 
is  guilty  of  the  unpardonable  sin,  for  then  there  would  be  no 
need  of  preaching  the  gospel  to  them.  But  I  mean,  that  eve- 
ry believer,  in  rejecting  Christ,  runs  directly  cross  to  the 
work  and  office  of  the  Spirit,  in  the  economy  of  redemption. 
It  is  the  office  of  the  Spirit  to  convince  the  iiwld  of  sin,  be- 
cause they  believe  not  in  Christ;  but  the  man  is  so  far  from 
owning,this,  that  he  practically  denies  unbelief  to  be  any  sin  at 
all.  It  is  the  office  of  the  Spirit  to  convince  of  righteousness ; 
that  is,  of  the  necessity  and  excellency  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  for  justification:  but  the  unbeliever  goes  about  to  esta- 
blish a  righteousness  of  his  own,  and  will  not  submit  to  tins 
righteousness  of  God.  It  is  the  office  of  the  Spirit  to  glorify 
Christ,  to  "  take  of  the  things  of  Christ,  and  show  them  unto 
us:"  But  the  unbeliever,  upon  the  matter,  says,  "There  is 
no  form  nor  comeliness  in  him,  why  he  should  be  desired." 
Thus,  I  say,  the  unbeliever  aflfronts  a  whole  Trinity,  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost;  and  therefore  he  is  condemned  already. 

2.  The  unbeliever  is  condemned  already,  because  he  has 
injured  all  the  glorious  attributes  and  perfections  of  the  divine 


XIII.]  •  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  387 

nature.  He  rebels  against  awful  and  adorable  majesty  and 
sovereignty.  The  authority  of  God  is,  in  a  peculiar  manner, 
interposed  in  the  command  of  believing ;  God  speaks  of  this 
command  as  if  he  had  never  given  another  command  to  the 
sons  of  men,  1  Joiin  iii.  23:  "Tiiis  is  his  commandment,  that 
we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  Now, 
the  unbeliever  iiies  in  the  face  of  all  this  authority,  saying, 
with  proud  Pharaoh,  "Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey 
him  ?"  Let  the  Almighty  depart  from  me ;  for  I  desire  not 
the  knowledge  of  his  ways.  Again;  the  man  makes  a  mock 
of  the  master-piece  of  Infinite  Wisdom,  as  though  it  were  no- 
thing but  arrant  folly.  The  device  of  salvation  through  a 
Redeemer,  is  the  irisdotn  of  God  in  a  mystery;  it  is  hidden 
wisdom:  but  the  unbeliever,  with  the  Greeks,  calls  it  foolish- 
ness; and,  with  the  Athenians,  looks  on  it  as  mere  babbling, 
when  it  is  brought  out  in  a  gospel  revelation.  The  unbe- 
liever also  spurns  against  the  bowels  of  infinite  and  amazing 
love;  yea,  as  it  were,  runs  a  spear  into  the  bowels  of  a  com- 
passionate God,  which  are  sending  out  a  sound  after  him: 
"  O  turn  ye,  turn  ye;  why  will  ye  die?  As  I  live,  I  have  no 
pleasure  in  your  death."  He  dares  and  challenges  Omnipo- 
tence to  its  worst,  while  he  refuses  to  take  sanctuary  in 
Christ,  and  to  turn  in  to  the  strong  hold,  where  he  may  be 
sheltered  from  the  storm,  wind,  and  tempest  of  divine  ven- 
geance. He  laughs  at  the  shaking  of  God's  spear,  and  the 
whetting  of  his  glittering  sword.  He  gives  the  lie  also  to  the 
veracity  of  God,  1  John  v.  10:  "He  that  belicveth  not  God. 
hath  made  him  a  liar:"  not  as  if  he  could  do  so  indeed;  for 
God  will  be  true,  and  every  man  a  liar :  but  the  unbeliever 
does  what  he  can  to  make  God  a  liar.  This  is  the  language 
of  his  sin,  God  is  a  liar,  he  is  not  to  be  trusted,  there  is  no 
truth  in  his  words.  Which  is  blasphemy  in  the  highest  de- 
gree. Thus,  I  say,  the  unbelieving  sinner  injures  God  in  all 
liis  glorious  excellencies.  And  is  it  any  wonder  then  though 
he  be  condenmed  already? 

3.  Another  ground  of  this  awful  sentence  is,  because  the 
man  counteracts,  and  runs  directly  cross  to  the  most  glorious 
designs  that  ever  God  had  in  view;  I  mean,  his  designs  in 
tiie  work  of  redemption  through  Christ.  I  shall  only  clear 
this  in  two  or  three  instances.  (L)  God's  design  in  redemp- 
tion was  the  illustration  and  manifestation  of  his  own  glorious 
excellencies,  which  were  sullied  or  obscured  by  the  sin  of 
man :  but  the  unbeliever,  as  was  showed  just  now,  does  his 
utmost  to  darken  and  afiVont  every  one  of  them.  (2.)  God's 
design  is,  that  in  all  things  Christ  should  have  the  pre-emi- 
nency;  that  he  should  have  "a  name  above  every  name,  that 
at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow."     But,  now,  the 


388  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [SER. 

unbeliever,  like  the  devil,  being  lifted  up  with  pride,  refuses  to 
bow  or  submit  to  that  name,  Jehovah-tsidkenu,  The  Lord  our 
righteousness,  Jer.  xxiii.  6,  Rom.  x.  3.  He  refuses  to  own  or 
bow  unto  that  royal  name  written  upon  his  thigh  and  vesture, 
Rev.  xix.  16.  The  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords.  He 
joins  in  a  confederacy  with  those  who  refuse  to  stoop  to  his 
royal  sceptre,  saying,  "Let  us  break  his  bands  asunder,  and 
cast  away  his  cords  from  us,"  Psal.  ii.  3.  (3.)  God's  design 
in  redemption  is,  that  grace  only  should  reign,  and  that  all 
ground  of  boasting  and  gloriation  should  be  cut  off  from  man 
for  ever,  so  as  he  that  glorieth  may  glory  only  in  the  Lord, 
But,  now,  the  unbeliever's  language  is,  Not  grace  but  self 
shall  reign.  He  chooses  rather  to  be  damned  for  ever,  than 
submit  to  grace's  government,  "  reigning  through  righteous- 
ness unto  eternal  life,  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  What,  sa3's 
the  man,  will  not  "God  be  pleased  with  thousands  of  rams?" 
&c.  If  God  will  give  him  life  for  some  equivalent,  some  good 
thing  wrought  in  him  or  by  him,  he  is  content;  but  to  take  it 
for  nothing,  as  the  gift  of  free  grace,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord,  this  is  too  low  a  bargain  for  his  proud  heart  to  stoop 
to.  And  for  this  pride  of  his  heart,  which  makes  him  to  rim 
cross  to  God's  glorious  designs  in  redemption,  he  is  con- 
demned already. 

4.  He  is  condemned  already,  because  his  sin  (I  mean  his 
unbelief)  is  of  a  more  criminal  nature,  in  God's  reckoning, 
than  any  other  sin  that  can  be  named  or  thought  upon.  The 
sin  of  Adam,  in  eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  was  a  most  aggra- 
vated crime.  For  a  creature  newly  dropped  out  of  his  Cre- 
ator's fingers,  a  creature  dignified  with  the  lively  image  of 
God  upon  him,  exalted  to  sovereignty  over  this  lower  world, 
having  all  things  put  under  his  feet:  I  say,  for  such  a  crea- 
ture, upon  a  slender  temptation,  to  turn  his  back  on  God,  and 
cast  himself  into  the  devil's  arms,  to  ruin  himself  and  the 
whole  tribe  of  mankind  at  one  blow;  this,  no  doubt,  was  a 
most  crying  sin.  But  yet  the  sin  of  unbelief  far  surpasses  it : 
for  our  first  parents  sinned  only  against  God  as  a  Creator; 
but  the  unbeliever  sins  against  him  as  a  Redeemer,  conse- 
quently, he  sins  against  more  love  than  they  could  sin  against, 
before  the  revelation  of  Christ.  Again;  unbelief  is  more  cri- 
minal than  the  sin  of  the  Jews  in  crucifying  of  the  Lord  of 
glory;  they  crucified  him  when  veiled  and  disguised  under 
the  form  of  a  servant;  but  the  unbeliever  crucifies  him  upon 
his  throne,  when  the  evidences  of  his  being  the  true  Messiah 
are  completed  by  his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  Rom.  i.  4. 
It  would  be  a  crime  of  a  far  more  capital  nature,  to  maltreat 
a  king  sitting  on  the  throne,  with  all  his  nobles  about  him, 
than  to  maltreat  him  when  under  a  disguise,  sitting  upon  the 


Xm.]  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  389 

dunghill  with  a  company  of  beggars  about  him :  yet  the  for- 
mer is  the  case  with  the  unbeliever.  Again;  unbelief  is 
worse  than  the  sin  of  Sodom,  whicli  provoked  God  to  rain 
hell  out  of  heaven  upon  its  inhabitants.  Christ  tells  us  that 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  will  have  a  cold  hell  in  comparison  of 
those  who  have  had  the  ofiers  of  a  Saviour  in  the  gospel,  and 
vet  have  rejected  him.  Matth.  xi.  24:  "It  shall  be  more  to- 
lerable for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
tlian  for"  Chorazin,  Bethsaida,  Capernaum,  and  other  cities 
where  Christ  had  preached.  Again;  all  the  sins  of  the  blind- 
ed nations  are  not  comparable  to  the  sin  of  unbelief.  We 
have  a  black  roll  of  their  sins,  Rom.  i.  toward  the  close:  but 
yet  Christ  speaks  of  them  as  no  sins,  in  comparison  of  the  sin 
of  those  who  remain  in  unbelief  under  the  drop  of  the  gospel: 
"If  I  had  not  come,  and  spoken  unto  them,  they  had  not  had 
sin:  but  now  they  have  no  cloak  for  their  sin."  Witchcraft 
is  a  very  monstrous  sin;  for  a  man  or  woman  to  enter  into 
compact  with  the  devil,  and  give  themselves  soul  and  body  to 
be  his  for  ever:  and  yet  the  unbeliever  does  the  same  upon 
tJie  matter;  for  he  is  in  league  with  hell,  and  with  death  is 
he  at  an  agreement.  I  remember,  the  rebellion  of  Saul 
against  the  express  command  of  God,  ordering  him  utterly 
to  destroy  the  Amalekites,  is  compared  to  the  sin  of  witch- 
craft, 1  Sam.  XV.  23.  Now,  the  unbeliever  (as  was  said) 
rebels  against  the  greatest  command  that  was  ever  issued 
out  from  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  on  high.  I  shall  only  add, 
tJiat  unbelief  is  a  sin  attended  with  aggravations  which  are 
not  to  be  found  in  the  sin  of  devils.  The  devil  never  rejected 
a  Saviour,  as  the  unbeliever  does ;  for  "  he  took  not  on  him 
the  nature  of  angels,  but  the  seed  of  Abraham."  Some  think 
that  the  devil,  and  his  angels  who  joined  him,  were  cast  out 
of  heaven  for  refusing  to  be  subject  to  God  in  man's  nature, 
when  intimation  of  this  design  was  made  in  heaven.  No 
doubt  he  would  ha\c  been  well  enough  ])lcased  to  subject 
himself  to  God,  manifesting  himself  in  the  nature  of  angels; 
but  to  be  subject  to  "God  manifested  in  the  ilesh,"  he  looked 
upon  it  as  a  disparagement.  But  the  unbeliever  rejects  God 
appearing  in  his  own  nature,  saying,  "We  will  not  have  this 
man  to  rule  over  us."  Is  it  any  wonder,  then,  though  the 
unbeliever  be  condemned  alrtvady? 

5.  lie  is  condemned  already,  because  unbelief  is  the  spring 
and  ringleader  of  all  other  sins.  Every  sin  is  a  turning  away 
from  the  living  God:  and  whence  comes  this,  but  from  an 
evil  heart  of  unbelief?  Heb.  iii.  12.  The  name  of  the  sin  of 
unbelief  may  be  Cad,  for  a  troo|)  dotli  follow  it.  Why  are 
men  proud?  why  are  their  hearts  lifted  up  within  them,  as  if 
they  were  "  rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  stood  in 

33* 


390  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [SERv 

need  of  nothing?"  Why,  the  reason  is,  they  do  not  believe 
the  verdict  of  the  Spirit  of  God  concerning  them,  that  they 
are  indeed  "wretched  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind, 
and  naked."  Why  are  men  covetous?  why  have  they  the 
world  set  in  their  hearts,  but  because  they  do  not  believe  that 
Christ  is  a  better  good  than  this  world,  and  the  things  of  it? 
Why  are  men  uncharitable  to  the  poor,  but  because  they  do 
not  believe  that  what  is  given  to  the  poor  is  lent  to  the  Lord, 
and  that  he  will  pay  it  again?  Why  are  men  secure  in  a 
way  of  sin,  crying,  Peace,  peace,  but  because  they  do  not 
believe  that  wrath  and  destruction  from  the  Lord  is  pursuing 
them?  Why  is  the  blessed  Bible  so  much  slighted  and  ne- 
glected by  many,  like  an  almanack  out  of  date,  but  because 
they  do  not  believe  it  to  be  the  word  of  God,  or  that  eternal 
life  is  to  be  found  therein?  Why  do  people  generally  hear 
us,  who  are  ministers,  preaching  the  everlasting  gospel,  with 
such  raving  hearts  and  careless  ears,  but  because  they  do  not 
believe  that  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  and  that  God 
doth  beseech  them  by  us  to  be  reconciled  unto  him?  Why 
do  many  live  in  the  neglect  of  prayer?  Why  are  they  so 
formal,  heartless,  and  careless  in  prayer,  but  because  they  do 
not  believe  God  to  be  the  hearer  of  prayer?  Why  are  there 
so  many  hypocrites,  contenting  themselves  with  a  show  of 
religion,  but  because  they  do  not  believe  there  is  a  reality  in 
religion,  and  that  God  searches  the  heart  and  tries  the  reins  ? 
Why  do  men  remain  under  the  power  of  natural  enmity,  but 
because  they  do  not  believe  that  "  God  is  love,"  1  John  iv. 
16;  and  that,  through  the  ransom  he  has  found,  he  bears  a 
hearty  good-will  toward  them?  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.  Whence 
comes  that  flood  of  profanity,  which,  like  Jordan,  has  over- 
run all  banks  and  bounds  in  our  day^  such  as  cui'sing,  swear- 
ing, cheating,  lying.  Sabbath-breaking,  thefts,  robberies,  for- 
geries, and  the  like  abominations !  Why,  the  plain  reason 
is,  they  do  not  believe  there  is  a  God,  or  that  ever  they  shall 
stand  before  his  tribunal  to  answer  for  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body.  The  plain  language  of  the  heart  of  unbelief  is,  "  The 
Lord  doth  not  see,  neither  doth  the  God  of  Jacob  regard ;" 
and  therefore  they  give  themselves  loose  reins  in  a  way  of 
sin. 

To  conclude  this  head,  unbelief  is  the  principal  pillar  of 
the  devil's  kingdom  in  the  world,  and  in  the  soul  of  man. 
Let  this  pillar  be  but  broken,  and  all  his  strong  holds  go  to 
ruin.  Faith  is  the  radical  grace  which  gives  life  and  spirit 
to  all  the  other  graces :  it  is  the  spring  of  all  true  gospel- 
obedience,  therefore  called  the  obedience  of  faith:  so,  in  like 
manner,  unbelief  is  the  radical  sin,  which  gives  life  and  spirit 
to  all  vicious  habits  and  acts  of  disobedience  in  the  life  and 


XIII.]  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  391 

conversation.  Faith  is  a  shield  that  beats  back  the  fiery 
darts  of  Satan ;  so  unbelief  is  a  shield  that  beats  back  all  the 
good  motions  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Faith  is  the  victory  by 
which  we  overcome  the  world ;  unbelief  is  the  victory  by 
which  the  world  overcomes  us.  After  all,  is  it  any  wonder 
though  such  a  severe  sentence  pass  against  the  unbelieving 
sinner,  as  that  in  my  text,  He  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned 
already  ? 

IV.  The  fourth  and  last  thing  proposed,  was  the  appHca 
tion,  which  I  shall  endeavour  to  discuss  in  a  few  inferences. 

/??/!  1.  See  hence  a  very  relevant  reason,  why  ministers 
of  the  gospel  haip  so  much  upon  the  subject  of  faith  or 
believing.  Why,  it  is  for  unbelief,  that  sinners  are  con- 
demned already;  and  there  is  no  way  to  free  them  from  this 
sentence,  but  by  bringing  them  to  believe  in  the  Son  of  God. 
Unbelief  is  the  main  pillar  of  the  devil's  kingdom ;  and  there- 
fore the  main  batteries  of  the  gospel  must  be  raised  against 
it.  It  is  but  at  best  a  foolish  ignorant  cavil  of  some  against 
ministers.  Why  so  much  insisting  upon  faith  ?  are  not  other 
things  a's  necessary  to  be  preached  ?  I  answer,  Other  things 
are  necessaiy  in  their  own  place,  but  faith  or  believing  in  the 
first  place :  and  till  we  bring  you  to  believe,  we  do  nothing 
at  all,  this  being  the  laying  of  the  foundation  of  all  religion; 
and,  you  know,  it  is  foolish  to  think  or  speak  of  rearing  up  a 
superstructure,  till  the  foundation  be  once  laid.  Can  we  ever 
make  you  accepted  of  God  without  faith  in  his  Son  ?  No, 
surely,  "Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him:"  we  are 
"justified  by  faith  without  the  works  of  the  law."  Can  we 
ever  make  you  the  members  of  Christ  without  faith  ?  No, 
this  is  the  very  bond  of  the  soul's  union  with  him;  "Christ 
dwells  in  our  hearts  by  faith."  Can  we  ever  make  you  the 
children  of  God  who  are  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath, 
without  faith?  No,  "We  are  the  children  of  God  by  faith 
in  Christ  Jesus."  It  is  to  them  who  receive  him.  that  he  gives 
poucr  or  privilege  to  become  the  so7is  of  God,  John  i.  12.  Let 
us  press  and  incuilcatc  the  duties  of  holiness  with  ever  such 
ffourisliing  haraiigiies  of  rhetoric,  we  shall  never  make  vou 
holy,  till  we  once  land  you  in  Christ  l)y  faith,  he  being  the 
fountain  and  root  of"  holiness;  therefore  said  to  be  "made  of 
God  unto  us  sanctification."  In  one  word,  whatever  duties 
we  inculcate  upon  you,  we  only  call  you  to  build  castles  in 
the  air,  to  build  a  tower  without  a  bottom,  unless  we  first 
bring  youto  Christ  by  that  faith  which  is  of  God's  operation. 

Inf.  2.  See  hence  the  miseraltle  and  mournful  condition  of 
the  generality  of  gos))cl-hearers;  they  are  a  company  of  con- 
demned men,  under  sentence  of  death.  O  that  God  may  dart 
home  an  arrow  of  conviction  on  the  hearts  of  unbelieving 


392  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [SER. 

sinners,  and  persuade  them  of  the  truth  of  my  doctrine,  that 
every  unbehever  is  condemned  already.  I  am  sure  it  is  true, 
whether  you  beUeve  it  or  not ;  and  you  shall  find  it  to  be  so, 
sooner  or  later.  O  sirs  !  here  is  a  hand-writing  against  you, 
that  may  make  the  joints  of  your  loins  to  loosen,  and  your 
knees  to  smite  one  against  another:  He  that  believeth  not, 
IS  CONDEMNED  ALREADY.  And,  that  I  may,  if  possible,  awaken 
you  to  some  serious  thought  and  concern  about  this  matter, 
will  you  consider  whose  sentence  it  is  ?  It  is  none  other  than 
God's  sentence  of  condemnation.  It  is  somewhat  awful  and 
terrible,  to  be  arraigned  and  condemned  at  the  bar  of  man ; 
what  then  must  it  be  to  be  condemned  at  Jehovah's  bar? 
The  Judge  is  omniscient ;  "  his  eyes  are  as  a  flame  of  fire ;" 
he  "  setteth  our  secret  sins  in  the  light  of  his  countenance," 
so  that  the  crime  cannot  be  concealed  from  him :  his  justice 
is  unbiassed ;  his  eye  cannot  be  blinded  with  bribes :  the  arm 
of  his  power  cannot  be  stayed  from  the  execution  of  the  sen- 
tence. What  a  fearful  thing  is  it  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  this 
living  God  1  He  is  indeed  a  consuming  Jii^e.  The  solemnity 
of  the  bench  adds  terror  to  the  criminal;  and  you  may  see 
with  what  solemnity  the  bench  is  to  be  reared,  before  which 
you  and  I  must  stand  ere  long,  Matth.  xxv.  31:  "When  the 
Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels 
with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory."  O! 
whither  will  the  unbeliever  fiy  for  help  ?  or  where  will  he 
leave  his  glory  at  that  day  ?  If  hills  and  mountains  could 
cover  him,  he  would  choose  far  rather  to  be  buried  under 
tliem,  than  appear  before  the  face  of  the  Lamb,  when  he 
comes  to  ride  his  circuit  as  the  universal  Judge  of  all  the 
earth.  You  may  read  your  doom,  Matth.  xxv.  41:  "Depart 
from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels."  The  sentence  being  passed,  there  can 
be  no  stop  in  the  execution ;  the  Judge  will  have  his  officers 
at  hand,  an  innumerable  host  of  angels,  all  ready  for  this  ser- 
vice: these  reapers  shall  gather  the  tares,  bind  them  in  bun- 
dles, and  burn  them.  The  Judge  will  stand  and  see  the 
sentence  executed  before  his  face,  saying,  "Those  mine  ene- 
mies which  would  not  that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring 
hither,  and  slay  them  before  me,"  Luke  xix.  27.  Among  all 
\he  innumerable  multitudes  of  angels,  men,  and  devils,  who 
shall  be  spectators  of  the  righteous  execution,  there  shall  be 
no  eye  to  pity;  and  the  reason  is,  because  the  sinner  wilfully, 
through  unbelief,  slighted  Christ  the  only  Saviour,  and  refused 
to  accept  of  pardon  and  redemption  through  his  blood.  Who 
will  pity  the  traitor,  who  dies  for  his  treason,  rejecting  his 
prince's  pardon  presented  to  him  to  the  last  ?  Christ  would 
have  gathered  you,  as  the  hen  gathers  her  chickens  under 


XIII.]  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  393 

her  wings,  and  yo  would  not ;  and  therefore  ye  must  die 
without  pity,  and  without  remedy. 

hif.  3.  See  lience  how  fitly  the  gospel  is  called  a  joyful 
sound,  Psal.  Ixxxix.  15:  "  Blessed  is  the  people  that  know  the 
joyful  sound.",  Among  other  reasons  why  it  gets  that  deno- 
mination, this  is  none  of  the  least ;  it  brings  a  proclamation 
of  life  to  the  sons  of  death,  a  sound  of  liberty  to  the  captive, 
and  of  pardon  to  the  poor  sinner  condemned  already.  One 
would  think  that  the  very  hint  of  a  pardon  to  a  condemned 
criminal,  would  make  his  heart  to  leap  within  him  for  joy : 
but,  alas!  sad  experience  tells  us,  that  the  gospel,  which 
brings  such  "glad  tidings  of  great  joy"  to  condemned  sin- 
ners, meets  with  a  very  cool  reception  from  the  generality, 
Is.  liii.  1:  "Who  hath  believed  our  report?  and  to  whom  is 
the  arm  of  the  Lord  revealed  ?" 

Inf.  4.  See  hence  how  ill-grounded  the  joy  and  triumph  of  a 
Christlcss  unbelieving  world  is.  We  would  think  that  man 
beside  himself,  who,  being  under  sentence  of  death,  and  to 
be  brought  forth  in  a  little  to  the  place  of  execution,  would 
spend  any  little  time  he  has,  in  eating,  drinking,  dancing,  and 
revellincr.  Yet  this  is  the  very  case  with  the  generality;  they 
take  up  the  timbrel  and  harp,  rejoice  at  the  sound  of  the 
organ;  they  spend  their  days  in  wealth  and  ease,  without 
ever  thinking  that  they  arc  condemned  already  by  the  great 
God.  All  I  shall  say,  to  stop  your  career  at  present,  is  this: 
The  triumphing  of  the  unhelievinu^  sinner  is  short,  and  his  joy 
but  for  a  moment.  You  may,  indeed,  "kindle  a  fire,  and 
compass  yourselves  about  with  sparks:  but  this  shall  ye  have 
of  the  Lord's  hand,  ye  shall  lie  down  in  sorrow,"  Is.  1.  1 L 

Inf.  5.  See  hence  how  much  we  are  obliged  to  Chr'st,  who 
came  to  save  us  from  this  heavy  sentence  of  death  we  were 
under:  "He  came  not  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world; 
but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved."  He  him- 
self was  condenmed,  that  we  might  be  acquitted.  Judgment 
passed  upon  him,  that  it  might  not  pass  against  us.  He  was 
made  a  curse,  to  redeem  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law.  When 
Adam  had  entailed  death  and  condemnation  upon  us,  and  all 
his  posterity;  Christ  comes,  and  by  his  obedience  to  death, 
(^uts  off  that  entail,  procuring  our  justification.  "As  by  the 
oflence  of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condennia- 
tion ;  even  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift  came 
upon  all  men  unto  justification  of  life,"  Rom.  v.  18.  O  be- 
liever, acknowledge  thy  obligations  to  the  Son  of  God ;  for 
if  he,  as  thy  Surety,  had  not  paid  thy  debt,  thou  hadst  been 
condemned  to  the  prison  of  hell  for  it  for  ever. 

Inf.  G.  See  hence  that  it  is  every  man's  duty  and  interest 
to  examine  and  try,  whether  he  be  under  this  heavy  sentence. 


394  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [SER. 

yea,  or  not.  It  is  a  miserable  thing  to  be  under  sentence  of 
death,  and  to  know  nothing  of  it.  Neither  will  a  man  ever 
seek  to  be  freed  from  it,  till  he  be  convinced  that  he  is  indeed 
under  it.  I  shall  give  you  the  few  following  characters  of 
such  as  are  under  sentence  of  condemnation. 

1st,  You  who  never  yet  saw  yourselves  to  be  condemned 
in  the  court  of  the  law  and  conscience  for  sin,  and  particu- 
larly for  the  sin  of  unbelief,  you  are  surely  under  sentence  of 
death  to  tJiis  day ;  for  the  first  work  of  the  Spirit,  when  he 
comes  to  liberate  a  poor  soul  from  condemnation,  is  to  "con- 
vince the  world  of  sin ;  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on 
him,"  John  xvi.  8,  9. 

2dly,  You  whose  minds  are  so  blinded  with  ignorance  and 
prejudice  against  Christ,  that  you  "  can  see  no  form  or  come- 
Hness  in  him,"  notwithstanding  of  the  bright  displays  of  his 
glory  that  are  made  to  us  in  the  word.  "  If  our  gospel  be 
hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost:  in  whom  the  god  of  this 
world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  which  believe  not,  lest 
the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of 
God,  should  shine  unto  them,"  2  Cor.  iv.  3,  4. 

3dly,  You,  who  are  yet  wedded  to  the  law  as  a  covenant, 
and  are  seeking  lite  and  righteousness  by  that  first  husband, 
you  are,  to  this  moment,  under  the  sentence  of  death ;  for,  "  as 
many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse." 
If  you  never  knew  what  it  is  to  be  dead  to  the  law  by  the 
body  of  Christ,  to  have  as  little  hope  of  life  and  salvation  by 
the  law  and  its  works,  as  though  you  had  never  done  any  one 
duty  commanded  by  the  law  in  your  whole  life,  you  are  yet 
married  to  the  law  as  a  husband,  consequently,  under  the 
law's  sentence.  Yea,  I  will  adventure  to  say,  that  the  legalist, 
or  self-righteous  person,  is  a  step  farther  otf  from  heaven  and 
eternal  life,  than  the  grossest  of  sinners;  for  "publicans  and 
harlots,"  says  Christ,  "  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven before  you." 

4thl]/,  You  who  cast  oflf  the  obligation  of  the  law  as  a  rule 
of  obedience,  under  a  pretended  hope  of  being  saved  by 
grace,  without  the  works  of  the  law.  All  practical  Antino- 
mians,  who  are  following  the  swing  of  their  own  lusts,  are 
under  the  power  of  unbelief,  and  consequently  condemned  al- 
ready. Away  with  lying,  swearing,  drinking,  whoring  be- 
lievers. Will  you  pretend  to  be  the  people  of  a  holy  God,  the 
members  of  a  holy  Jesus,  the  federates  of  a  holy  covenant, 
the  heirs  of  an  undefiled  inheritance,  and  yet  wallow  in  your 
sins,  or  yet  retain  any  known  iniquity  in  your  hearts  1  No, 
no.  To  such,  not  I,  but  God  himself  saith,  "What  hast  thou 
to  do  to  declare  my  statutes,  or  that  thou  shouldst  take  my  co- 
venant in  thy  mouth?    seeing  thou  hatest  instruction,  and 


XIII.]  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  395 

castest  my  words  behind  thee."  O  sirs,  they  that  are  dead 
to  the  law  as  a  covenant,  arc  so  far  from  casting  oft'  its  ob- 
Hgations  as  a  rule  of  duly,  that  they  bind  it  about  them  as  an 
ornament,  choosing  it  for  a  light  to  their  feet,  and  a  lamp  to 
their  paths.  We  are  not  without  law  to  God,  when  under  the 
law  to  Christ.  The  law  is  so  dear  and  sweet  to  a  true  be- 
liever, that  it  is  his  meditation  day  and  night.  0  how  love  I 
thy  law!  says  David :  as  if  he  had  said,  I  love  it  so  well,  that 
I  cannot  tell  how  well  I  love  it:  "My  soul  breaketh  for  the 
longing  that  it  hath  unto  thy  judgments  at  all  times,"  Psal. 
cxix.  20. 

Inf.  7.  Is  it  so  that  every  unbeliever  is  a  condemned  cri- 
minal before  God  ?  O,  then,  be  concerned  at  your  hearts  to 
get  rid  of  that  dismal  sentence  you  are  under.  What  can  be 
matter  of  concern,  if  this  be  not?  I  come,  in  the  name  of 
God,  to  tell  you,  that  this  is  not  impossible;  yea,  I  dare  go 
farther,  and  tell  you,  that  if  you  will  but  hear,  your  souls  shall 
live,  and  not  die  under  that  condemnatory  sentence  which  is 
gone  forth  against  you.  I  dare  promise  you  not  only  a  re- 
priev^e,  but  a  remission;  for  thus  saith  the  great  Judge,  as  a 
reconciled  God  in  Christ,  to  the  poor  trembling  panel,  stand- 
ing condemned  before  the  bar  of  his  holy  law;  "I,  even  I, 
am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake, 
and  will  not  remember  thy  sins,"  Is.  xliii.  25.  Here  is  an  act 
of  grace  passed  at  a  throne  of  grace,  sealed  with  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb,  published  and  proclaimed  in  the  tops  of  the  high 
places,  that  none  may  pretend  ignorance,  and  that  every  con- 
demned sinner  may  take  the  benefit  of  it,  and  come  in  upon 
the  King's  royal  indemnity,  granted  upon  the  satisfaction 
made  to  justice  by  his  eternal  Son.  O,  then,  sirs,  "  Hear, 
and  your  souls  shall  live,  and  he  will  make  an  everlasting  co- 
venant with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David,"  Is.  Iv.  3: 
"O  earth,  earth,  earth,  hear  this  word  of  the  Lord." 

I  come  not  to  tell  30U  how  you  may  be  rich,  great,  and 
honourable  in  the  world;  these  things  are  but  trifles  to  people 
in  your  circumstances.  Should  you  come  to  a  condemned 
man,  and  talk  to  him  of  riches,  honours,  crowns,  robes,  scep- 
tres, and  kingdoms:  Alas!  would  he  be  ready  to  say,  what 
is  all  that  to  me?  I  am  a  poor  man  going  into  another  world 
within  a  few  hours;  if  you  can  tell  me  how  1  may  save  my 
life,  or  hf)W  I  may  get  rid  of  my  sentence,  chains,  prison,  you 
will  say  something  to  the  purpose.  This  is  the  very  case 
with  thee,  O  sinner;  for  "by  the  otlbnce  of  one,  judgment  is 
come  upon  all  men  to  condemnation."  And,  therefore,  O 
poor  criminal,  listen,  lend  me  a  believing  ear  for  a  few  mo- 
ments, and  I  will  tell  thee  how  infallibly  thou  shalt  make  thy 
escape. 


396  UIVBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [sER. 

Quest.  O,  may  the  poor  criminal  say,  how  is  that  ?  I  an- 
swer, I  have  no  advice  to  give  thee  but  one ;  it  is  an  old  ad- 
vice, a  new  advice,  and  the  only  advice  that  can  be  given 
while  the  world  stands ;  it  is  the  very  same  which  Paul  and 
Silas  gave  to  a  poor  panel,  trembling  at  God's  bar,  crying, 
"  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  The  plain  advice  they  gave 
him,  I  give  this  day  to  you.  Acts  xvi.  31 :  "  Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved:"  agreeably  to 
which  are  the  words  of  Christ  himself,  in  the  first  part  of  the 
verse,  where  my  text  lies,  "  He  that  belie veth  on  the  Son  of 
God  is  not  condemned;"  and  verse  16:  "Whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him,  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 

Quest.  You  advise  us  to  believe  in  Christ ;  but  pray  tell  us 
what  is  it  to  believe  in  him  ?  You  have  the  answer  in  your 
Catechism :  To  believe,  is  to  "  receive  Christ,  and  to  rest 
upon  him  alone  for  salvation,  as  he  is  oflered  to  us  in  the  gos- 
pel;" or,  in  other  words,  it  is  to  trust  and  credit  him,  as  the 
Saviour  of  sinners,  with  the  salvation  of  thy  lost  soul,  upon 
the  warrant  of  his  own  call  and  command  in  the  word. 
Christ's  business  and  occupation  is  to  save  that  which  was 
lost.  Now,  you  all  know  what  it  is  to  trust  a  man  in  his 
trade  and  occupation;  you  who  have  some  business  at  law, 
know  what  it  is  to  trust  your  advocates  with  your  most  va- 
luable concerns,  and  the  whole  management  of  your  cause  de- 
pending before  the  judges.  Well,  in  like  manner,  to  believe, 
is,  upon  the  credit  of  God's  testimony  concerning  Christ  in 
the  word,  to  trust  him,  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  with  the 
salvation  of  thy  own  soul  in  particular.  This,  I  say,  is  the 
business,  the  office,  and  occupation  of  Christ,  to  save  sinners; 
and  he  is  so  fond  of  employment  in  his  trade  of  saving,  that 
he  says,  "  Come  to  me  who  will,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 
And,  therefore,  trust  in  him  in  his  occupation ;  put  thy  con- 
demned soul  in  the  hands  of  the  sinner's  Saviour,  for  that  is  to 
believe  in  him  and  on  him.  O,  what  a  happy  suitable  meet- 
ing is  it,  when  the  sinner  and  the  Saviour  of  sinners  thus 
meet  together !  Some  have  a  notion,  when  we  bid  them  be- 
lieve, we  bid  them  do  some  great  thing  as  the  condition  of 
salvation.  But  this  is  a  mistake.  Believing  is  a  resting  from 
works  in  point  of  salvation,  and  a  resting  on  Christ  alone  for 
salvation  from  sin,  and  all  the  effects  of  it.  It  is  to  receive  a 
salvation  already  completed  and  prepared  to  your  hand,  and 
brought  near  to  you  in  the  word  of  grace.  But  I  must  not 
stand  farther  in  describing  faith  at  present. 

Quest.  What  influence  (may  you  say)  will  our  believing 
have  upon  our  being  delivered  from  this  condemnatory  sen- 
tence we  are  under  1     Ansio.  Much  every  way.     For, 


Xlll.]  AT  THE  BAR  OP  GOD.  397 

1.  That  moment  thou  believest,  thou  becomest  a  member 
of  Christ,  as  a  new  covenant  head.  Wliile  under  the  power 
of  unbelief,  thou  art  a  member  of  the  first  Adam,  and  con- 
sequently under  Adam's  covenant,  which  is  a  cursing  and 
condemning  covenant  to  all  who  are  under  it,  "judj^menl 
being  come  upon  all  men  to  condemnation,"  through  Adam's 
breach  of  it ;  but  in  believing,  thou  becomest  a  member  of 
Christ,  the  second  Adam,  the  head  of  the  new  covenant,  the 
covenant  of  grace  and  promise,  which  contains  nothing  but 
blessings  to  the  soul  that  takes  hold  of  it,  Rom.  viii.  1:  "  I'here 
is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus."  It  is  not  said,  there  is  nothing  culpable  or  condemn- 
able  in  the  believer ;  but  there  is  no  condemnation  to  him  ; 
he  is  no  more  liable  to  the  penalties  of  Adam's  covenant, 
Christ,  his  glorious  Surety,  having  endured  these  in  his  room 
and  stead  ;  and  it  were  inconsistent  with  justice,  to  demand 
payment  of  the  same  debt, both  from  the  cautioner  and  princi- 
pal debtor. 

2.  To  clear  this  yet  farther,  the  poor  soul,  in  believing,  is 
married  to  a  new  husband,  even  Christ;  and  being  under 
his  roof,  the  covert  of  his  blood  and  righteousness,  the  con- 
demning law  can  have  no  action  against  it,  this  new  and  bet- 
ter husband  having  made  his  spouse  free  indeed,  by  the  im- 
putation of  his  law-magnifying  righteousness :  Rom.  vii.  4 ; 
"  Ye  are  dead  to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ  (or,  by  the 
offering  of  his  body  on  the  cross,)  that  ye  should  be  married 
to  another,  even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the  dead."  He 
does  that  for  us,  which  the  law  could  not  do,  through  the  cor- 
ruption of  nature  ;  particularly,  "  condemns  sin  in  the  flesh, 
that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  in  us. 
Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one 
that  believeth."  And  if  the  law  have  its  end,  and  be  fulfilled 
in  the  believer,  by  virtue  of  his  union  and  marriage  with  the 
Son  of  God,  how  can  he  be  liable  to  condemnation,  or  any 
law  penalties'? 

3.  That  moment  the  condemned  sinner  believes  in  Christ, 
he  is  entered  heir  of  a  new  family,  a  member  of  a  new  corpo- 
ration :  he  is  come,  not  to  Mount  Sinai,  but  to  Mount  Zion; 
not  to  the  earthly  Jerusalem,  which  is  in  bondage,  but  to  the 
heavenlv  Jerusalem,  which  is  free.  lie  is  "no  more  a  stran- 
ger and  foreigner,  but  a  fellow-citizen  with  the  saints,  and  of 
the   household  of  Cod."     lie  comes  in  among  the  "  general 

•assembly,  and  church  of  the  first-born."  He  becomes  an 
"  heir  of  God,  and  a  joint-heir  with  Jesus  Christ ;"  and  the 
inheritance  is  settled  upon  him  by  a  charier,  which  contains 
no  irritant  clauses.  No,  no:  having  lakcn  hold  of  GocPs  co- 
venant by  fiiith,  he  hath  a  name  and  a  place  within  the  Tvalls 
VOL.  I.  34 


398  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED  AND  CONDEMNED  [SER. 

of  God's  house,  even  an  everlasting  name,  that  shall  not  be  cut 
off;  and  therefore  must  needs  be  free  from  the  condemnatory 
sentence  he  lay  under  before  he  believed. 

4.  That  moment  you  believe,  your  cause  is  carried  into  a 
new  court;  I  mean,  from  a  tribunal  of  justice  to  a  mercy- 
seat,  where  all  the  acts  and  interlocutors  that  pass  are  acts 
of  grace  and  mercy,  acts  of  pardon  and  acceptance  in  the 
beloved.  No  sentences  of  condemnation  pass  in  the  court  of 
grace :  no  ;  this  is  inconsistent  with  the  nature  of  the  court. 
O  let  every  guilty  sinner,  who  finds  himself  condemned  in  the 
court  of  the  law,  and  of  conscience,  carry  his  cause,  by  a 
solemn  appeal,  to  this  court ;  for  the  court  is  open  to  all  co- 
mers, and  the  Lord  merciful  and  gracious,  who  sits  upon 
this  throne  of  grace,  receives  all  appeals  that  are  made  to 
him,  and  will  in  no  wise  cast  out  the  sinner,  or  cast  his  appeal 
over  bar.  O,  therefore,  '•  let  us  come  with  boldness  unto  a 
throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace 
to  help  us  in  time  of  need." 

Quest.  But  (may  you  say)  if  matters  stand  thus  with  a 
believer,  that  he  cannot  fall  under  the  sentence  of  the  law. 
cannot  come  into  condemnation,  then  he  may  live  as  he  lists.' 
Does  not  this  doctrine  open  a  wide  door  for  licentiousness  and 
profanity  ?  for  if  once  a  man  be  a  believer,  according  to  this 
doctrine,  he  has  nothing  to  fear,  and  so  may  do  what  he  will. 
Were  it  not  better  for  ministers  to  forbear  doctrines  that  are 
liable  to  such  abuse  1     I  answer, 

1.  The  whole  counsel  of  God  must  be  revealed,  and  not 
one  hoof  of  divine  truth  must  be  suppressed,  though  a  whole 
reprobate  world  should  break  their  necks  on  it,  by  wresting 
it  to  their  own  destruction.  The  gospel  will  be  the  savour  of 
death  unto  some  ;  Christ  crucified  will  be  a  stone  of  stumbling, 
and  a  rock  of  offence.  But  shall  we,  because  of  this,  for- 
bear to  preach  Christ,  and  his  gospel  1  God  forbid  ;  we 
must  not  starve  God's  children,  out  of  fear  lest  dogs  snatch 
at  it  to  their  own  perdition. 

2.  I  own,  that  a  carnal  gospeller,  who  has  some  swimming 
notions  of  the  grace  of  God  in  his  head,  may  abuse  the  doc- 
trine of  the  believer's  freedom  from  condemnation  by  virtue 
of  his  union  with  Christ :  but  the  grace  of  God  in  the  heart 
teaches  the  very  reverse  of  this,  namely,  to  "  deny  all  un- 
godliness and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live  soberly,  righteously, 
and  godly,  in  this  present  world." 

3.  Though  the  believer  be  delivered  from  tlie  law  as  cu 
covenant,  and  its  condemnatory  sentence,  through  Christ,  yet 
it  does  not  in  the  least  pave  a  way  to  licentiousness  ;  because 
at  the  same  time  that  he  is  assoilzied  and  acquitted  from  his 
obligation  to  the  law  as  a  covenant,  he  comes  under  stronger 


XIII.]  AT  THE  BAR  OF  GOD.  399 

and  more  powerful  ties  than  ever  to  yield  obedience  to  it  as 
a  rule  of  duty. 

I  shall  conclude  this  discourse,  by  naming  a  few  of  these 
bonds  of  obedience  the  believer  remains  under,  even  when 
delivered  from  condemnation. 

l.y/,  He  is  still  under  the  bond  of  the  royal  authority  of 
the  great  God,  both  as  a  Creator  and  Redeemer.  The  au- 
thority and  obligation  of  the  divine  law  can  never  be  dis- 
solved, while  God  is  God,  and  the  creature  a  creature. 

2dly,  He  is  under  the  bond  of  interest,  to  obey  the  divine 
law.  It  is  true,  his  obedience  does  not  give  him  the  title  to 
the  reward  of  glory  ;  it  is  only  his  union  with  Chfist,  the 
heir  of  all  things,  that  gives  him  this ;  but  yet  his  own  per- 
sonal obedience  is  evidential  and  declarative  of  his  title 
through  Christ.  And  is  it  not  much  for  the  believer's  interest, 
to  have  his  claim  to  glory  and  everlasting  life  cleared  up  and 
made  evident  to  his  own  soul  ?  In  this  sense  I  understand 
that  word.  Rev.  xxii.  14  :  "  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  com- 
mandments, that  they  may  hav^e  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and 
may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city." 

Zdlij,  He  is  still  under  the  bond  of  fear  ;  Jer.  xxxii.  40:  "I 
will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart 
from  me."  This  is  not  a  slavish  fear  of  hell  and  vindictive 
wrath,  for  that  is  inconsistent  with  his  freedom  from  condem- 
nation :  but  is  a  filial  fear  of  God  as  a  Father,  flowing  from 
an  afiectionatc  regard  to  his  authority,  interposed  in  the 
commands  of  the  law.  Though  they  be  not  afraid  of  being 
cast  into  hell ;  yet  they  "  fear  him  who  is  able  to  cast  soul 
and  body  into  hell."  Though  they  have  no  reason  to  fear 
him  as  an  avenging  and  condemning  Judge ;  yet  they  have 
much  reason  to  fear  him  as  a  fatherly  Judge,  lest  he  "  visit 
their  transgression  with  the  rod,  and  their  iniquity  with 
stripes  ;"  for,  pass  who  will  unpunished,  they  shall  not  pass  : 
"■  You  only  have  I  known  of  all  the  families  of  the  earth  ; 
therefore  I  will  punish  you  for  all  your  iniquities." 

Alhlij,  He  is  under  the  bond  of  love.  He  studies  to  love 
the  Lord  his  God  with  all  his  heart,  soul,  strength,  and  mind  ; 
and  this  love  of  God  in  Christ,  like  a  strong  cord,  draws 
him  on  in  the  way  of  obedience,  "  I  drew  them  with  the 
cords  of  love  :"  "  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us,"  says 
Paul.  This  love  laid  in  the  believer's  heart  has  such  a  force 
and  power  with  it,  "  that  many  waters  cannot  quench  it, 
neither  are  all  floods  able  to  drown  it,"  Cant.  viii.  7 ;  Rom. 
viii.  35,  3!). 

blfilij,  He  is  under  the  bond  of  gratitude;  being  bought 
with  a  price,  he  studies  to  glorify  God  in  soul  and  body, 
which  are  his.     Christ  having  delivered  him  from  the  hand 


400  UNBELIEF  ARRAIGNED,  &C.  [SER. 

of  his  enemies,  he  serves  the  Lord  without  fear,  in  lioliness 
and  righteousness,  all  the  days  of  his  life.  The  believer,  when 
delivered  from  the  hand  of  the  condemning  law,  says  to  Christ, 
as  the  men  of  Israel  did  to  Gideon,  Judg.  viii.  22 :  "  Rule  thou 
over  us ;  for  thou  hast  delivered  us  from  the  hand  of  our  ene- 
mies." Suppose  a  king  should  not  only  pardon  a  rebel,  but 
restore  him  his  forfeited  inheritance,  advance  him  to  the  high- 
est places  of  honour  about  the  throne ;  yea,  make  him  his  son, 
his  heir,  and  set  him  upon  the  throne  with  himself:  would  not 
that  man  be  under  a  far  greater  obligation  to  serve  and  obey 
the  king,  than  if  he  had  never  received  such  singular  favours 
at  his  hand?  There  is  no  bond  of  obedience  like  the  bond  of 
gratitude  to  an  ingenuous  spirit. 

Qthly,  He  is  under  the  bond  of  a  renewed  nature.  The 
man  is  made  a  partaker  of  the  divine  nature,  by  which  the 
life  of  God,  the  love  of  God,  and  the  law  of  God,  is  laid  in  his 
very  heart ;  and  this  is  a  mighty  bond  to  obedience :  Heb. 
viii.  10 :  "1  will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind,  and  write  them 
in  their  hearts."  It  is  engraved  there  with  the  finger  of  the 
Holy  Ghost :  his  heart  is  cast  into  a  divine  mould,  moulded 
into  the  will  of  God,  his  will  of  grace,  his  will  of  precept,  and 
his  will  of  providence  ;  so  that  he  "  delights  in  the  law  of  God, 
after  the  inward  man.  The  law  of  his  God  is  in  his  heart," 
and  therefore  "  none  of  his  steps  shall  slide." 

Lastly,  The  inhabitation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  another  effi- 
cacious bond  to  obedience  :  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27 :  "I  will  put  my 
Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes ;  and 
ye  shall  keep  my  judgments,  and  do  them."  This  law  of  the 
Spirit  of  life,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  makes  them  "  free  from 
the  law  of  sin  and  death."  And  being  led  by  the  Spirit,  they 
do  not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  thejlesh.  To  conclude,  that  very  grace 
of  God  which  frees  them  from  the  law  as  a  covenant,  binds 
them  to  it  as  a  rule,  Tit.  ii.  11,  12. 

These  are  some  gospel  bonds  of  obedience :  and  you  who 
never  knew  what  it  is  to  liave  your  souls  under  the  sweet  in- 
fluence of  these,  bu^  only  obey  the  law  with  a  view  to  pur- 
chase a  title  to  heaven,  or  to  redeem  your  souls  from  hell 
and  wrath,  I,  in  the  name  of  God,  pronounce  the  heavy  doom 
of  my  text  against  you,  He  that  believeth  not,  is  co?idemned  al- 
ready. 


401 


SEU]?10I\    XIV. 

THE   DAY-SPRIIVG  FROM  ON  HIGH.* 

Tliroug-li  tlie  tender  mercy  of  our  God;  whereby  tlie  day-spring;  from  oi» 
liigh  liath  visited  us. — Luke  i.  78. 

These  words  are  a  part  of  the  prophetic  song  of  Zacharias, 
concerning  the  person,  kingdom,  and  glory  of  Christ.  The 
man  was  tilled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  this  made  his  "tongue 
like  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer"  to  proclaim  the  praises  of  our 
glorious  Immanuel.  VVhenever  the  Spirit  of  glory  and  of  God 
rests  upon  a  soul,  his  great  work  is  to  glorify  Christ.  Time 
will  not  allow  me  to  insis;t  in  oj)ening  up  the  connexion.  Only, 
in  a  word,  Zacharias  having  spoken  of  John  Baptist  as  the 
harhinger  of  the  glorious  Messiah,  he  tells  us  what  would  be  his 
province  and  peculiar  work,  ver.  77  :  "  To  give  the  know- 
ledge of  salvation  unto  his  people  by  the  remission  of  sins," 
or  for  the  remission  of  sins;  that  is,  to  open  up  the  way  how 
guilty  sinners  may  come  to  be  justified  through  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  this  being  the  only  way  of  salvation  from  the 
wrath  of  God,  and  the  curse  of  the  broken  law.  And  if  any 
should  ask,  How  comes  it  about  that  salvation  and  remission 
of  sins  should  be  published  to  a  guilty  lost  world?  You  have 
a  very  apposite  answer  to  this  inquiry  in  the  words  of  my  text: 
it  is,  Tkruugh  the  lender  mercy  of  our  God ;  ichcreby  the  day-; 
sprina-  from  o?i  high  hath  visiled  ?/,?. 

Where  notice,  (1.)  How  tiie  manifestation  of  Christ,  as  the 
Saviour,  is  expressed  ;  it  is  called,  The  day-!^prhig  from  on 
high.  (2.)  The  moving  cause  of  this  manifestation  of  Christ : 
it  is,  Through  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God,  or,  as  in  the  mar^ 
gin,  the  bou-ela  of  his  mercy.  O  sirs,  it  was  not  the  works  of 
righteousness  that  we  had  done,  or  were  to  do,  that  laid  God 
under  an  obligation  to  send  his  Son  into  the  world;  no,  no,  it 
was  the  working  of  his  own  heart,  the  rolling  of  his  own  bow- 
els of  love  and  pity  to  perishing  siiuicrs,  John  iii.  1(5:  "God 
po  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  belicvelh  in  him,  should  not  perish  but  have  cvcrr 
lasting  life,"  It  is  observable  here,  that  Zacharias  does  not 
simply  say,  the  tender  mercies  of  God ;   but,  through  the  tender 

*  Preached  immediately  before  tijc  celebration  of  the  Lord's  supper,  at 
Torlmoak,  June  2,  1728,  ' 

34* 


402  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  [SER. 

mercies,  or  hoxcels,  of  our  God.  This  is  the  ordinary  way  of 
faith ;  whenever  it  views  God  as  a  God  of  mercy  in  Christ,  it 
lays  claim  to  him,  it  apphes  and  appropriates  him ;  this  being 
the  echo  of  faith  to  the  covenant-grant,  "I  will  say.  It  is  my 
people ;  and  they  shall  say.  The  Lord  is  my  God."  But  now, 
if  it  should  be  asked.  What  way  have  the  bowels  of  mercy 
vented  themselves  to  us?  what  is  the  issue  of  themt  Why, 
says  he,  Through  the  tender  mercy  of  our  God,  the  day-spri?ig 
from  on  high  hath  visited  us.  As  if  he  had  said.  By  the  mani- 
festation of  his  eternal  Son  in  our  nature,  and  the  gracious 
approach  that  he  has  made  to  us  in  him,  he  has  dispelled 
these  dark  and  black  clouds  of  wrath  that  were  hovering  over 
our  heads.  "  We  that  sat  in  darkness,  saw  great  light;  and 
to  us  that  sat  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death,  light  is 
sprung  up."  Some  render  the  words  of  the  text,  the  sun- 
rising  f-om  on  high,  others,  the  hraiKh-spring  from  on  high  hath 
visited  us.  I  shall  follow  our  own  translation,  the  day-spring 
from  on  high  hath  visited  us.  The  words  will  be  farther  clear 
in  speaking  to  the  following  observation  : 

Observ.  "  That  Christ's  approaches  in  a  way  of  grace  make 
a  joyful  day  of  salvation  to  spring  from  on  high  upon  a  mise- 
rable world.  The  day-spring  from  on  high  hath  visited  us. — 
Hence  it  is  that  Christ  is  sometimes  called  the  light  of  the 
rnorld ;  sometimes,  the  Sun  of  righteousness ;  sometimes,  the 
bright  afid  mor?ii?ig  Star  ;  and  his  goings  forth  are  prepared  as 
the  morning." 

Method, 

I.  To  inquire  what  this  text  and  doctrine  supposes. 

II.  Notice  a  few  of  the  visits  of  this  day-spring. 

III.  Why  his  visits  are  likened  to  the  spring  of  the  day. 

IV.  What  sort  of  a  day  springs  up  when  Christ  visits  the 
soul. 

V.  Why  this  day  is  said  to  springyrom  on  high. 
yi.  Apply  the  whole. 

I.  The_^?-s/  thing  is,  to  inquire  what  is  implied  ifi  the  expres- 
sion i?i  the  text,  The  day -spring  from  on  high  hath  visited  us. 

1.  It  supposes  Adam's  posterity  to  be  in  a  dark,  lonely,  and 
miserable  condition,  before  Christ  visits  them  from  on  high. 
What  the  condition  of  the  old  creation  was  before  the  form- 
ing of  light,  that  is  man's  before  Christ  pays  him  a  visit:  the 
old  creation  was  "  without  form,  and  void,  and  darkness  was 
upon  the  face  of  the  deep;"  so  is  man:  man  is  zcilhout  form 
or  comeliness,  a  mass  of  darkness,  and  disorder,  and  misery. — 
As  the  darkness  of  the  night  overspreads  the  face  of  the  earth 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  403 

before  the  spring  of  day,  so  a  melancholy  night  of  darkness 
overspreads  all  the  children  of  men.  Immediately  upon  the 
entry  of  sin,  a  curtain,  a  veil,  was  drawn  between  God  and 
man,  by  the  justice  and  holiness  of  God,  till  it  was  rent  again 
by  the  death  and  blood  of  a  Redeemer.  Oh,  what  darkness 
was  upon  our  first  parents  before  Christ  was  revealed  in  the 
first  promise  !  such  a  darkness  as  caused  honor  and  trembling, 
and  flying  in  among  the  thickets  of  paradise.  There  is  a  mani- 
fold darkness  that  sin  has  brought  upon  man:  a  darkness  of 
ignorance;  the  eyes  of  tbe  understanding  are  dashed  out  by  the 
fall,  that  we  cannot  know,  caruiot  receive  the  things  of  God  : 
a  darkness  of  error,  full  of  mistaken  notions  about  God  and 
the  things  of  God  ;  we  naturally  change  the  truth  of  God  into 
a  lie,  put  darkness  for  light,  and  light  for  darkness:  a  dark- 
ness of  enmity  and  prejudice  against  God;  w'e  are  "enmity 
against  God,  and  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  through  the 
ignorance  that  is  in  us."  The  very  darkness  of  death  is  upon 
us;  we  "sit  in  the  regions  and  shadow  of  death,"  Matth.  iv. : 
the  darkness  of  a  legal  death,  being  "  condemned  already,  and 
the  wrath  of  God  abiding  on  us:"  the  darkness  of  spiritual 
death,  being  uilhoul  God,  and  consequently  without  life,  "  in 
the  world,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  like  the  slain  that  lie 
in  the  grave."  Now,  sirs,  this  is  your  condition  and  mine  by 
nature,  before  Christ  conies  in  a  way  of  grace  to  us,  making 
the  day-spring  from  on  high  to  visit  us. 

2.  The  day-spring  from  o?i  hish  hath  visited  vs ;  it  supposes 
Christ  to  be  (he  glorious  Sun,  whose  coming  brings  light  along 
with  him:  Mai.  iv.  2:  "Unto  you  that  fear  my  name,  shall 
the  Sun  of  righteousness  arise  with  healing  in  his  wings."  All 
the  stars  in  the  firmament,  and  constellations  of  the  heavenly 
bodies,  cannot  make  day  till  the  sun  arise;  so  neither  could 
all  the  angels  of  heaven  allbrd  the  least  glimmering  of  comfort 
or  relief  to  a  lost  world,  till  the  Son  of  God  came  and  paid 
us  a  visit ;  he  alone  is  "  the  God  of  salvation,  to  whom  belong 
the  issues  from  death." 

3.  The  text  implies,  that  Christ  coming  ujwn  this  errand, 
for  our  salvation,  was  unconstrained  and  \  olunlary  :  a  visit  is 
a  free  and  voluntary  thing  without  any  manner  of  force. — 
What  is  said  of  the  natural  sun,  Psal.  xix.  5,  that  he  "  re- 
joiccth  as  a  strong  man  to  run  his  race,"  is  much  more  true 
of  Christ  the  sun  of  righteousness  ;  he  "  rejoiced  in  the  habita- 
ble parts  of  the  earth,  and  his  delights  were  with  the  sons  of 
men."  And  as  the  sun  in  the  firmament,  with  the  greatest 
freedom,  scatters  his  beams  through  the  world,  so  does  Christ 
scatter  the  rays  and  beams  of  his  grace  and  love  among  sin- 
ners in  the  dispensation  of  the  everlasting  gospel.  And  w  hen 
he  comes  by  his  Spirit,  either  in  a  day  of  conversion,  or  of  a 


404  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  [SER. 

renewed  manifestation  of  himself  to  a  believer,  it  is  with  de- 
light and  pleasure  that  he  does  it :  "  Behold  he  cometh,"  says 
the  spouse,  "  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  and  skipping  upon 
the  hills." 

4.  The  text  implies,  that  Christ's  visits  are  wonderful,  sweet 
and  acceptable.  What  can  be  more  desirable  than  the  spring 
of  day,  after  a  dark,  long,  and  melancholy  night  1  "  Truly  the 
light  is  sweet,  and  a  pleasant  thing  it  is  for  the  eyes  to  behold 
the  sun."  Oh,  will  the  soul  say,  when  Christ  comes,  wel- 
come, welcome,  welcome,  ten  thousand  times  welcome, 
"  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  to  save 
us."  O  sirs,  never  did  Christ  come  yet  to  visit,  but  he  brought 
welcome  with  him :  "  Lo,  this  is  our  God,  we  have  waited  for 
him, — we  will  be  glad,  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation." 

5.  The  text  implies  an  infinite  disparity  between  the  party 
visiting  and  the  party  visited  ;  hence  the  day-spring  is  from  on 
high.  O  sirs,  we  were  brought  low  by  our  iniquities,  lying 
upon  the  very  confines  of  hell;  and  therefore  when  Christ,  who 
lay  in  his  Father's  bosom  from  eternity,  when  he  "  who  in- 
habits eternity,  and  dwells  in  the  high  and  holy  place,"  comes 
to  visit  us,  he  must  humble  and  abase  himself  to  meet  us;  he 
leaves  the  upper  regions  of  glory,  to  dweller  tabernacle  with 
us  upon  earth.  Hence  we  are  told,  that  though  he  was  "in 
the  form  of  God,  and  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with 
God,  yet  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death, 
even  the  death  of  the  cross."  Thus,  you  see  what  the  text 
and  doctrine  imply. 

II.  The  second  thing  is,  to  notice  some  of  the  gracious  visits 
of  Christ,  or  gradual  adva?ices  of  this  day-spri/jg  from  on  high. 

1.  Then,  there  was  the  early  visit  that  he  made  us  in  his 
eternal  purpose  from  the  ancient  years  of  eternity,  before 
ever  the  world  was  made:  Mic.  v.  2:  "But  thou,  Bethlehem 
Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little  among  the  thousands  of  Judah, 
yet  out  of  thee  shall  he  come  forth  unto  me,  that  is  to  be  ru- 
ler in  Israel :  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from  of  old,  from 
everlasting."  Which  last  words  may  either  denote  the  eter- 
nal generation  of  the  Son;  he  was  begotten  of  his  Father 
from  eternity,  being  the  same  eternal,  independent,  self-exist- 
cnt  God  with  him:  or  it  may  point  out  his  eternal  destination 
by  the  Father  to  be  the  Redeemer  and  Saviour  of  lost  sinners; 
agreeable  to  which  is  that  of  Christ,  Pro  v.  viii.  23:  "I  was 
setup  from  everlasting,  from  the  beginning, or  ever  the  earth 
was."  This  was,  as  it  were,  his  first  motion  towhrds  us, 
though,  as  yet,  at  a  great  and  inconceivable  distance.  O 
sirs,  wonder  at  this  wonderful  grace  and  love  of  God,  that 
paid  us  a  visit  when  he  saw  us  in  our  blood,  and  before  we 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  405 

had  any  other  being  save  in  his  own  decree !  "  When  I  saw 
thee  in  thy  blood,  1  said  unto  thee,  Live." 

2.  There  is  a  visit  that  he  made  us  in  our  first  parents  after 
the  fall,  when  he  told  thcin,  that  "  the  seed  of  the  woman 
should  bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent."  This  was,  as  it  were, 
the  first  peep  of  day-light  on  a  lost  world  of  mankind.  As 
I  was  saying  just  now,  no  sooner  had  man  sinned,  but  a  dark 
and  dismal  night  of  wrath  from  the  Lord  of  hosts  did  over- 
spread our  horizon,  which  struck  our  first  parents  with  such 
horror,  that  they  endeavoured  to  hide  thcmaclvcs  among  the 
bushes  of  Paradise:  even  while  they  are  every  moment  ex- 
pecting to  be  stricken  through  with  the  barbed  arrows  of  di- 
vine vengeance  and  wrath,  the  Messiah  is  revealed  and  pro- 
mised, and  light  and  deliverance  appears  with  him.  And  all 
the  prophecies,  types,  promises,  and  ceremonies  of  the  Old 
Testament  dispensation,  were  nothing  else  but  the  gradual 
advances  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  toward  our  horizon,  But 
yet  all  this  time  the  Sun  is  not  actually  arisen  in  our  view, 
though  after  the  break  of  day,  in  the  first  promise,  the  light 
did  shine  more  and  more  brightly  till  the  sun  did  actually 
arise.     And  therefore, 

3.  There  is  the  visit  of  the  day-spring  from  on  high,  in  his 
actual  incarnation  or  manifestation  in  our  nature.  This  was, 
I  say,  the  rising  of  the  sun  in  the  open  view  of  the  world, 
which,  how  glorious  it  was,  we  are  told  by  those  that  saw  it, 
John  i.  14:  "  The  word  was  made  flesh, and  dwelt  among  us; 
(and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten 
of  the  Father)  full  of  grace  and  truth."  The  angels,  these 
morning  stars,  sing  together,  and  proclaim  the  tidings  of  his 
arrival,  as  a  matter  of  joy  and  triumph,  Luke  ii.  10.  We 
"bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all 
people.  For  unto  you  is  born  this  day,  in  the  city  of  David, 
a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord."  And  thereupon  they 
break  forth  with  an  anthem  of  praise,  saying,  "  Glory  to 
God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good-will  towards 
men."  O  how  did  this  Sun  of  righteousness  rejoice  to  run 
his  race  of  humiliation  in  this  lower  world,  having  his  divine 
glory  obscured  with  a  veil  of  flesh,  lest  his  dazzling  glory 
should  have  overwhelmed  us  !  The  beams  of  divine  glory 
were  ever  and  anon  breaking  through  the  veil  of  flesh,  in  his 
doctrine,  in  his  miracles,  in  his  birth,  life,  death,  resurrection, 
and  ascension  ;  which  I  have  not  now  time  to  insist  upon. 
Only,  I  would  have  you  to  remember,  that  by  this  one  visit, 
which  he  made  us  in  our  nature,  which  continued  for  the 
space  of  about  three  and  thirty  years,  he  fullllled  the  law, 
satisfied  justice,  finished  transgression,  niade  an  end  of  sin, 
brought  in  everlasting  righteousness,  confirmed  the  covenant, 


406  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  [SER. 

overthrew  principalities  and  powers,  destroyed  death,  opened 
up  the  way  to  the  holy  of  holies,  laid  a  bridge  of  communica- 
tion between  heaven  and  earth,  by  which  God  might  come 
to  man  without  prejudice  tp  his  justice,  and  man  might  come 
to  God  without  being  consumed  or  overwhehned. 

4.  Another  visit  is  the  day-spring  of  a  gospel-revelation ; 
when  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  come  first  to  be  published, 
and  "  life  and  immortality  brought  to  light,"  Matth.  iv.  15, 
16,  to  a  people  or  nation.  O  what  a  sweet  spring  of  day  was 
it,  when,  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  the  apostles,  and 
other  ministers,  as  the  heralds  of  the  great  Messiah,  began  to 
proclaim  pardon,  peace  and  salvation  through  his  blood,  first 
to  the  Jews,  and  afterward  to  the  Gentile  nations!  how  did 
the  dark  mists  of  Jewish  rites,  types,  and  ceremonies,  and  of 
Gentile  idolatry  and  abominations,  vanish,  before  the  bright 
rays  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  conveyed  in  the  dispensation 
of  the  gospel !  and  what  multitudes  of  converts  were  added  to 
the  church,  compared  for  their  innumerable  number,  to  the 
drops  of  the  dew  from  the  womb  of  the  morning !  And  what 
a  sweet  spring  of  day  was  there  in  our  own  land,  when  the 
gospel  came  at  first  to  be  preached  to  our  forefathers,  who  were 
lying  under  a  dark  night  of  Pagan  idolatry !  And  when  after 
that  a  dark  night  of  Popish  blindness  and  idolatry  had  over- 
spread us  again,  what  a  sweet  day-spring  from  on  high  did 
visit  us  in  our  reformation !  and  what  a  pleasant  edge  of  life 
and  zeal  for  God  and  his  glory  was  there  to  be  found  upon 
the  spirits  of  our  nobles,  gentry,  and  commons,  which  dis- 
covered itself  in  their  frequent  renewing  of  their  solemn  co- 
venants, to  stand  by,  and  maintain  a  work  of  reformation 
against  the  emissaries  of  hell  and  Rome  !  and  how  signally  did 
the  Lord  countenance  that  work  by  the  down-pouring  of  his 
Spirit,  and  the  remarkable  success  of  the  gospel  in  the  con- 
version of  many  souls?  So  then,  I  say,  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  in  a  land,  or  among  a  people,  is  a  sweet  visit  of  the 
day-spring  from  on  high. 

5.  The  day  of  conversion  is  another  visit  of  the  day-spring 
from  on  high  ;  when  "  God  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine 
out  of  darkness,  shines  into  the  heart,  to  give  the  light  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 
O  how  sweet  and  surprising  a  visit  is  this!  and  what  a  sweet 
day  does  then  break  and  spring  up  in  the  soul.  It  is  such  a 
visit  as  brings  light,  and  such  a  light  as  turns  the  shadow  of 
death  into  a  pleasant  morning.  It  is  a  light  that  not  only 
shines  upon  the  man,  but  shines  into  his  heart,  irradiating  all 
the  powers  of  his  soul,  and  translating  him  from  darkness  to 
a  marvellous  light.  It  is  "  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God."     The  Spirit  now  begins  to  rend  "  the  face  of 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  407 

the  covering"  that  was  upon  the  soul,  so  that  the  beams  of 
divine  glory,  which  shined  externally  in  a  gospel  dispensation, 
now  break  in  upon  the  soul,  "  changing  him  from  glory  to 
glory ;"  the  Spirit  now  glorifies  Christ  by  taking  the  things 
of  Christ,  and  showing  them  unto  the  soul.  And  all  this  is 
in  the  face  or  person  of  Christ.  The  man,  who  before  could 
"sec  no  form  or  comeliness  in  him  why  he  should  be  de- 
sired," now  sees  him  to  be  "  fairer  than  the  children  of 
men,  the  brightness  of  his  Father's  glory,  and  the  express 
image  of  his  person,"  and  his  heart  rises  at  every  word  or  doc- 
trine that  has  the  least  tendency  to  disparage  his  divine 
glory.  O  sirs,  has  the  day-spring  from  on  high  thus  visited 
you '?  If  so,  then  I  may  safely  say,  as  Christ  did  to  Zaccheus, 
"  This  day  is  salvation  come  to  thy  house,"  to  thy  heart,  to 
thy  soul. 

().  There  is  a  day-spring  of  a  renewed  manifestation  of 
Christ,  after  a  dark  night  of  desertion.  Perhaps  the  poor  be- 
liever has  been  walking  in  darkness,  and  could  see  no  light; 
clouds  and  darkness  were  round  about  him  ;  God  was  hiding, 
Satan  harassing  him  with  his  fiery  darts,  iniquities  prevailing, 
trouble  and  distress  surrounding  him  on  every  hand,  and  the 
poor  soul  brought  to  that  pinch,  as  to  be  crying  out,  "  O  that 
it  were  with  me  as  in  months  past !  I  am  cast  out  of  his  sight ; 
liis  mercy  is  clean  gone,  he  hath  forgotten  to  be  gracious ;" 
like  Zion,  "  the  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  Lord  hath 
forgotten  me."  Howev^er,  at  length  the  day  breaks,  the  Sun 
of  righteousness  arises,  breaks  through  all  interposing  clouds, 
giving  such  a  challenge  of  grace  as  that.  Is.  xl.  27:  "Why 
sayest  thou,  O  Jacob,  and  speakest,  O  Israel,  My  way  is  hid 
from  the  Lord,  and  my  judgment  is  passed  over  from  my  God?" 
and  he  takes  the  poor  soul  all  in  his  arms  and  bosom,  saying 
to  it,  as  he  did  to  Ephraim,  "Thou  art  my  dear  son,  thou  art 
~my  pleasant  child,  I  remember  thee  still,  my  bowels  are  trou- 
bled for  thee  ;  I  will  surely  have  mercy  upon  thee ;  and  with 
everlasting  kindness  am  I  now  returned  to  thee,  though  for  a 
small  moment  I  had  forsaken  thee."  O  what  a  sweet  visit  is 
this,  and  what  a  sweet  day  breaks  upon  the  soul!  How  is 
unbelief,  jealousy,  despondency,  and  false  surmises  of  God, 
put  out  of  countenance !  And  heartily  does  the  soul  condemn 
itself  for  its  rash  and  hasty  conclusions  of  the  Lord's  love  and 
faithfulness,  saying,  "  So  foolish  was  I,  and  ignorant :  I  was  as 
a  beast  before  thee."  O  now,  now,  the  day  i^^  again  broken, 
and  I  see  that,  "  his  anger  endureth  but  a  monitnt ;  in  his  fa- 
vour is  life  :  weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh 
in  the  morning."  Such  a  visit  of  the  day-spring  from  on  high 
had  the  spouse,  Cant.  iii.  1 — 4,  and  Cant.  ii.  8. 

7.  I  might  tell  you,  that  there  is  a  sweet  day-spring  visit, 


408  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  [sER. 

that  Christ  makes  to  his  people  at  death  and  the  last  judg- 
ment :  John  xiv.  3 :  "  I  go  away,  but  I  will  come  again,  and 
receive  you  unto  myself,  that  where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be 
also."  This  is  the  day-spring  of  eternal  glory,  which  shall 
never  suffer  an  eclipse,  and  which  shall  never  end  in  a  night 
of  desertion,  or  affliction,  or  death.  Lift  up  thy  head,  be- 
liever, for  this  day  of  complete  redemption  is  drawing  near ; 
the  day  of  complete  redemption  to  thy  soul  is  coming  at 
dieath,  and  complete  redemption  to  thy  soul  and  body  is 
coming  :  for  "  when  Christ  who  is  thy  life,  shall  appear,  then 
shalt  thou  also  appear  with  him  in  glory ;"  thou  shalt  then 
sing,  and  say,  "  Lo,  this  is  our  God,  we  have  waited  for  him, 
we  will  be  glad,  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation."  Thus,  I  have 
told  you  of  some  of  Christ's  visits,  which  makes  the  day  to 
spring  from  on  high. 

III.  The  third  thing  proposed  was,  to  inquire  zvhy  Christ's 
visits  are  likened  to  the  spring  of  day.  I  answer  in  the  fol- 
lowing particulars  : 

1.  The  spring  of  day  brings  light  with  it ;  it  dispels  the 
clouds,  the  fogs,  and  darkness  of  the  night.  So  Christ's  vi- 
sits bring  light  to  the  poor  soul  that  was  in  darkness,  the 
light  of  knowledge,  the  light  of  comfort  and  joy  along  with 
them.  "  The  sun  of  righteousness,"  scatters  beams  of  light 
round  about  him,  wherever  he  goes.  And  this  light  is  nothing 
else  than  the  dawnings  of  glory  in  the  soul,  there  being  only 
a  gradual  difference  between  the  light  of  grace  here,  and  the 
light  of  glor}'  hereafter,  the  first  being  an  infallible  pledge 
and  earnest  of  the  last. 

2.  The  spring  of  day  is  gradual  and  growing ;  .the  begin- 
nings of  it  are  small,  but  the  latter  end  of  it  does  greatly  in- 
crease. The  day  does  not  spring  up  all  at  once  ;  no,  but  by 
little  and  little  it  advances  till  it  come  to  the  mid-day.  So  is 
it  in  Christ's  visits  that  he  makes  to  a  land,  or  to  a  particular 
person,  his  light  is  gradual  and  growing.  When  once  he  be- 
gins to  shine,  he  shines  "  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
day."  The  Sun  of  righteousness,  when  once  he  arises  on  a 
soul  with  healing  in  his  wings,  he  is  ever  on  the  ascendant, 
and  will  be  so  till  the  mid-day  of  glory  come.  Yes,  for 
aught  I  know,  there  will  bo  new  scenes  of  glory  opening  to 
the  saints  in  heaven  through  an  endless  eternity ;  for  it  is 
impossible  that  a  finite  understanding  can  take  in  at  once  the 
perfections  of  an  infinite  God. 

3.  The  day-spring  brings  life  and  joy  with  it.  The  birds 
begin  to  chirp  and  sing,  and  fill  the  air  with  their  melodious 
notes  ;  and  every  thing  puts  on  another  face  at  the  approach- 
ing sun.  So  Christ's  visits  of  grace  and  love  fill  the  soul  of 
the  believer  with  a  spiritual  melody  :  "  the  time  of  the  sing- 


XIV.]  THIS  DAY-SPRING  FROM  OS  HIGH.  409 

ing  of  birds  draws  near,"  when  the  Sun  of  righteousness  arises. 
When  he  arises  in  a  gospel  dispensation,  proclaiming  his  sal- 
vation to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  then  is  fulfilled  that  word, 
is.  xxiv.  16,  "  From  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth  have  we 
heard  songs,  even  glory  to  the  righteous."  And  when  he 
arises  on  the  soul  in  conversion,  or  in  a  renewed  manifesta- 
tion, the  poor  soul  lays  aside  its  sackcloth  :  it  gets  "  the  oil 
of  joy  for  mourning  and  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit 
of  heaviness." 

4.  The  spring  of  the  day  is  irresistible ;  all  the  power  of 
men  and  devils,  with  all  their  combined  force,  the  grossest 
darkness,  the  thickest  fogs,  cannot  hinder  the  dawning  of  the 
morning-light.  So  Christ's  visits  of  grace,  whether  in  a  gos- 
pel dispensation  at  conversion,  or  in  renewed  intimations,  can- 
not be  hindered.  When  his  set  time  to  favour  Zion  is  come, 
he  will  not  be  let  or  stopped.  The  mountains  of  distance, 
ignorance,  enmity,  unbelief,  melt  away  before  him  ;  they 
flow  down  "  at»the  presence  of  the  Lord,  at  the  presence  of 
the  God  of  Jacob,"  Every  thing  that  stands  in  his  way  va- 
nishes, as  the  darkness  of  the  night  vanishes  at  the  approach 
of  the  sun.  Gates  of  brass,  and  bars  of  iron,  are  broken; 
strong  holds  are  ruined  ;  high  and  towering  imaginations,  that 
exalted  themselves  against  him,  are  all  levelled  and  brought 
down,  when  he  has  a  mind  to  come. 

5.  The  spring  of  the  day  is  manifestative;  it  discovers 
things  that  lay  hid  in  the  darkness  of  the  night.  The  trees, 
the  flowers,  the  herbs  and  other  things  with  which  the  face 
of  the  earth  is  bespangled  and  adorned,  lie  hid  in  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night ;  but  when  the  day  springs  up,  they  appear 
in  their  beauty.  So  here,  before  Christ  visits  the  soul,  the 
glories  of  a  gospel  dispensation  lie  hid  ;  but  whenever  Christ, 
the  Sun  of  righteousness,  arises,  the  soul  "sees  the  glory  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  excellency  of  our  God:"  it  just  comes,  as 
it  were,  into  a  new  world  of  wonders.  The  mysteries  of  the 
kingdom,  the  niystery  of  a  Trinity,  the  mystery  of  the  in- 
carnation, the  mystery  of  union  with  Christ,  the  mystery  of 
justitication  by  his  righteousness,  of  sanctification  by  his  Spi- 
rit, the  secrets  of  the  covenant,  and  every  truth  of  religion, 
appears  with  a  new  beauty  and  lustre:  then  it  is  that  sin  is  seen 
in  its  exceeding  sinfulness,  the  law  in  its  extent  and  spiritu- 
ality, the  covenant  in  its  freedom,  Christ  in  his  fulness,  God 
in  his  greatness  and  excellency.  Hence  the  day  of  conversion 
is  called  the  "opening  of  the  eyes  of  the  blind,"  and  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  a  "  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation." 

6.  The  spring  of  day  is  sure  to  them  that  have  seen  day- 
light. Who  doubts  of  the  return  of  the  morning,  even  when 
the  sun  is  set,  and  on  the  other  side  of  the  globe  ?    So  Christ's 

VOL.  I.  35 


410  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  [SER* 

visits,  in  the  renewed  manifestations  of  his  love,  are  sure  to 
the  soul  that  has  once  had  the  day-spring  from  on  high  visit- 
ing it  in  conversion.  God's  covenant  of  grace,  in  which  he 
has  engaged  his  faithfulness  to  return  with  everlasting  kind- 
ness, is  as  firm  as  his  covenant  with  day.  And  this,  by  the 
way,  may  serve  to  stop  the  mouth  of  unbelief;  when  under 
darkness  and  hiding,  it  is  ready  to  say,  "  His  mercy  is  clean 
gone,"  and  "  he  hath  in  anger  shut  up  his  tender  mercies  ;" 
for  as  sure  as  the  natural  day  will  spring,  so  sure  shall  the 
Sun  of  righteousness  return  again  to  thy  soul  with  healing 
under  his  wings. 

7.  The  spring  of  day  may  be  clear,  and  yet  clouds  may 
cast  up  after  the  day  is  broken.  There  may  be  a  fair  blink  in 
the  morning,  and  the  sun  may  wade  through  clouds  all  the 
day ;  yea,  may  perhaps  set  in  a  cloud.  So  here,  there  may 
be  a  bright  blink  in  the  day  of  converting  love,  and  yet,  in  a 
little,  the  sun  may  be  eclipsed,  and  the  poor  soul  held,  all  its 
days  in  this  world,  in  bondage,  through  desertijtn,  temptation, 
affliction,  and  fears  of  death  ;  yea,  perhaps  the  sun  also  may 
set  in  a  cloud,  I  mean  the  soul  die  under  a  cloud  ;  but  though 
it  be  so,  yet  as  the  sun  sets  in  safety,  though  it  set  in  a  cloud, 
so  the  soul  may,  and  does  die  in  safety,  though  it  may  die  in 
darkness. 

8.  The  light  of  the  day-spring  is  a  common  thing,  the  beg- 
gar may  use  it  as  well  as  the  king.  So  the  light  and  grace 
of  God  in  the  gospel  dispensation  is  common  and  free  to  rich 
and  poor,  &-c.  Thus,  you  see  in  what  respects  Christ's  visits 
are  like  the  spring  of  day. 

IV.  The  fourth  thing  was,  to  inquire  rvhat  sort  of  a  day  it 
is  that  Ch'ist^s  visits  bring  along  with  them. 

1.  It  is  a  day  of  power ;  Psal.  ex.  3  :  "  Thy  people  shall 
be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power."  When  he  comes  to 
visit  the  soul  with  erhcacious  grace,  the  bars  of  death  are 
broken,  the  gates  of  brass  are  opened,  the  everlasting  doors 
are  lifted  up,  the  foundations  of  Satan's  usurped  kingdom 
are  shaken,  and  the  soul  translated  out  of  darkness  into  the 
kingdom  of  his  dear  Son ;  hence  we  read  of  the  revealing  of 
God's  arm,  Is.  liii.  1.  It  is  a  day  in  which  Christ  comes  "  tra- 
velling in  the  greatness  of  his  strength,"  showing  himself 
"  mighty  to  save." 

2.  Christ's  visits  make  a  day  of  salvation  to  spring  from 
on  high  on  the  soul :  hence,  when  Christ  pays  a  visit  to  Zac- 
cheus,  he  tells  him,  "  This  day  is  salvation  come  to  thy  house." 
Salvation  follows  the  Saviour's  visits  in  his  train  ;  salvation 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  the  stroke,  of  justice,  salvation 
from  the  power  of  sin,  the  guilt  of  sin,  the  filth  of  sin  ;  sal- 
vation from  "  the  wrath  that  is  to  come."  And  when  this 
day  springs  from  on  high  on  the  soul,  the  poor  creature  can- 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  411 

not  but  say  and  sing,  "  He  that  is  our  God,  is  the  God  of  sal- 
vation ;  and  unto  God  the  Lord  belong  thG  issues  from  death. 
Salvation  to  our  God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto 
the  Lamb,  for  ever." 

3.  Christ's  visit  brings  a  day  of  espousals  with  it :  Jer.  ii. 
2:  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  remember  thee,  the  kindness  of 
thy  youth,  and  the  love  of  thine  espousals."  Song  iii.  11: 
"  Go  forth,  O  ye  daughters  of  Zion,  and  behold  king  Solomon 
with  the  crown  wherewith  his  mother  crowned  him  in  the 
day  of  his  espousals,  and  in  the  day  of  the  gladness  of  his 
heart."  Whenever  Christ  approaches,  and  manifests  his 
glory  to  the  soul,  he  appears  as  a  bridegroom  presenting  the 
marriage-conlract  of  the  covenant  in  his  hand,  saying  as  the 
servant  of  Abraham  to  Rebekah,  "  Wilt  thou  go  with  this 
man  ?"  upon  which  the  soul  immediately  yields  itself,  with 
heart  and  hand,  saying,  "I  am  the  Lord's. — Whither  thou 
goest  I  will  go;  and  where  thou  lodgest,  I  will  lodge. — Nei- 
ther death,  nor  life,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come, 
shall  separate"  me  from  this  better  husband,  "who  is  raised 
from  the  dead." 

4.  Christ's  visit  makes  a  day  of  liberty  to  spring  up.  The 
poor  creature  was  under  the  hardest  bondage  and  captivity, 
shut  up  in  the  prison  of  sin,  shut  up  under  the  law's  curse, 
shut  up  in  the  very  "  gall  of  bitterness  :"  but,  O  !  whenever 
Christ  comes,  he  cries  to  the  prisoners  to  "  come  forth,"  to 
them  that  sit  in  darkness,  "  Show  yourselves."  He  "  proclaims 
liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them 
that  are  bound.  O  sirs,  there  is  no  liberty  like  that  which 
comes  with  Christ's  visit ;  "  whom  the  Son  makes  free,  they 
are  free  indeed  :"  hence  called  "  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
sons  of  God."  Freedom  from  sin,  from  Satan,  from  the 
world,  from  unbelief,  the  reign  of  natural  enmity.  Christ's 
visit  brings  a  year  of  release,  a  jubilee  with  it ;  "  the  accept- 
able year  of  the  Lord,  the  day  of  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord." 

5.  Christ's  visit  makes  a  day  of  rest  to  spring  up  to  the  soul. 
It  is  a  Sai)l)ath,  a  day  of  rest ;  for  tlicn  it  is  that  the  soul  en- 
ters into  his  rest  by  believing.  The  poor  creature  was  wea- 
rying itself  in  the  greatness  of  his  way,  toiling  and  working  at 
the  oar  of  the  duties  of  the  law,  in  order  to  get  life  and  right- 
eousness ;  it  was  i^oing  under  the  weight  of  sin,  as  a  burden  too 
heavy  for  it  to  bear,  going  under  the  arrows  of  the  Almighty, 
that  were  driidcing  up  his  spirits:  but,  O !  when  the  day 
springs  from  on  high,  it  cries  with  David,  "Return  unto  thy 
rest,  O  my  soul,  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully  with  thee." 
At  the  tirst  sight  of  Christ  the  soul  cries  out,  as  the  Lord  said 
of  Zion,  "  This  is  my  rest  for  ever :  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I 
have  desired  it,"  and  like  it  well. 

6.  Christ's  visit  from  on  high  brings  a  day  of  love  along 


412  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  -  [SER. 

with  it:  Ezek.  xvi:  "Thy  time  was  a  time  of  love,"  namely, 
when  I  visited  th^.  It  is  a  time  of  love  on  Christ's  side;  for 
then  it  is  that  he  gives  vent  to  electing  and  redeeming  love, 
and  says  to  the  soul,  "  I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting 
love,  and  with  loving-kindness  have  I  drawn  thee."  His  love 
to  the  poor  soul  was  like  a  fire  pent  up  in  his  breast,  seeking 
a  vent  and  longing  for  a  vent ;  but,  O  !  when  the  day  springs 
from  on  high,  the  love  of  God  runs  out  like  a  river,  from 
"  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb."  And  then  it  is  a  day 
of  love  on  the  believer's  side  also;  the  love  of  God  being  shed 
abroad  in  his  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  makes  his  heart  to 
burn  within  him ;  so  that  he  loves  the  Lord  with  all  his  heart, 
soul,  strength,  and  mind.  "  Many  waters  cannot  quench  love, 
neither  are  all  floods  able  to  drown  it:  if  a  man  would  give 
all  the  substance  of  his  house"  to  draw  it  away  from  Christ, 
"it  would  utterly  be  contemned.  Who  shall  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  Christ?"  &c. 

7.  It  is  a  day  of  grace ;  for  then  it  is  that  "  grace  reigns 
through  righteousness,"  in  a  triumphant  manner.  The  essence 
of  grace  lies  in  the  freedom  and  liberality  of  love,  without  re- 
gard to  merit,  or  without  any  manner  of  constraint.  O  how 
does  the  freedom  of  grace  shine  with  a  peculiar  lustre  and 
majesty  in  the  day  of  Christ's  visit  to  the  soul !  The  soul  that 
before  saw  God  sitting  on  a  throne  of  justice,  expecting  every 
moment  a  sentence  of  condemnation  from  him,  now  sees  him 
in  Christ  sitting  on  a  throne  of  grace,  stretching  out  a  sceptre 
of  grace,  calling  the  sinner  to  come  and  receive  grace  and 
mercy  to  help  it  in  time  of  need.  O  how  liberal  is  a  God  of 
grace  in  Christ,  when  the  day  springs  from  on  high  !  He  gives 
himself,  he  gives  his  Son,  he  £;ives  his  spirit,  he  gives  grace, 
he  gives  glory,  he  gives  all  "  the  sure  mercies  of  David,"  and 
all  "  without  money"  or  "  price." 

8.  Christ's  visit  is  a  day  of  wonder ;  for  then  the  man  sees 
him  whose  name  is  "  Wonderful,  Co"unsellor, The  mighty  God, 
The  everlasting  Father,  The  Prince  of  peace."  The  man 
enters  into  a  new  world,  "a  new  heaven,  and  a  new  earth 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  The  man,  when  he  looks 
back  to  his  former  state  of  darkness,  deadness,  distance,  can- 
not miss  to  be  surprised  at  the  wonderful  alteration  of  affairs 
with  him ;  hence,  in  the  day  of  Christ's  visit  in  the  morning  of 
conversion,  the  man  is  said  to  be  "  translated  into  a  marvel- 
lous light."  The  man  wonders  at  Christ,  as  though  he  had 
never  heard  of  him  before;  he  wonders  at  the  great  mystery 
of  godliness,  "  God  manifested  in  the  flesh."  He  wonders  at 
the  love  of  God  in  Christ,  "  O  the  height,  the  depth,  the 
breadth,  and  length  of  the  love  of  God,  which  passeth  know- 
ledge !"  He  wonders  at  the  freedom,  fulness,  stability  of  a 
new  covenant.     He  wonders  to  see  Christ,  the  head  of  the 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  413 

covenant,  and  all  the  promises  of  it  "yea  and  amen  in  him." 
In  a  word,  h(;  wonders  at  every  thing ;  and  he  wonders  where 
his  eyes  were,  that  he  never  .saw  these  things  before. 

9.  It  is  an  everlasting  day  that  spiings  from  on  high,  when 
Christ  first  visits  the  soul,  a  day  that  shall  never  end.  Indeed 
the  light  of  the  day  may  sometimes  be  sadly  obscured,  inso- 
much that,  to  the  believer's  sense,  he  may  be  under  a  dark 
night,  and  see  no  light:  but,  O!  whenever  the  sun  arises,  he 
shall  never  set  again:  no,  no;  "the  Lord  shall  be  thy  ever- 
lasting light,  and  thy  God  thy  glory." 

V.  The  fifth  thing  was,  to  sJioio  why  this  day  is  said  to 
sp-ing  from  on  high.  To  this  I  answer  in  these  two  or  three 
things: — 

1.  Because  Christ  himselt  is  the  most  high  God,  "the  high 
and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity."  Indeed,  Arians 
would  make  him  an  infeiior  kind  of  Deity,  as  though  he  were 
not  ihe  self-same  independent,  self-existent  God  with  the  Fa- 
ther. I>ut  whatever  others  think  or  say,  to  derogate  from  his 
glory,  let  us  "  honour  him  as  we  honour  the  Father;"  for  he 
is  "  the  mighty  (iod,  the  everlasting  Father,  God  blessed  for 
ever,  the  everlasting  God,  the  Lord,  the  Creator  of  all  the 
ends  of  the  earth." 

2.  This  day  is  said  to  spring  from  on  high,  because  of  his 
royal  descent  and  progeny,  by  eternal  generation  from  his 
Father;  he  is  "the  only  begotten  of  his  Father,"  the  same 
in  substance,  equal  in  power  and  glory  with  him.  O  wonder, 
sirs,  that  ever  a  person  of  his  excellence  should  have  stooped 
so  low,  as  to  pay  a  visit  to  man  upon  earth  !  and  yet  so  it  is, 
that  "  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us." 

3.  He  is  said  to  spring  from  on  high,  because  he  is  the  lead- 
ing blessing  that  comes  down  from  above,  from  the  Father  of 
lights.  He  is  the  unspeakable  gift  of  God,  and  the  gift  that 
brings  all  gifts  and  graces  in  his  train  and  retinue:  "He  that 
spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how 
shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things!"  He  it  is 
that  brings  down  the  new  Jerusalem  to  the  earth  with  him: 
the  greatest  glory  of  heaven  came,  and  visited  this  lower 
world,  when  he  came. 

VI.  The  sixth  thing  is,  the  application.  And  the  first  use 
shall  be  o(  information,  in  the  particulars  following.  Is  it  so, 
that  the  day-spring  from  on  high  hath  visited  us?  then, 

1.  Sec  hence  the  amazing  love  of  God  to  the  lost  family  of 
Adam.  When  angels  sinne(l,  they  were  "  reserved  in  chains 
imder  darkness,"  and  a  night  of  eternal  darkness  continues 
upon  them:  but  when  he  passed  them  by,  he  made  "the  day- 
spring  from  on  high  to  visit  us:"  on  which  account  we  may 
well  take  up  that  song,  Psal.  cxviii.  27 :    "  God  is  the  Lord, 

35* 


414  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON   HIGH.  [SER. 

which  hath  showed  us  light."  O  sirs,  wonder  and  admire  at 
this  love,  that  passeth  all  knowledge!  John  iii.  16:  "God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,"  &c. 
and,  1  John  iv.  10:  "Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God, 
but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins." 

2.  See  hence  what  great  kindness  and  love  lodges  in  the 
heart  of  our  Immanuel  to  perishing  sinners.  A  visit  is  taken 
as  a  token  of  love  and  kindness,  especially  the  visit  of  one  that 
is  far  above  us.  If  a  nobleman,  a  king,  a  potentate,  should 
come  and  visit  a  beggar  in  his  cottage,  every  body  would  im- 
mediately conclude  that  he  had  a  great  kindness  for  that  beg- 
gar. Well,  sirs,  this  is  the  case  here;  the  eternal  Son  of  God 
had  such  a  kindness  for  Adam's  familv,  that  he  would  needs 
pay  us  a  visit.  And  O  what  a  kindly  visit  was  it !  He  was 
not  content  barely  to  come  and  see  how  we  did,  and  then 
leave  us  as  he  found  us,  which  is  our  custom  when  we  visit 
one  another;  no,  but  he  would  needs  be  related  to  us,  "bone 
of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our  flesh;"  and  because  we  were 
drowned  in  debt,  he  would  needs  become  surety  for  us;  and 
because  no  less  than  blood  would  pay  our  debt,  therefore 
he  "poured  out  his  soul  unto  death"  for  us,  till  justice  said. 
It  is  enough,  and  gave  him  a  free  discharge  of  our  debt,  in  his 
resurrection  from  the  dead,  by  which  we  are  "begotten  again 
unto  a  lively  hope"  of  an  everlasting  "inheritance,"  that  is 
"incorruptible  and  undefiled."  And  not  only  has  he  done  all 
this,  but  he  comes  again  and  visits  lost  sinners  in  a  gospel 
dispensation,  courting  their  kindness,  beseeching  Ihem  to  be 
reconciled  to  God  through  him,  offering  to  betroth  them  to 
himself  for  ever.  O!  is  not  this  "good-will  towards  men  on 
earth,"  that  may  make  every  one  of  us  to  cry  out,  "Glory  to 
God  in  the  highest,"  that  "  the  day-spring  from  on  high  hath 
visited  us?" 

3.  See  hence  what  happy  persons  believers  are :  why,  they 
are  "  children  of  light,  and  of  the  day ;"  for  the  day-spring 
from  on  high  hath  visited  them.  As  (here  was  light  in  Go- 
shen, when  all  the  re^t  of  the  land  of  Egypt  was  overspread 
with  darkness;  so  there  is  light  in  the  dwellings  of  the  right- 
eous, when  all  the  rest  of  the  world  is  overspread  with  a  worse 
than  Egyptian  darkness.  And  therefore,  what  Moses  said  of 
Israel,  when  comparing  them  with  the  rest  of  the  nations,  that 
may  we  say  of  believers,  the  true  Israel  of  God,  "  The  people 
shall  dwell  alone,  and  shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations. 
Happy  art  thou,  O  Israel :  who  is  like  unto  thee,  O  people, 
saved  by  the  Lord,  the  shield  of  thy  help,  and  who  is  the  sword 
of  thy  excellency !" 

4.  See  hence  the  misery  of  all  Christless,  unbelieving  sin- 


XIV.]  THE  DAV-SPRING  FROM  ON   HIGH.       '  415 

ners :  why,  Ihcy  are  still  in  darkness,  the  day-spring  from  on 
high  never  visited  them.  It  is  obscrvalile,  the  words  of  the 
apostle,  speaking  of  sinners  that  are  strangers  to  Christ ;  they 
are  "darkness,"  Eph.  v.  8:  "Once  were  ye  darkness;"  not 
only  are  they  dark,  but  they  are  darkness  itself.  O,  for  the 
Lord's  sake,  come  to  "  the  true  light  which  lightcth  every 
man  that  cometh  into  the  world."  Come  and  see  the  light 
of  the  Sun  of  righteousness :  come,  see  and  live.  But  more 
of  this  afterward. 

5.  See  hence  whence  it  is  that  Christ  is  so  precious,  and 
his  visits  so  valuable  to  a  believer.  He  himself  is  so  precious 
to  them,  that  they  esteem  all  things  but  dung  and  loss,  in 
comparison  of  him;  he  is  far  more  excellent  than  all  the 
mountains  of  prey  :  and  his  visits  are  so  valuable  in  their  eyes, 
that  when  he  is  absent  they  go  "  mourning  without  the  sun  ;" 
all  the  world  cannot  comfort  them,  till  they  see  him,  and  find 
him:  O  empty  ministers,  empty  ordinances,  empty  word  and 
.sacraments,  empty  prayer  and  praise,  till  Christ  himself  come. 
Why,  the  reason  of  it  is  this;  the  day  never  springs  till  he 
is  come ;  and  when  he  comes,  he  turns  the  shadow  of  death 
into  the  morning ;  and  the  poor  soul,  when  the  day-spring 
from  on  high  visits  it,  "  looks  forth  as  the  morning,  fair  as  the 
moon,  and  clear  as  the  sun." 

6.  See  hence,  whence  it  is  that  the  saints  are  lightened  by 
looking  unto  Jesus,  Psal.  xxxiv.  5:  "They  looked  unto  him, 
and  were  lightened:"  why,  they  cannot  miss  to  be  lightened, 
when  they  see  the  day-spring  from  on  high  arising  on  their 
souls;  then  is  that  word  fulfilled,  Psal.  xxx.  5:  "Weeping 
may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morning." 

7.  Sec  hence,  how  it  comes  that  the  gospel  is  so  glorious ; 
it  is  a  dispensation  of  glory,  and  called  "  the  glorious  gospel 
of  the  blessed  God:"  why,  what  makes  it  so  full  of  glory? 
why,  the  reason  is,  the  gospel  is  the  very  vehicle  of  this  day- 
spring  from  on  high,  by  which  "the  light  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  glory  of  (lod,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,"  is  conveyed 
to  us.  "Life  and  immortality  is  brought  to  light  by  the  gos- 
pel."    O  value  and  prize  it,  and  improve  it. 

The  second  use,  at  present,  shall  be  in  a  word  o(  exhortation, 
in  three  branches. 

The  first  branch  of  exhortation:  Is  it  so,  that  the  day- 
spring  f^rom  on  high  has  visited  us  ?  O  then,  sirs,  be  exhorted 
to  come  and  see  the  beams  of  the  day-spring,  and  see  the  glo- 
rious things  that  he  discovers  by  his  light.  O  come  and  see 
the  day-spring  from  on  high,  and  the  beams  of  divine  glory, 
that  have  broken  up  in  the  manifestation  of  the  Son  of  God 
in  our  nature,  and  in  the  visit  that  he  makes  to  us  in  a  gospel 
dispensation.     O  sirs,  God  the  Father  invites  you,  and  calls 


416  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM   ON'   HIGH.  [SER. 

you,  *'  Behold  my  servant  whom  I  uphold,  mine  elect  in  whom 
my  soul  delighteth."  He  himself  invites  you  to  behold  him, 
"  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth." 
G)me  and  see  the  glory  of  his  Father  in  him ;  for  he  is  "  the 
brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his 
person  ;"  and  "  he  that  hath  seen  him,  hath  seen  the  Father," 
he  being  the  same  supreme  God,  the  same  independent,  self- 
existent,  necessary  Being,  with  the  Father.  O !  woes  us,  that 
such  horrid  blasphemy  should  be  uttered  against  the  Son  of 
God  in  the  church  of  Scotland,  as  if  he  were  an  inferior  kind 
of  deity,  whereby  we  should  have  more  gods  than  one.  And 
woes  me,  that  blasphemy  against  the  Son  of  God  should  not 
meet  with  a  deeper  resentment  in  this  church,  than  a  bare 
suspension  of  the  blasphemer,  and  that  he  should  have  so 
many  to  befriend  him.  But  whatever  others  may  say  of  him, 
let  us  speak  honourably  of  him,  and  own  him  to  be  'the  same 
in  substance,  equal  in  power  and  glory,'  with  his  eternal  Fa- 
ther. Time  will  not  now  allow  me  to  enter  upon  this  sub- 
ject, and  let  you  see  how  tlfe  name  of  God,  the  perfections  of 
God,  the  works  of  God,  and  the  worship  of  God,'  is  ascribed 
to  him  in  scripture.  All  I  shall  do  at  this  time,  is,  only  to  take 
notice  of  a  few  beams  of  divine  glory,  that  are  evidently  to  be 
seen  in  this  day-spring  from  on  high. 

1.  Come  and  see  a  beam  of  adorable  sovereignty  in  him; 
for  he  is  the  most  high  God,  and  there  is  no  God  greater  than 
he,  no  God  above  him.  Gen.  xxii.  16,  17:  there  the  Angel 
speaks  to  Abraham  out  of  heaven,  and  that  angel  was  Christ, 
as  the  apostle  tells  us,  Heb.  vi.  He  makes  an  oath  to  Abra- 
ham, saying,  "In  blessing  I  will  bless  thee.  By  myself,"  says 
he,  "have  I  sworn."  And  if  you  ask  the  apostle,  why  he  did 
swear  by  himself?  he  will  tell  you,  Heb.  vi.  13,  that  "when 
God  made  promise  to  Abraham,  because  he  could  swear  by 
no  greater,  he  sware  by  himself." 

2.  Come  and  see  a  beam  of  eternity  in  this  day-spring; 
for  he  is  the  everlasl'mg  Father,  or  the  Father  of  eternity.  Is. 
ix.  6:  "I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end- 
ing, the  first  and  the  last."  "  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am." 
He  was  in  the  begiiming,  John  i.  1  :  "  In  the  beginning  was 
the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was 
God." 

3.  Come  and  see  a  feeam  of  unchangeablcness  in  this  morn- 
ing star,  Heb.  i.  10 — 12,  compared  with  Psal.  cii.  25.  Who 
reads  that  word,  P.sal.  cii.  "  Of  old  hast  thou  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  the  earth,  and  the  heavens  are  the  work  of  thy  hands," 
but  immediately  would  understand  it  of  the  one  only  living, 
true,  and  tmchangeble  God  ?     It  is  impossible  to  understand 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON   HIGH.  417 

it  of  any  other  than  of  God  himself.     We  see  it  expressly  ap- 
plied to  Christ,  Heb.  i.  10—12. 

4.  Come  and  see  a  beam  of  adorable  wisdom  in  this  day- 
spring,  namely,  in  an  incarnate  God,  1  Cor,  i.  24.  Christ  is 
there  called  "  the  wisdom  of  God,  yea  the  wisdom  of  God  in 
a  mystery,  the  hidden  wisdom  of  God  ;  all  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  and  knowledge  are  hid  in  him."  Never  did  the  wis- 
dom of  God  displa}'^  itself  after  such  a  manner,  as  it  has  done 
in  Christ,  in  bringing  these  (wo  natures  of  God  and  man, 
which  were  at  an  inlinite  distance,  into  a  personal  union  one 
with  another.  O  sirs,  a  sight  of  this  great  wonder  would 
make  you  and  me  to  join  issue  with  the  apostle,  and  say,  "O 
the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
God  !  how  unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past 
finding  out !" 

5.  Come  and  see  a  ray  of  glorious  and  amazing  power 
springing  up  in  the  day-spring  of  his  incarnation.  Hence 
Christ  is  called  not  only  "  the  wisdom  of  God,"  but  "  the  power 
of  God."  The  power  of  God  is  manifested  in  the  creation  of 
the  world,  by  a  word  speaking ;  it  is  manifested  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  world,  and  turning  the  great  wheels  of  provi- 
dence with  an  unerring  steadiness:  but  never  did  God  make 
such  a  discovery  of  his  power  as  he  did  in  Christ,  when  he 
brought  infinite  and  finite,  God  and  man,  to  centre  in  the  per- 
son of  our  Immanuel.  O  sirs,  lift  up  the  eye  of  faith,  and  see 
Omnipotency  exerting  itself  in  "  the  man  of  God's  right  hand," 
whom  he  hatb  "  made  strong  for  himself."  See  him  treading 
down  the  strength  of  hell,  turning  the  battle  to  the  gate,  spoil- 
ing principalities  and  powers,  destroying  death  by  death,  lay- 
ing the  foundation  of  a  happy  eternity,  in  the  death  and  blood 
of  his  eternal  Son. 

6.  Come  and  see  a  ray  of  divine  holiness  springing  out 
from  an  incarnate  Deity.  Isaiah,  when  he  saw  his  glory,  saw 
the  angels  covering  their  faces  with  their  wings,  that  they 
might  not  be  blinded  and  dazzled  with  the  beauty  of  divine 
holiness,  crying  one  to  another,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord 
of  hosls  ;  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory."  Holiness  shone 
in  his  perfect  obedience  to  the  holy  law,  by  which  he  not  only 
fulfilled  it,  but  "  magnified  it,"  and  "  made  it  honourable." 
Holiness  shone  in  his  death,  in  which  he  gave  such  a  discovery 
of  his  hatred  of  sin,  that  he  would  "  finish  "  it,  and  "  make  an 
end  of"  it,  even  at  the  expense  of  his  blood. 

7.  Come  and  see  a  ray  of  awfid  and  tremendous  justice 
shining  forth  in  the  day-spring  of  his  incarnation.  Was  there 
ever  such  an  act  of  justice  put  forth,  as  that  of  bruising  his 
own  Son?  Sin  was  found  in  him  by  imputation:  "  It  pleased 
the  Lord  to  bruise  him:"  he  cried,  "  Awake, O sword, against 


418  THE  DAY-SPRING    FROM  ON  HIGH.  [SER. 

the  man  that  is  my  fellow;  smite  the  shepherd."  O  sirs, 
come  and  see  justice  satisfied,  and  judgment  executed  on  the 
Son  of  God  as  our  surety,  and  this  laid  as  the  foundation  of  a 
throne  of  grace,  that  so  "  he  might  be  just,  when  he  is  the 
justifier  of  them  that  believe  in  Jesus." 

8.  Come  and  see  a  bright  ray  of  divine  mercy  and  love 
breaking  forth  in  the  day-spring  of  his  incarnation  ;  the  sound- 
ing of  his  bowels,  the  beating  of  his  blessed  heart.  O  sirs, 
what  is  Christ,  but  just  the  love  of  God  wrapped  up  in  flesh 
and  blood!  1  John  iV.  9,  10.  Here  is  the  highest  flight  that 
ever  the  love  of  God  took :  and  higher  it  cannot  mount.  It 
is  observed  by  some  divines,  that  the  other  attributes  of  God 
are  able  to  do  more  than  they  have  done:  infinite  power  can 
make  more  worlds,  infinite  wisdom  devise  greater  things  than 
ever  yet  appeared  to  man ;  but  as  for  the  love  of  God,  it  has 
stretched  itself  to  the  uttermost;  it  can  go  no  farther:  what 
could  he  do  more  for  us  than  to  give  his  Son,  the  Son  of  his 
love,  to  give  him  unto  the  death?  "  and  how  will  he  not  with 
him  freely  give  us  all  things  ?"  "  O  the  height,  the  depth,  the 
breadth,  and  the  length  of  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth 
knowledge !" 

9.  Come  and  see  a  glorious  ray  of  divine  faithfulness  in  this 
day-spring  of  a  God  manifested  in  the  flesh.  God  made  a 
promise  to  our  first  parents  in  paradise,  that  "  the  seed  of  the 
woman  should  bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent;"  that  is,  that 
God  should  be  incarnate,. and,  in  our  nature,  overturn  the  de- 
vil's kingdom  and  government.  This  was  the  hardest  promise 
that  ever  God  made,  and  the  most  diflicult  to  accomplish. — 
Well,  but  he  has  done  it :  what  was  said  in  a  way  of  prophecy 
under  the  Old  Testament,  is  now  to  us  a  piece  of  glorious 
history,  as  a  thing  already  done.  O  it  is  done,  it  is  done; 
"God  is  manifested  in  the  flesh:"  and  so  that  first  promise  is 
fulfilled;  and  it  is  "  a  faithful  saying,  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion." Now,  I  say,  seeing  this  promise  is  fulfilled,  all  the  rest 
are  easy ;  and  we  may  have  no  manner  of  doubt  about  them, 
especially  considering  that  they  are  all  "  yea  and  amen  in 
him ;"  they  are  all  sworn  to  him  as  the  great  covenant  head : 
"  Once  have  I  sworn,  I  will  not  lie  unto  David.  Thus  I  have 
told  you  of  some  rays  of  divine  grace  that  are  to  be  seen  in 
this  day-spring  fi-om  on  high. 

I  shall  next  tell  you  of  some  sweet  sights  that  are  to  be  seen 
in  the  light  that  this  day-spring  from  on  high  brings  along 
with  him.  You  know,  that  the  spring  of  the  natural  day  dis- 
covers things  that  lay  hid  under  the  darkness  of  the  night ; 
so  this  day-spring  from  on  high  has  brought  glorious  things  to 
light,  which  I  invite  you  all  to  come  and  see.  1  name  only 
these  few: — 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  419 

1.  Come  and  sec  the  council  of  peace  opened,  and  what  was 
transacted  among  the  persons  of  the  glorious  Trinity.  We 
are  all  naturally  fond  of  secrets,  to  know  what  is  in  the 
hearts  of  others  ;  and  to  know  what  God  was  doing,  and  what 
were  his  thoughts  before  the  world  was  made.  Well,  sirs, 
the  day-spring  from  on  high  brings  this  to  light ;  Christ  has 
opened  the  book,  and  loosed  the  seven  seals  of  it,  which  none 
else  in  heaven  or  earth  were  able  to  do.  The  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  were  from  eternity  contriving  a  way  in  which 
sinners  might  be  saved,  in  a  consistency  with  justice  and  the 
law.  Come  and  see  the  Father  undertaking  to  send  and  up- 
hold his  Son  in  the  great  service  of  redemption  ;  the  Son  un- 
dertaking to  do  his  Father's  will,  by  fulliliiiig  the  law,  and 
satisfying  justice  by  his  death  ;  and  the  Holy  Ghost  under- 
taking the  application  of  the  whole  to  an  elect  world,  in  the 
fulness  of  time. 

2.  Come  and  see  the  temple  of  God  opened,  for  the  day- 
spring  from  on  high  discovers  this  also;  for  the  temple  of  (iod 
is  opened  now  under  the  New  Testament,  a  far  more  beauti- 
ful temple  than  ever  Solomon's  was,  though  it  was  the  won- 
der of  this  lower  world.  But  O  here  is  a  temple  that  is  the 
wonder  of  heaven  and  earth,  it  draws  all  the  spectators  in 
the  highcir  and  lower  house  to  behold  it;  and,  sirs,  what  shall 
I  tell  you  ?  "  God  is  in  his  holy  temple,  honour  and  n)ajesty  are 
before  his  face,  strength  and  beauty  are  in  his  holy  place." 
God  dwelt  in  the  temple  of  Solomon  typically ;  but  here  in 
the  temple  of  the  human  nature  he  dwells  really,  yea,  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Godhead  dwells  bodily  here;  and  evxM-y  one  that 
sees  him  in  this  temple,  sees  "  the  brightness  of  tlic  Father's 
glory  and  the  express  image  of  his  person." 

3.  The  day-spring  from  on  high  is  broken  ;  and  therefore 
come  and  see  "  the  way  opened  to  the  holiest  bv  the  blood  of 
Jesus,"  even  a  now  and  living  way  consecrated  for  us.  O  sirs, 
the  door  of  access  to  God  w.is  immediately  condemned  and 
shut  up  upon  the  entry  of  sin  :  but  by  the  day-spring  from 
on  high  we  may  see  it  opened  again,  and  our  way  to  the 
Father  patent,  and  every  step  of  the  way  sprinkled  with  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  God  crying  to  you  to  come  forward 
to  him  "  with  boldness,"  yea, "  to  draw  near  with  a  true  heart, 
in  full  assurance  of  faith." 

4.  Come  and  see  the  Red  sea  divided,  Jordan  dried  up,  that 
the  Israel  of  God  may  have  a  safe  and  easy  passage  to  the 
promised  land  of  glory.  O  sirs,  there  was  a  Red  sea  of 
wrath,  a  deep  Jordan  of  death,  and  of  the  law's  curse,  be- 
tween us  and  glory,  but  Christ  has  "drunk  of  the  brojk  in 
the  way,"  yea,  he  has  drunk  it  dry  by  his  obedience  unto  the 
death. 


420  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  OK  HIGH.  [sER. 

5.  Come  and  see  "  the  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  proceed- 
ing out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb."  The  spring 
of  day  has  discovered  this  also,  a  river  of  pardoning,  justifying, 
sanctifying,  comforting,  establishing,  strengthening,  and  sin- 
killing  grace,  proceeding  out  of  a  throne  of  grace,  and  a 
voice  coming  out  of  the  throne,  saying,  "  Whosoever  will,  let 
him  come,  and  drink  of  the  water  of  life  freely. — Ho,  every 
one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath 
no  money;  come  ye,  buy  and  eat,  yea,  come  buy  wine  and 
milk,  without  money  and  without  price." 

6.  Come  and  see  the  tree  of  life  that  grows  in  the  upper 
Paradise,  which  bears  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  whose 
leaves  are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  O  sirs,  here  is  a 
sight  worthy  to  be  seen  1  Indeed,  Christ  himself,  that  blessed 
branch  that  springs  from  on  high,  as  the  text  may  be  rendered; 
the  boughs  of  the  tree  are  so  loaded  with  fruit,  that  they  bow 
down  from  heaven  to  earth,  that  we  may  sit  down  under  its 
shadow,  and  taste  of  the  sweetness  of  these  fruits. 

7.  Come  and  see  the  royal  law  of  God,  which  was  violated 
and  broken  in  the  first  Adam,  again  magnified  and  made  ho- 
nourable by  Christ  the  second  Adam,  and  its  Lord  well  pleased 
for  his  righteousness'  sake;  come  and  see  this  righteousness 
of  the  law  fulfilled  in  us  who  believe,  Christ  being  "  the  end 
of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  belie veth."  O 
sirs,  is  not  this  a  wonder  to  see  God  fulfilling  his  own  law  as 
a  surety  for  the  broken  sinner,  and  imputing  his  righteousness 
to  us  for  justification?  yet  this  the  day-spring  brings  to  light. 

8.  Come  and  see  the  round  sum  that  our  Cautioner  paid  to 
justice;  not  indeed  a  sum  of  silver  and  gold,  but  the  precious 
blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  spot  ; 
blood  which  is  the  blood  of  God,  blood  of  more  value  than 
heaven  and  earth,  blood  sufficient  to  ransom  ten  thousand 
worlds,  as  to  its  internal  value ;  blood  crying  "  for  better  things 
than  the  blood  of  Abel." 

9.  Come  and  see  the  new  covenant  confirmed  and  establish- 
ed :  the  day-spring  discovers  this  also.  Adam's  covenant  was 
broken,  and  we  are  all  lying  under  the  curse  of  it  by  nature  ; 
but,  lo,  here  a  far  better  covenant,  even  a  covenant  of  grace, 
of  which  Christ  is  the  surety,  having  sealed  it  with  his  blood, 
and  appended  new  visible  seals  to  it  under  the  New  Testa- 
ment, baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  the  last  of  which  we 
are  this  day  about  to  celebrate.  Come  and  see  the  fulness, 
freedom,  comely  order,  stability,  and  perpetuity  of  this  cove- 
nant, and  how  it  stands  fast  in  Christ. 

10.  Come  and  see  the  head  of  the  old  serpent  bruised,  by  his 
bruising  the  heel  of  the  woman's  seed:  "For  this  purpose  the 
Son  of  God  was  manifested,  that  he  might  destroy  the  works 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  421 

of  the  devil."  "He  spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  and 
triumphed  over  them  in  his  cross."  So  that,  believer,  thou 
maycst  take  courage,  for  thou  hast  only  a  routed,  broken,  and 
shattered  enemy  to  grapple  with. 

11.  Come  and  see  death,  that  last  enemy,  destroyed  by  the 
death  of  a  Redeemer;  for  "  he  has  destroyed  death,"  as  well 
as  "  him  that  had  the  power  of  it."  The  day-spring  from  on 
high  lets  us  see  light  even  in  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death,  so  as  we  need  not  fear  any  evil  from  it ;  but  on  the 
contrary,  that  we  may  rejoice  over  it  as  a  slain  and  disarmed 
enemy,  saying,  "  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  O  grave,  where 
is  thy  victory  ?"  Yea,  the  day-spring  from  on  high  lets  us  see 
through  the  grave,  and  the  sweet  morning  of  the  resurrection 
on  the  other  side  of  it ;  so  that  we  may  sing  and  say  with  Job, 
Our  "  Redeemer  lives ;  and  therefore,  though  worms  destroy 
our  bodies,  yet  in  our  flesh  shall  ive  see  God." 

12.  Come  and  see  a  complete  discharge  of  the  debt  that  we 
owed  to  justice,  in  the  resurrection  of  our  glorious  Surety. 
This,  also,  may  be  read  by  the  light  of  this  day-spring  from  on 
high.  As  Christ  died  for  our  oflences,  or  for  the  punishment 
of  our  debt,  so  he  rose  again  for  our  justification,  or  to  de- 
clare that  he  had  brouglit  in  everlasting  righteousness,  on  the 
account  of  which  we  arc  discharged  of  the  debt,  and  ac- 
cepted as  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God.  O  sirs,  Christ  rose 
from  the  dead  in  the  capacity  of  a  Surety  and  Representative; 
and,  therefore,  we  are  said  to  rise  in  him,  and  with  him,  Col. 
iii.  1 ;  Eph.  ii.  6.  Our  surety,  did  not  steal  out  of  prison,  or 
break  it ;  no,  but  "  he  was  taken  from  prison  and  from 
judgment :"  the  prison-door  was  opened  by  an  express  order 
from" the  court  of  heaven  ;  and,  therefore,  upon  the  third  day, 
early  in  the  morning,  a  messenger  was  despatched  from  the 
throne  of  justice  to  roll  away  the  stone  from  the  door  of  the 
sepulchre.  O  sirs,  the  lively  view  of  this  mystery  of  love 
and  grace,  in  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  would  make  us  all 
to  take  up  that  sweet  doxology,  1  Pet.  i.  "  Blessed  be  the 
God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  (the  Father  of 
mercies,)  which,  according  to  his  abundant  mercy,  hath  be- 
gotten us  again  unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead." 

13.  Come  and  see  an  angry  and  inexorable  Deity  looking 
out  to  us  as  a  God  of  peace  in  the  light  of  this  day-spring 
from  on  high.  And  how  can  he  be  but  a  God  of  peace,  see- 
ing he  has  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ?  If  he  were  not  a  God  of  peace,  would  he  ever  have 
testilied  his  acceptance  of  the  satisfaction  at  the  hand  of  our 
Surety  at  such  a  rate  I  No,  surely.  And,  therefore,  when  we 
look  up  to  a  risen  Christ,  sitting  in  our  nature  at  the  right 

VOL.  I.  3G 


422  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  [SER. 

hand  of  God,  we  may  warrantably  conclude,  that  "  though 
he  was  angry,  yet  his  anger  is  turned  away.  Behold,  God  is 
our  salvation :  we  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid ;  for  the  Lord 
Jehovah  is  our  strength  and  otir  song,  he  also  is  become  our 
salvation,"  Is.  xiii.  1,  2. 

14.  As  an  evidence  that  he  is  a  God  of  peace,  a  reconciled 
God  in  Christ,  come  and  see  him  making  for  all  people  in  the 
mount  of  the  gospel,  "  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines 
on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on  the  lees 
well  refined."  O  sirs,  the  day-spring  from  on  high  discovers 
a  well-covered  table  of  the  blessings  of  heaven,  of  all  "  the  sure 
mercies  of  David,"  presented  and  ready  for  our  entertainment, 
with  a  frank  invitation  and  call  to  every  one,  to  "  come  and 
eat  of  this  bread,  and  drink  of  the  wine  that  he  has  mingled." 
And,  O  sirs,  we  tell  you  in  the  name  of  God,  that  you  have 
as  good  a  right  to  take  and  eat,  to  receive  and  apply  Christ, 
and  his  whole  fulness  as  held  out  in  the  dispensation  of  the 
gospel,  as  ever  you  had  to  a  meal  of  meat  when  it  was  set  be- 
fore you.  And,  therefore,  "  Eat,  O  friends,  drink,  yea,  drink 
abundantly,  O  beloved." 

15.  Come  and  see  that  life  which  was  lost,  forfeited  by  the 
fall  of  the  first  Adam,  recovered  and  lying  ready  for  us  in  the 
hand  of  the  second  Adam.  Christ,  as  the  second  Adam,  stept 
into  the  room  of  the  first  Adam,  and  fulfilled  every  point  and 
article  of  the  covenant  of  works,  which  required  perfect  obe- 
dience as  the  condition  of  Ufe.  And,  therefore,  life  now  be- 
longs to  him  ;  and  accordingly  this  life  is  in  the  Son:  God  has 
given  to  him  eternal  life,  John  xvii.  2;  1  John  v.  11.  He  is 
the  new  heir  of  eternal  life,  and  of  all  the  promises  that  be- 
long to  it.  O  sirs,  is  not  this  good  news,  that  our  Goel,  our 
kind  kinsman,  has  bought  back  the  mortgaged  and  forfeited 
inheritance? 

16.  Come  and  see  our  kinsman  and  elder  Brother  assigning 
and  making  over  himself  and  his  right  to  eternal  life  to  us 
in  a  new  testament,  or  new  and  better  covenant.  "  God  hath 
given  eternal  life  unto  us"  in  his  word  of  grace  and  promise, 
1  John  V.  11.  This  testament,  this  promise,  this  grant,  this 
offer  of  life,  is  made  to  every  man  and  woman  that  hears  the 
gospel,  or  reads  the  Bible,  with  an  express  command  to  search 
the  testame?it,  that  therein  he  may  find  eternal  life:  and  we 
had  need  to  fear  "  lest  a  promise  being  left  us  of  entering 
into  his  rest,  any  of  us  should  come  short  of  it."  O  sirs,  be 
not  like  fools,  having  a  price  put  in  their  hands,  yet  have  no 
wisdom  to  improve  it. 

17.  Come  and  see  to  read,  and  subscribe  all  these  as  the  re- 
cord of  a  glorious  Trinity ;  for  the  day-spring  from  on  high 
discovers  this  also.     The  "  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven. 


XIV.]  THK  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  423 

the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Spirit,"  attest  all  this  in  the 
capacity  of  habile  witnesses;  they  have  deponed  upon^the 
truth  of  every  thing  I  have  been  saying;  particularly  on  the 
truth  of  this,  "that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life:  and 
this  life  is  in  his  Son."  And,  therefore,  come  and  see  to  set 
to  your  seal,  that  God  is  true ;  for  if  you  do  not,  you  make 
God  a  liar  by  unbelief;  for  which  crime  you  are  condemned 
already. 

Object.  1.  These  are  indeed  sweet  discoveries  that  are  made 
by  the  day-spring  from  on  high ;  but  O,  say  you,  how  shall 
we  come  by  a  sight  of  them  ?  Anszo.  You  must  open  your 
eyes,  that  the  light  of  day  may  enter  in  to  you.  Let  the 
day-light  shine  ever  so  brightly,  or  whatsoever  beautiful  de- 
sirable objects  may  be  round  about  a  man,  yet  he  cannot  see 
while  his  eyes  are  shut ;  and,  therefore,  you  must  needs  open 
your  eyes,  if  you  would  see  the  day-spring  from  on  high,  and 
the  discoveries  that  it  makes. 

Object.  2.  You  bid  me  open  my  eyes,  but,  alas !  I  want  a 
visual  faculty,  and  you  may  as  well  bid  a  man  that  is  stone- 
blind  to  open  his  eyes,  as  speak  after  that  manner  to  me ;  for 
I  was  born  blind,  and  therefore  cannot  see.  A?isw.  1.  We 
would  think  you  brought  a  good  length,  if  you  were  but  really 
sensible  of  your  spiritual  or  soul  blindness ;  for  the  most  part 
that  we  have  to  deal  with,  are  just  like  the  Pharisees,  who 
said  to  Christ,  Are  we  blind  also?  They  think  they  see  well 
enough,  while  indeed  they  are  stark  blind  like  moles  in  the 
things  of  God.  (2.)  Remember  that  it  is  not  we,  but  God 
himself,  that  bids  you  who  are  blind  look  up  and  see  this  day- 
spring  from  on  high  :  Is.  xlii.  1 :  "  Behold  my  servant  whom 
I  uphold.  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved."  And,  there- 
fore, in  obedience  to  him  who  commands,  attempt,  and  strive, 
and  essay  to  open  your  eyes,  and  see  these  glorious  things, 
which  the  day-spring  from  on  high  discovers ;  for  it  is  in  this 
way  that  he  recovers  sight  to  the  blind.  He  that  bids  you 
look  and  see,  also  counsels  you  to  buy  of  him  eye-salve,  that 
you  may  see.  (3.)  Follow  the  example  of  blind  Bartimeus. 
Christ  is  coming  this  way  to-day,  for  his  way  is  in  his  sanc- 
tuary; and  while  you  hear  the  sound  of  his  retinue  or  at- 
tendants on  this  occasion,  lift  up  your  voice  to  him,  and  say, 
"  Jesus,  thou  son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me,  and  let  me 
receive  my  sight:"  only  ask  in  faith,  nothing  doubting  of  his 
ability  and  willingness  to  do  it ;  for  it  is  his  promise  to  "  open 
blind  eyes,  to  make  the  lame  to  leap  like  a  hart,  and  the 
tongue  of  the  dumb  to  sing."  This  much  then  for  my  Jirst 
exhortation,  to  come  and  see  the  day-spring  from  on  high,  see 
his  glorious  rays,  and  the  glorious  discoveries  that  he  has 
made  to  a  lost  world.     I  proceed  now  to  a 


424  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  [sER. 

Second  exhortation.  Is  it  so  that  the  day-spring  from  on 
high  hath  visited  us  ?  Has  he  visited  us  by  an  actual  assuming 
of  our  nature,  which  he  is  now  wearing  in  heaven?  and  does 
he  visit  us  with  the  offers  of  his  grace  and  love  in  a  gospel- 
dispensation  ?  O  then  be  exhorted  and  entreated  to  receive 
and  entertain  his  visit.  Bid  him  welcome ;  and  say,  "Blessed 
is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  to  save  us." 
What  is  faith?  we  are  always  calling  you  to  believe;  and  if  you 
ask  what  it  is,  here  is  a  plain  and  easy  answer :  It  is  just  to  re-, 
ceive  and  welcome  the  Son  of  God,  the  Saviour  of  sinners, 
coming  to  visit  you  in  the  gospel  call  and  offer.  You  all 
know  what  it  is  to  receive  a  visit  from  a  friend  ;  when  you 
receive  him  you  bid  him  welcome,  you  open  your  door  to  him, 
you  give  him  his  errand,  and  entreat  him  to  slay  with  you. 
So  to  believe,  is  to  entertain  the  visit  of  him  that  brings  the 
day-spring  from  on  high  along  with  him ;  it  is  to  make  open 
doors  to  him,  to  lift  up  the  everlasting  gates  of  your  souls, 
and  bid  him  hearty  welcome,  and  to  give  him  his  errand,  by 
trusting  him  in  his  saving,  justifying,  sanctifying,  and  recon- 
ciling work. 

O  sirs,  need  1  use  any  motives  or  arguments  to  persuade 
you  to  entertain  the  visit  of  the  day-spring  from  on  high  ? 
Vou  welcome  the  day- visit  of  the  natural  sun  in  the  firma- 
ment ;  and  will  you  not  welcome  and  receive  the  visits  of  the 
Sun  of  righteousness,  who  comes  with  healing  under  his  wings 
to  you?  However,  because  sad  experience  tells  us  that  they 
ai*e  but  few  who  do  really  entertain  his  visit  that  he  makes  in 
a  gospel  dispensation;  yea,  it  is  the  hardest  matter  in  the 
world  to  persuade  sinners  to  give  him  a  hearty  welcome ;  I 
shall  offer  a  few  gospel  considerations  to  your  rational  facul- 
ties to  persuade  you.  And  while  we  are  speaking,  O  be  call- 
ing up  to  heaven,  that  God  himself,  by  a  sweet  and  irresisti- 
ble power,  may  persuade  and  enable  you  to  make  his  visits 
welcome. 

Consider  then,  1.  Who  he  is,  and  whence  he  comes.  O! 
well  may  we  cry  out,  "  Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom,. 
with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah  ?"  Men  and  angels  cannot 
declare  his  generation.  Such  is  his  excellency,  that  we  can- 
not frame  to  pronounce  his  name,  or  call  him  "  Lord,  but  by 
the  Holy  Spirit."  His  name  is  the  "  King  of  kings,  and 
Lord  of  lords,  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth."  O  who 
would  refuse  to  welcome  his  visits,  who  "  humbles  himself" 
when  he  "  beholds  things  that  are  in  heaven!"  And  then 
will  you  consider  from  whence  he  comes;  he  comes  from  a 
far  country,  the  land  afar  off;  he  has  left  his  royal  palace, 
and  all  the  pleasures  that  he  had  with  his  Father  before  the 
world  was,  to  visit  you,  and  yet  will  you  not  make  him  weK 


XIV.J  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  OS  HIGH.  425 

come '?  If  a  great  king  should  undertake  a  JQurney  from  the 
uttermost  wings  of  the  earth  to  make  a  visit  to  any  of  you, 
would  you  bid  him  depart  from  you?  would  you  cast  your 
door  in  his  face  when  he  were  come  ?  Well,  sirs,  this  is  the 
case;  and  therefore,  O  receive  and  entertain  his  visit  that  he 
makes  to  you  in  the  dispensation  of  the  glorious  gospel. 

2.  Consider  what  is  his  errand,  when  he  comes  to  visit  us 
from  on  high.  Indeed,  you  and  I  might  have  expected  a  visit 
of  wrath  and  vengeance,  that  he  should  come  to  resent  his 
own  and  his  Feather's  quarrel,  for  the  contempt  of  his  autho- 
rity, and  the  violation  of  his  holy  law.  But,  O  sirs,  what 
shall  1  tell  you,  "  Christ  came  not  to  condemn  the  world,  but 
that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved;  the  Son  of  man 
came  to  seek  and  save  that  which  was  lost:"  lie  came  to  de- 
liver you  out  of  the  hands  of  your  enemies,  that  you  may 
'•  serve  him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before 
him  all  the  days  of  your  life."  His  errand  in  his  visit  that 
he  is  making  this  day,  is  to  hide  you  from  the  stormy  wind 
and  tem|>cst  of  God's  wrath,  that  is  ready  to  break  upon  you, 
and  overwhelm  you  for  ever.  His  errand  is  to  wash  you,  be- 
cause you  are  polluted,  plunged  in  a  ditch,  so  that  your  own 
clothes  abhor  you ;  and  he  is  saying  to  the  filthy  sinner,  "  I 
will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean : 
from  all  youi-  filthincss,  and  from  all  your  idqls  will  I  cleanse 
you."  His  errand  is  to  heal  you,  because  you  are  over-run 
with  wounds,  bruises,  and  putrefying  sores  :  thou  art  like  the 
poor  man  that  was  lying  wounded  half  dead  between  Jeru- 
salem and  Jericho ;  he  is  the  tender-hearted  Samaritan  come 
to  bind  up  and  heal  thy  wounds.  He  sees  thee  stark  naked, 
witliuut  a  rag  to  cover  thee ;  and,  therefore,  his  errand  is  to 
'•  clothe "  thee  "  with  the  garments  of  salvation,"  and  to 
"  cover  "  thee  "  with  the  robe  of  righteousness."  His  errand 
is  to  open  thy  prison-doors,  to  knock  ofl'  thy  fetters,  and  to 
confer  a  glorious  liberty  upon  you.  O  sirs,  who  is  it  in  his 
right  wits  that  would  refuse  to  entertain  a  visit  from  one  that 
comes  upon  such  an  errand  ? 

3.  Consider  what  rough  ways,  what  thorny  paths,  what 
hardships  and  difficulties  he  has  gone  through,  in  paying  a 
visit  to  you  in  the  gospel  dispensation.  He  had  the  wrath 
of  his  Father,  the  rage  of  men  and  devils,  to  encounter  in  his 
way.  He  was  torn  in  pieces  ;  his  soul  and  body  rent  asunder 
in  his  way  to  you.  Ho  was  hunted  like  the  hind  of  the 
morning,  and  chased  up  and  down  by  the  hounds  of  he'l,  till 
they  slew  him  on  mount  Calvary  ;  and  all  for  your  sake,  and 
out  of  kindness  to  you.  In  a  word,  mountains  were  in  his 
way  ;  but  he  came  "  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  and  skip- 
ping upon  the  hills."     Seas  of  blood  and  wrath  were  in  his 

36* 


426  THE  DAY-SPRING  TROM  ON  HIGH.  [SEK. 

way ;  but  he  wades  them  all  to  pay  you  a  visit.  And  yet 
when  he  is  come  through  all  these,  and  innumerable  more 
hardships  out  of  kindness  to  you,  O  will  you  not  make  him 
welcome  when  he  is  come  1 

4.  Will  you  consider  how  near  he  is  come  to  you  in  this 
day-spring  of  gospel-light.  He  is  come  so  near  in  his  visit, 
that  he  is  even  at  thy  door :  "  Behold  I  stand  at  thy  door  and 
knock."  His  visit  is  so  near,  that  thou  needest  not  "  ascend 
into  heaven,  nor  descend  into  the  deep,"  in  quest  of  him : 
"  The  word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart; 
that  is,  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach."  And  when  he 
himself  comes  near,  he  brings  his  righteousness  and  salvation 
along  with  him,"  Is.  xlvi.  13.  Now,  why  is  he  come  so  near 
to  visit  thee  with  his  righteousness  and  salvation,  but  that 
thou  mayst  give  him  a  kindly  welcome?  O  say,  "  This  is  a 
faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Je- 
sus came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners." 

5.  You  are  concluded  under  a  royal  law,  enacted  by  the 
authority  of  Heaven,  to  entertain  the  visit  of  this  day-spring 
from  on  high;  and  a  law  which  is  fenced  with  the  severest  pe- 
nalty, if  it  be  disobeyed.  The  law  is  recorded,  1  John  iii.  23: 
"  This  is  his  commandment,  that  we  should  believe  on  the 
name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ:"  and  this  God  looks  upon  as 
the  Alpha  and  Omega  of  our  work  and  business  in  the  world, 
John  vi.  29:  "  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him 
whom  he  hath  sent."  And  unless  you  welcome  the  visit  that 
his  Son  makes  you,  no  other  work  or  service  you  do  him  can 
be  accepted;  for  "witliout  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
him."  And,  therefore,  sirs,  consider,  it  is  not  left  optional  to 
you  to  entertain  his  visit  or  not ;  no,  if  you  do  not,  you  are 
guilty  of  rebellion  against  God,  and  of  disobedience  to  the 
great  command  that  was  issued  out  from  the  throne  of  glory 
above;  and  "disobedience  is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft,"  which 
is  to  be  punished  with  burning. 

6.  Consider  how  well  he  takes  it,  when  liis  visit  is  received, 
when  he  is  entertained  in  a  way  of  believing:  O  it  is  "  the 
day  of  the  gladness  of  his  heart ;"  he  comes  in,  and  sups  with 
us,  and  we  with  him.  Christ  rejoiced  in  Spirit,  when  an  ac- 
count was  brought  to  him,  that  his  gospel  was  received 
through  the  cities  of  Israel.  He  takes  it  so  kindly  when  his 
visits  are  entertained,  that  he  comes  in,  and  fixes  his  rest  and 
abode  in  the  soul,  never  to  depart:  he  says,  "  This  is  my  rest 
for  ever:  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it." 

7.  Consider  that  this  visit  of  the  day-spring  from  on  high 
will  not  always  last ;  I  mean  his  visits,  in  a  gospel  dispensation 
will  come  to  an  end.  We  read  sometimes  in  scripture  of  a 
day  of  grace,  a  day  of  salvation,  a  day  which  is  the  sinner's 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  427 

day :  "  If  thou  hadst  known  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which 
belong  unto  thy  peace !"  says  the  Lord  to  Jerusalem.  Jeru- 
salem's day  was  the  day  in  which  Christ  visited  them  in  his 
own  person,  and  by  the  ministry  of  his  apostles,  opening  up 
the  great  mystery  of  salvation  :  that  day  of  theirs  is  now  set, 
and  a  long  dark  night  is  come  upon  them  ;  "  the  things  that 
belong  to  their  peace  are  hid  from  their  eyes."  So,  sirs,  this 
is  the  day  in  which  Christ,  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  is  visit- 
ing you  ;  but  you  know  not  how  soon  he  may  withdraw,  and 
"  leave  our  house  desolate ;"  he  may  lift  his  tent,  and  remove 
to  another  place  of  the  world.  But  however  the  day  of  gospel 
light  may  be  continued  in  the  land,  yet  death  will  put  an  end 
to  it,  as  to  evei'y  individual  person  in  a  very  little.  And 
therefore,  O,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  entertain  him,  while  his 
visiting-day  continues.  This  is  the  "  acceptable  time,  this  is 
the  day  of  salvation."  "  If  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not 
your  hearts,"  lest  he  "  swear,  that  ye  shall  never  enter  into 
his  rest." 

8.  To  engage  you  to  entertain  and  welcome  the  visit  of  the 
day-spring  frogi  on  high,  consider  that  he  is  loath  at  his  very 
heart  to  go  away  with  a  slight:  he  hales  parting  and  puliing 
away;  he  does  not  think  of  departing  without  gcttinj^  a  wel- 
come: Hos.  xi.  8 :  "  How  shall  I  give  tlice  up,  Ephraim  ?  how 
shall  I  deliver  thee,  Israel  ?  how  shall  I  make  thee  as  Admah? 
how  shall  I  set  thee  as  Zeboim  1  Mine  heart  is  turned  within 
me,  my  repentings  are  kindled  together." 

9.  His  heart  is  saddened  to  the  last  degree,  when  his  visits 
are  not  entertained;  he  wept  over  Jerusalem,  saying,  "  If  thou 
hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  da}-,  the  things 
which  belong  unto  thy  peace!  but  now  they  are  hid  from 
thine  eyes."  O  sirs,  how  can  you  find  in  your  heart  to  sad- 
den his  heart,  that  brings  the  day-spring  from  on  high  with 
him  1  Christ  had  many  a  sad  heart,  when  he  was  here  upon 
earth ;  he  was  "  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  griefs:" 
but  will  you  make  his  heart  sad  now,  when  he  is  in  heaven? 
There  is  nothing  has  such  a  tendency  to  sadden  his  heart  in 
heaven,  as  to  see  sinners  rejecting  the  visits  and  offers  of  his 
grace  and  love,  that  he  makes  to  them  by  the  gospel. 

10.  If  you  do  not  entertain  the  visits  of  his  grace  now,  he 
will  visit  you  in  another  manner;  he  will  pay  you  a  sad  visit. 
Perhaps  he  may  visit  you  in  a  way  of  fiwful  wrath  and  judg- 
ment, even  on  this  side  of  time:  "  Shall  I  not  visit  fur  these 
things?  and  shall  not  my  soul  be  avenged  on  such  a  nation  as 
this?"  Sometimes  sad  temporal  judgments  follow  upon  the 
rejection  of  Christ,  even  in  this  life.  But  {hough  you  may 
perhaps  escape  temporal  strokes,  yet  there  is  a  sad  visit 
abiding  you  at  death  and  the  last  judgment ;  when  Christ  ap- 


428  THE  DAY-SPRING   FROM  ON  HIGH.  [SER. 

pears  in  his  glory,  rearing  up  his  tribunal  in  the  clouds,  then 
you  who  would  not  entertain  his  visits  of  grace,  shall  begin 
to  weep  and  wail :  Rev.  i.  7  :  "  Behold  he  cometh  with  clouds ; 
and  every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  which  pierced 
him :  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him." 

0  sirs,  let  these  things  prevail  with  you  to  entertain  the  visit 
the  day-spring  from  on  high  is  making  to  you  in  the  gospel 
dispensation. 

Object.  1.  You  bid  me  entertain  his  gospel  visit;  but,  alas  ! 

1  am  ever  thinking,  that  his  visit  is  to  others,  and  not  to  me. 
I  answer.  That  is  just  the  art  and  subterfuge  of  unbelief;  un- 
der a  pretended  modesty  it  will  not  receive  Christ's  visits,  as 
if  his  visits  were  for  others,  and  not  for  thy  soul  in  particular. 
But,  sirs,  allow  me  to  tell  you,  that  though  unbelief  may  carry 
a  blush  of  pretended  humility  in  its  countenance,  yet  it  is  no- 
thing but  devilish  pride  at  the  root  or  bottom.  But  what- 
ever may  be  the  surmise  of  unbelief,  yet  I  can  assure  you,  in 
the  name  of  God,  that  his  visit  in  the  gospel  dispensation  is 
to  thee,  man,  to  thee,  woman,  as  particularly  as  if  thou  wert 
named  by  name  and  surname ;  he  stands  at  every  individual 
man's  door,  and  knocks,  saying,  "  Open  to  me,  and  I  will 
come  in;"  and  to. you 4s  the  voice  of  Wisdom  directed,  even 
to  the  "  sons  of  men."  And  therefore,  take  it  home  and  apply 
it  to  yourself  in  particular,  with  as  great  assurance  as  though 
you  heard  a  voice  out  of  heaven,  calling  you  by  name  and 
surname. 

Object.  2.  I  would  fain  receive  his  visit,  but  I  think  I  see 
great  mountains  between  him  and  me,  he  is  behind  the  moun- 
tains, and  I  am  far  ofl'  from  him,  and  he  is  far  away  from  me. 
A?iszc.  Jesus  Christ  is  not  so  far  off,  as  every  unbelieving  heart 
would  suggest;  for,  "behold  he  standeth  behind  our  wall, 
waiting  to  see  if  we  will  rue  upon  him,  and  receive  his  visit. 
Thou  sayest  thou  art  afar  off,  but  his  voice  is  even  to  such, 
Is.  Ivii.  19:  "1  create  the  fruit  of  the  lips;  peace,  peace  to 
him  that  is  far  off,  and  to  him  that  is  near.  The  promise  is 
unto  you  and  to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off," 
says  Peter  to  his  hearers.  Acts  ii.  39  ;  and  the  same  say  I  unto 
you.  You  say  there  are  mountains  between  him  and  you ; 
but  "  behold  he  cometh  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  and 
skipping  upon  the  hills."  If  thou  wilt  but  give  him  entertain- 
ment, he  will  make  all  mountains  as  a  plain  at  his  presence : 
"  Jordon  is  driven  back ;  the  mountains  skip  away  like  rams, 
and  the  little  hills  like  lambs." 

Object.  3.  My  sins  are  so  great,  that  he  will  never  visit  me. 
Ansci.  See  him  visiting  the  greatest  of  sinners  with  the  offers 
of  his  love  and  grace.  Is.  i.  18 :  "  Come  now,  and  let  us  rea- 
son t(^ether,  saith  the  Lord :  though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet, 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  429 

they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow  ;  though  they  be  red  like  crim- 
son, they  shall  be  as  wool." 

Object.  4.  I  am  a  condemned  sinner,  under  sentence  of  death 
from  the  holy  law ;  therefore  his  visits  cannot  be  to  me.  Ansu\ 
He  comes  to  visit  you  and  me,  because  vvc  are  condemned 
to  die.  His  visit  that  he  made  in  his  incarnation,  was  "  to 
them  that  were  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them,  that  we  might 
receive  the  adoption  of  sons.  And  if  you  will  receive  his  visit 
in  the  gospel,  the  sentence  of  condemnation  shall  that  moment 
be  taken  off  you ;  for  "  he  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God, 
is  not  condemned ;  yea,  there  is  no  condemi^ation  to  them 
which  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 

Object.  5.  I  am  vile,  filthy,  and  polluted ;  therefore  his  vi- 
sit is  not  to  me.  Answ.  "  Though  thou  hast  lien  among  the 
pots,  he  will  make  thee  as  the  wings  of  a  dove,  covered  with 
silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold."  He  is  saying  to 
thee  this  day,  "  Wilt  thou  be  made  clean  ?  I  will  sprinkle 
clean  water  upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  clean  :  from  all  thy 
filthiness,  and  from  all  thine  idols  will  1  cleanse  thee." 

Object.  6.  I  have  refused  his  visits  in  the  gospel  so  often, 
that  1  am  afraid  he  is  gone,  he  is  departed,  and  will  never 
come  again.  A7isw.  Jer.  iii.  1 :  "  Though  thou  hast  played 
the  harlot  with  many  lovers ;  yet  return  ^ain  to  me,  saith 
the  Lord."     He  calls  backsliders  to  return,  and  he  will  heal 

their  backslidififfs. 

Object.  7.  I  do  not  know  if  I  be  among  the  elect  that  were 
given  to  Christ ;  and,  if  so,  his  visit  is  not  to  me.  Ajisw.  His 
visits  and  offers  of  grace  in  the  gospel  are  to  sinners,  to  "  men, 
and  to  the  sons  of  men ;"  and  if  thou  find  thy  name  there, 
thou  hast  no  reason  to  exclude  thyself.  You  begin  at  the 
wrong  end  of  things,  when  you  meddle  with  the  decrees  of 
God,  which  are  secret  things,  and  belong  to  the  Lord.  Look, 
first,  to  the  things  that  are  revealed  in  the  word  and  that  is 
the  way  to  arrive  at  the  knowledge  of  the  secret  d(!signs  of 
his  heart ;  and,  for  your  encouragement  to  take  this  way,  I 
never  yet  heard  it  miscarry.  They  who  take  God  at  his 
word,  and  hold  him  at  his  word,  find  themselves  among  the 
number  of  the  elect ;  whereas  they  that  will  needs  begin  first 
to  search  God's  secret  decree,  and  die  in  this  way  of  doing, 
find  themselves  among  the  number  of  reprobates  in  the 
end.  And  therefore  meddle  you  first  with  things  that  are 
revealed,  "  search  the  scriptures,"  consult  the  oracles  of  the 
word,  read  your  name  there,  and  see  whether  or  not  Christ 
be  speaking  to  you,  and  visiting  you  there:  and  thus  you  shall 
know  that  love  lies  in  his  heart  to  you. 

Object.  8.  You  bid  me  receive  Christ's  visits ;  but,  alas  ! 
how  can  I  do  it  ?     I  have  no  entertainment  for  him.    Answ, 


430  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  OIV  HIGH.  [SER. 

He  brings  entertainment  with  him.  When  his  visit  is  re- 
ceived, he  comes  and  he  sups  with  us,  and  causes  us  to  sup 
with  him.  If  you  think  that  you  have  any  entertainment  but 
what  he  brings  with  him,  I  have  little  hope  of  you  indeed. 

Object.  9.  I  am  a  poor  hard-hearted  sinner,  my  heart  is 
like  a  piece  of  the  nether  millstone.  Answ.  Entertain  his  visit ; 
for  "  he  takes  away  the  stony  heart,  and  gives  the  heart  of 
flesh." 

Object.  10.  I  am  so  impotent,  that  I  cannot  open  to  him 
when  he  comes ;  how  can  I  receive  his  visit,  when  the  key 
of  the  heart  hangs  only  at  his  own  girdle?  A?isw.  He  comes 
■  to  visit  thee  because  thou  art  impotent,  to  give  thee  strength ; 
and  he  has  said,  that  he  will  "  give  power  to  the  faint,  and 
increase  strength  to  them  that  have  no  might :"  only  put  the 
work  in  his  hand,  and  he  will  "  work  all  thy  works  in  thee 
and  for  thee." 

A  third  branch  of  exhortation  from  the  doctrine  is  this ;  I 
exhort  you,  and  call  you  not  only  to  receive  the  visit  that  he 
is  making  to  you  in  the  gospel  dispensation,  but  look  up  to 
him  for  a  visit  of  his  special  grace  and  love,  on  this  occasion 
to  your  own  souls.  O  pray  that  the  day-spring  may  break 
up  among  us.  Believe,  expect,  hope,  and  trust  for  a  visit  of 
the  glorious  "  Si#i  of  righteousness,  the  bright  and  morning 
Star,  that  in  his  temple  every  one  may  speak  of  his  glory." 
1  say  it  again,  that  I  would  have  you  to  hope,  believe,  trust, 
and  wait  for  a  visit  of  the  influences  of  his  Spirit,  of  the  dis- 
coveries of  his  glory,  of  the  light  of  his  countenance  to  your 
own  souls,  on  this  occasion.  I  am  persuaded,  that  it  would 
fare  better  with  us,  if  we  were  more  taken  up  in  trusting, 
and  hoping,  and  expecting  of  good  at  the  Lord's  hand.  Many 
persons  go  to  pray,  go  to  hear  the  word,  go  to  a  sacrament: 
but  they  do  it  as  if  no  good  were  to  be  got  at  the  Lord's  hand, 
as  if  the  master  of  the  feast  kept  a  narrow  house,  and  grudged 
to  give  of  his  goodness  to  his  guests.  They  think,  that  his 
liberal  offers,  and  calls,  and  invitations  are  only  from  the  teeth 
forward.  But,  O  sirs,  this  is  a  reflection  on  our  glorious  Lord 
and  Master,  and  I  would  have  you  entertain  better  thoughts 
of  him,  and  to  come  with  expectation  and  hope  of  a  visit  of 
the  day-spring  from  on  high. 

Here  1  shall  show,  1.  What  advantages  a  visit  of  the  day- 
spring  brings  along  with  it.  2.  Whaf  grounds  your  faith  and 
jiope  have  to  go  upon,  in  expecting  it,  and  looking  for  it. 

The  Jirst  thing  is,  to  tell  you  of  some  advantages  a  visit  of 
the  day-spring  from  on  high  brings  along  with  him. 

1.  His  visits  by  his  Spirit's  influences  and  communications 
of  his  grace  and  love,  whether  in  conversion,  or  in  renewed 
manifestations,  bring  life  with  them  to  the  dead  sinner  or  the 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  431 

languishing  saint  and  believer.  And  O  how  can  it  be  other- 
wise! for  he  is  the  Lord  and  Prince  of  life;  he  is  "  the  resur- 
rection and  the  life,  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life."  When- 
ever he  comes  near  to  the  dead  sinner,  the  Spirit  of  life  enters 
into  him,  though  he  were  as  dead  as  the  dry  bones  that  were 
scattered  about  the  grave's  mouth.  And  whenever  he  comes 
near  to  the  languishing  believer,  he  revives  as  the  corn,  when 
a  warm  shower  of  the  rain  of  heaven  falls  upon  it.  The 
fields  laugh,  the  bread  of  corn,  that  was  withered,  prices  up 
its  head,  and  looks  pleasant,  with  a  shower  of  rain,  and  a 
warm  blink  of  the  sun.  Just  the  same  efilect  has  a  visit  of 
the  day-spring  from  on  high  on  the  soul :  "  I  will  be  as  the 
dew  unto  Israel:"  and  what  then?  "He  shall  grow  as  the 
lily,  and  cast  forth  his  roots  as  Lebanon.  They  that  dwell 
under  his  shadow  shall  return ;  they  shall  revive  as  the  corn, 
and  grow  as  the  vine ;  the  scent  thereof  shall  be  as  the  wine 
of  Lebanon,"  Hos.  xiv.  5,  7. 

2.  A  visit  of  this  day-spring  from  on  high  brings  riches 
and  wealth  along  with  it ;  and  no  wonder,  for  he  is  "  the  heir 
of  all  things.  In  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge  ;"  unsearchable  riches  are  with  him.  And 
when  he  visits  the  soul  with  his  salvation,  he  does  as  the  wise 
men  of  the  east  did  to  him,  when  they  cam*  and  saw  him  in 
his  swaddling  clothes,  they  made  a  present  of  gold  to  him  ; 
and  he  makes  a  present  of  gold  when  he  visits  the  soul,  far 
better  than  the  gold  of  Ophir ;  yea,  he  says  to  the  soul,  as 
he  said  to  his  Father  in  his  prayer,  John  xvii.  "  All  mine 
are  thine  ;"  all  that  I  have  is  thine;  I  am  thine,  and  all  that 
follow  me  ;  all  the  treasures  of  my  grace  and  glory,  I  assign 
them,  and  make  them  over  to  thee.  O  !  is  not  such  a  visit 
valuable? 

3.  Christ's  visit  brings  honour  along  with  it :  "Riches  and 
honour  are  with  me.  Ever  since  thou  wast  precious  in  my 
sight,  thou  hast  been  honourable."  When  this  day-spring 
visits  the  soul,  lie  sets  the  soul  on  high  ;  "he  raiscth  u})  the 
poor  sottl  out  of  the  dust,  and  liftcth  the  needy  out  of  the 
dunghill:  that  he  may  set  him  with  princes,  even  with  the 
princes  of  his  peo|?le,"  Psal.  cxiii.  7,  8.  It  is  nothing  else  but 
a  visit  of  this  day-spring,  that  makes  the  believer  "  more  ex- 
cellent than  his  neighbour." 

4.  His  visits  bring  alacrity,  joy,  and  cheerfulness  along  with 
them.  When  this  day-star  arises  in  the  heart  of  a  sinner, 
that  has  been  wading  through  the  blackness  and  darkness  of 
a  law-tempesf,  O  what  a  strange  alteration  does  he  make  in 
the  soul !  The  poor  thing  that  was  expecting  every  moment 
to  drop  into  hell,  begins  to  "  rejoice  in  the  hope  of  the  glory 
of  God."     David,  Psal.  cxvi.  3,  is  crying  out  through  the  ter- 


432  THE  DAY-StRING  FROM  ON  HlGH.  [sER. 

rors  of  the  law  and  of  conscience,  and  the  melancholy  ap- 
prehensions of  vindictive  wrath,  "  The  sorrows  of  death 
compassed  me,  and  the  pains  of  hell  gat  hold  upon  me ;  I 
found  trouble  and  sorrow :"  however,  the  day-spring  from  on 
high  arises  on  his  soul,  in  the  following  part  of  the  psalm, 
and  thereupDn  he  alters  his  note,  and  chants  and  sings  to  the 
praises  of  the  Lord,  saying,  "  1  was  brought  low,  and  he 
helped  me.  What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord,  for  all  his 
benefits  towards  me  ?  I  will  take  the  cup  of  salvation,  and 
call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

5.  A  visit  of  the  day-spring  brings  strength  with  it  to  the 
weak  and  weary  soul.  "  He  giveth  power  to  the  faint,  and  to 
them  that  have  no  might,  he  increaseth  strength.  O !  when- 
ever he  comes,  he  makes  the  feeble  as  David,  and  as  the  angel 
of  God  before  him.  The  man  who  had  no  might  becomes 
strong  for  work,  saying,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do  ?"  strong  for  war,  the  arms  of  his  hands  are  "  made  strong 
through  the  mighty  God  of  Jacob  ;"  strong  for  enduring  trials 
and  afflictions,  saying,  "  Though  he  should  slay  me,  yet  will 
I  trust  in  him. — Who  shall  separate  me  from  the  love  of 
Christ?"  In  a  word,  the  man  that  was  sinking  through  de- 
spondency, by  the  prevaihng  of  unbelief,  becomes  "  strong  in 
faith,  giving  glory  to  God." 

6,  A  visit  of  the  day-spring  from  on  high  makes  tlie  timo- 
rous and  faint-hearted  soul  courageous,  and  bold  as  a  lion. 
The  poor  thing  that  durst  not  look  God  in  the  face,  through 
a  sense  of  guilt,  but  was  like  the  timorous  dove,  hiding  him- 
self in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  when  a  visit  comes,  it  lifts  up 
its  face  with  a  holy  and  humble  boldness :  "  Having,  brethren, 
boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus."  It 
comes  with  boldness  to  a  throne  of  grace,  for  "  grace  and 
mercy  to  help  in  time  of  need."  And  then  the  man  gets 
boldness  toward  all  his  accusers,  so  that  he  dare  look  the  law 
and  conscience,  the  devil  and  the  world,  in  the  face,  saying, 
"  Who  can  lay  any  thing  to  my  charge  ?  It  is  God  that  justi- 
fieth  :  who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea 
rather  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  me."  He  gets  such 
boldness  by  the  visit  of  the  day-spring  from  on  high,  that  he 
can  now  "  go  to  the  altar  of  God,  to  God  Jiis  exceeding  joy." 
He  is  not  afraid  to  go  to  a  communion-table,  lest  he  eat  and 
drink  damnation  to  his  soul ;  no,  he  sees  it  to  be  a  cup  of  sal- 
vation :  and  therefore  eats  and  drinks  with  a  merry  heart, 
knowing  his  right  to  the  children's  bread.  He  gets  such  bold- 
ness and  courage  when  the  visit  comes,  when  the  day-spring 
arises,  that  he  dare  look  death,  the  king  of  terrors,  in  the  face, 
with  a  holy  courage  and  bravery,  saying,  with  David,  Psal 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  433 

xxiii.  4:  "  Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  sha- 
dow of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil :  for  thou  art  with  me,  thy 
rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me."  Thus  you  see  some  of 
the  great  advantages  that  accompany  and  attend  a  visit  of 
the  day-sj)ring  from  on  high. 

I  shall  next  give  you  some  advices  in  order  to  obtain  a  visit 
of  this  day-spring. 

1.  Trust  and  believe  it :  "Said  I  not  unto  thee,  that  if 
thou  wouldst  believe,  thou  shouldest  see  the  glory  of  God  '!" 
John  xi.  40:  "After  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with 
that  holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  in- 
heritance." 

2.  Hope  for  it ;  for  "  he  takes  pleasure  in  them  that  fear 
him,  and  in  those  that  hope  in  his  mercy. — The  expectation 
of  the  poor  shall  not  perish."     See  Jer.  xvii.  7. 

3.  Long  for  it ;  for  "  he  satisfieth  the  longing  soul,  and  fill- 
eth  the  hungry  soul  with  goodness." 

4.  Pray  for  it ;  for  "  he  hears  the  desire  of  the  humble,  he 
will  prepare  their  hearts,  and  cause  his  ear  to  hear."  Han- 
nah prayed  for  it,  and  she  got  it.  David  prayed  for  it,  and 
he  got  it. 

5.  Wait  for  it ;  for  "  the  Lord  is  a  God  of  judgment,  blessed 
are  all  they  that  wait  on  him." 

6.  Study  purity  in  heart  and  life  :  "  Blessed  are  the  pure  in 
heart:  for  they  shall  see  God."     Psal.  xv.  1,  and  Psal.  xxiv. 

But  now,  secondlij,  you  may  be  I'eady  to  say,  You  bid  us 
trust  and  hope  for  such  a  visit  as  this  of  the  day-spring  from 
on  high;  but  O  will  you  tell  me  what  I  have  to  build  my 
faith  and  hope  upon  as  to  this  matter.  In  general,  I  would 
have  you  to  remember,  that  faith  or  believing,  or  trusting  in 
the  Lord,  is  the  stated  way  laid  down  to  us  in  the  word  ;  it  is 
the  method  that  God  has  prescribed  to  us  for  receiving  any 
good  at  his  hand,  either  in  time,  or  through  eternity.  We 
are  told  that  "  without  faith,  it  is  impossible  to  please  God;" 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  every  thing  we  do,  though  it  were 
but  the  weakest  effort  of  obedience,  pleases  him,  when  it  is 
done  in  faith.  And  he  has  established  an  inseparable  con- 
nexion between  faith  and  every  mercy  or  blessing  of  his 
covenant :  the  covenant  is,  as  it  were,  the  well  where  th:> 
water  of  the  Redeemer's  grace  and  fulness  is  laid  out  to  us: 
but  faith  is  the  bucket  that  draws,  and  the  mouth  that  drinks 
it.  Would  you  see  the  salvation  of  God  ?  Well,  believing 
is  the  way  to  it :  "  Said  I  not  unto  thee,  that  if  thou  wouldst 
believe,  thou  shouldst  see  the  glory  of  God '!"  Would  you 
share  of  the  blessings  of  divine  mercy  and  grace  ?  Faith  or 
believing  is  the  way  to  get  them  ;  for  "  he  that  trusteth  in 
the  Lord,  mercy  shall  compass  him  round."     Would  you 

VOL.  1.  37 


434  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON   HIGH.  [SER. 

have  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  his  saving  influences  to  rest  on 
you?  Well,  this  is  to  be  had  by  faith:  "  After  that  ye  be-  ' 
lieved,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  holy  Synrit  of  promise,  which 
.is  the  earnest  of  your  inheritance."  So  would  you  have  a 
visit  of  the  day-spring  from  on  high  ?  then  you  must  take 
heed,  in  a  way  of  believing,  unto  the  sure  word  of  prophecy 
or  promise,  "  until  the  dawn,  and  the  day-star  arise  in  your 
hearts,"  2  Pet.  i.  19. 

But,  say  you,  You  bid  us  always  believe  and  hope  for  a 
visit  of  the  day-spring  from  on  high  ;  but  what  have  we  to 
build  our  faith  and  hope  upon  as  to  this  matter  ?  for  my  part, 
may  the  poor  soul  say,  1  have  been  encieav<.uring  at  the 
work  of  self-searching  and  examination  on  this  occasion,  and 
after  all,  I  can  (ind  no  ground  in  myself  to  expect  that  the 
day-spring  from  on  high  will  visit  me,  but  just  on  the  con- 
trary. I  find  upon  trial,  so  much  sin,  so  much  ignorance,  so 
much  unbelief,  so  much  untcnderness  in  my  way  and  walk, 
as  makes  me  fear  and  apprehend,  that  if  he  visit  me  at  all, 
he  will  visit  me  in  a  way  of  wrath,  and  not  in  a  way  of 
mercy ;  and  therefore  it  is  in  vain  to  bid  me  trust  or  hope  for 
a  visit  of  the  day-spring. 

Ansu\  I  would  have  you  here  carefully  to  remark  and  no- 
tice a  trick  of  Satan,  and  of  a  deceitful  and  desperately 
wicked  heart,  to  lead  the  soulofi'  from  the  foundation  of  faith 
and  hope  that  God  has  laid  in  Zion.  Satan,  and  a  deceitful 
heart  together,  are  ever  telling  us  to  seek  the  foundation  of 
faith  and  hope  within  ourselves;  and  if  we  cannot  hnd  it 
there,  then  they  bid  us  say,  there  is  no  hope,  no  ground  to  ex- 
pect any  good  at  the  hand  of  God  ;  and  so  when  a  person,  in 
obedience  to  the  command  of  God,  has,  upon  trial,  found  in 
himself  a  mass  of  iniquity,  darkness  and  unbelief,  his  hands 
are  rather  more  weakened  for  his  work  than  before,  and 
more  discouraged.  But,  sirs,  would  yon  know  \\  hat  is  the 
great  design  of  self-searching  and  examination ;  it  is  not  that 
you  may  find  a  ground  of  faith  and  hope  within  you,  but  that 
by  seeing  the  ills  of  your  hearts,  by  seeing  your  deadness,  your 
darkness,  your  enmity,  your  unbelief,  your  wants  and  weak- 
ness of  any  created  grace  in  you,  you  may  be  carried  quite 
out  of  yourselves,  to  seek  a  ground  of  faith,  hope,  and  trust, 
without  you,  in  the  Lord  himself,  and  in  his  word.  And,  sirs, 
let  me  tell  you,  if  ever  you  get  a  visit  of  the  day-spring  from 
on  high,  you  must  expect  it  upon  another  ground  than  upon 
any  good  that  ever  was  done  by  you,  or  wrought  in  you.  O 
sirs,  I  would  fain  have  you  brought  to  a  cleanly  way  of  be- 
lieving, so  as  to  rest  upon  Christ  alone,  as  our  Catechism  well 
expresses  it.  Bew^are  of  resting  on  your  prayers,  your  good 
preparation,  your  examination,  your  tears  your  repentance ; 


XIV.]  THK  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  435 

or  yet  beware  of  mingling  in  any  of  these  vvitli  Christ  and 
his  righteousness,  as  the  ground  on  which  you  ex[)ect  a  visit 
of  the  day-spring  from  on  high  :  no,  no,  these  old  rags  will 
not  piece  in  with  the  white  robe  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  they  will  not  cement  with  the  foundation  that  God 
has  laid  in  Zion ;  and  therefore  rest,  and  trust,  and  hope  in 
the  Lord  alone. 

But,  say  yon,  O  will  you  tell  us,  what  is  it  in  the  Lord,  or 
about  him,  that  our  faith  and  hope  may  fasten  upon,  that  he 
will  pay  us  a  visit?  I  answer,  There  is  nothing  in  him  or 
about  him  but  gives  ground  of  hope  and  trust.  More  par- 
ticularly, 

1.  Take  a  view  of  his  name,  and  let  faith  and  hope  fasten 
upon  that:  Is.  I.  10:  "  Let  him  that  walketh  in  darkness,  and 
sees  no  li<i;ht,  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  upon  his 
God."  O  sirs,  every  name  of  his  is  like  ointment  poured 
forth.  Will  you  but  think  a  little  upon  that  nnme  Inimanuel, 
God  with  w,9,  and  see  if  your  faith  and  hope  can  fasten  upon 
that  for  a  visit  of  the  day-spring  from  on  high  to  your  souls: 
he  is  not  only  God-man  in  our  nature,  but  he  is  God  nutli  us; 
that  is,  he  is  not  in  Christ  a  God  against  us,  but  a  God  for  us, 
a  God  with  us,  a  God  on  our  side  ;  he  is  on  our  side  to  take 
part  with  us  against  all  deadly  evil:  Psal.  cix.  31:  "  lie  stand- 
eth  at  the  right  hand  of  the  poor,  to  save  him  from  those  that 
would  condemn  his  soul."  He  takes  part  with  the  sinner,  to 
save  him  from  his  own  wrath,  the  curse  and  condemnation  of 
his  own  law,  to  save  him  from  Satan  and  the  world,  and 
death  and  hell :  he  is  ever  with  us  a  reconciled  God,  a  pity- 
ing, pardoning,  saving  God  in  Christ.  And  therefore,  say,  I 
trust,  that  he  who  is  Immanuel,  God  with  us,  will  even  pay  me 
a  visit  from  on  hiu;h. 

2.  Let  faith  and  hope  for  a  visit  fasten  upon  bis  word  of 
grace  and  promise.  O,  may  not  the  soul  say,  has  he  not  pro- 
mised, "  Wherever  I  cause  my  name  to  be  remembered,  I 
will  come  unto  you  and  bless  you.  Lo,  I  am  with  you,  unto 
the  end  of  the  world."  Has  he  not  promised  his  presence 
and  countenance  to  his  own  ordinances?  Has  he  not  promised 
to  "  pour  water  u|)on  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  tloods  upon  the 
dry  ground  ?"  Has  he  not  said,  "*'  I  will  be  as  the  dew  unto 
Israel,  that  his  goings  forth  are  prepared  as  the  mornincj,  and 
that  he  will  come  unto  us  as  the  rain  ;  as  the  latter  and  former 
rain  upon  the  earth,  that  the  second  day  he  will  revive  us, 
and  the  third  day  he  will  raise  us  up,  and  we  shall  live  in 
his  sight?"  O  has  he  said  it,  and  will  he  not  do  it?  has  he 
spoken,  and  shall  it  not  come  to  pass?  Yea,  he  will,  for 
*' faithful  is  he  that  hath  promised." 

Object.  But  the  promise  is  not  mine,  I  have  no  claim  to  it. 


436  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON   HIGH.  [SER. 

Answ.  The  promise  is  to  every  one  that  hears  it ;  and  if  you 
will  but  set  to  the  seal  of  faith  that  God  is  true,  it  is  yours  in 
possession  ;  and  if  you  believe  the  promise,  you  have  the  thing 
promised. 

3.  Ground  your  faith  for  a  visit  of  the  day-spring  from  on 
high,  upon  the  visits  that  he  has  already  made  to  you.  O, 
may  faith  say,  did  the  day-spring  from  on  high  rejoice  from 
eternity  "  in  the  habitable  parts  of  the  earth,  and  were  his 
delights  with  the  sons  of  men,"  before  ever  the  foundations 
of  the  world  were  laid  ?  O  has  he  made  such  an  amazing 
stoop,  as  to  be  manifested  in  the  flesh  ?  Is  he  become  my 
brother,  bone  of  my  bone,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh?  Has  he 
showed  such  good  will  towards  men,  as  to  be  made  in  the 
likeness  of  sinful  flesh  ?  And  does  he  visit  me  in  a  gospel-dis- 
pensation and  word  of  grace,  with  the  offers  of  his  grace  and 
love,  and  eternal  life  through  him?  Does  he  stand  at  my  door 
and  knock,  saying,  "Open  unto  me,  and  I  will  come  in?" 
Yet  shall  I  doubt  of  his  love  to  me  ?  shall  I  doubt,  whether 
he  will  come  and  sup  with  me,  and  I  with  him  ?  Yes,  surely, 
he  will  do  it ;  for  he  that  hath  done  the  greater,  will  also  do 
the  lesser. 

4.  Let  faith  fasten  upon  the  suretyship  of  Christ,  or  his 
substitution  in  our  room  and  stead.  He  gave  bond,  may  faith 
say,  to  his  Father,  for  the  payment  of  my  debt,  and  accord- 
ingly has  paid  it  to  the  uttermost  farthing;  he  has  paid  my 
debt  to  the  precept  of  the  law  by  his  perfect  obedience,  he 
has  paid  what  I  owed  to  the  penalty  of  the  law  and  justice  by 
his  death  on  the  cross ;  and  so  he  has  blotted  out  the  hand- 
writing that  was  against  me:  he  was  made  sin  for  me,  that  / 
might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him ;  he  zms  made 
a  curse,  that  /might  inherit  the  blessing;"  he  has  made  way 
for  his  visit  to  my  soul  in  a  way  of  love  by  the  complete  satis- 
faction of  justice  ;  and  now  his  name  is  "  the  Lord  our  right- 
eousness," And  why  then  should  I  doubt  but  that  the  day- 
spring  from  on  high  shall  pay  me  a  visit  of  love? 

5.  Let  faith  fasten  upon  the  relation  that  he  bears  to  us  in 
all  his  saving  oflices.  He  is  "  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  to  us 
this  son  is  given,  to  us  this  child  is  born;"  he  was  not  born  for 
himself,  but  for  us ;  and  whatever  he  is  as  Mediator,  that  he 
is  unto  us.  O  he  is  the  Saviour  of  sinners ;  and  will  not  the 
sinner's  Saviour  pay  the  sinner  a  visit,  who  is  looking  and 
longing  for  a  visit  from  him  ?  He  is  a  prophet,  a  teacher  of 
the  will  of  God;  and  will  not  the  master  pay  the  scholar  a 
visit  ?  He  is  a  Priest  ordained  for  men,  and  a  merciful  and 
faithful  high  Priest,  a  high  Priest  touched  with  the  feeling  of 
our  infirmities ;  and  may  not  I  then  call  for  a  visit  from  him  ? 
He  is  an  Advocate  for  the  transgressor ;  and  will  not  the  Ad- 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  437 

vocatc  visit  his  client?  lie  is  our  King;  and  will  not  the  King 
pay  a  visit  to  the  suliject  ?  will  he  not  rule  and  subdue  his 
enemies  in  rny  heart?  He  is  our  Shepherd;  and  will  not  the 
Shepherd  of  Israel  visit  his  flock  ?  Yea,  he  will;  for  "  lie  car- 
ries the  lambs  in  his  bosom,  and  gently  leads  those  that  are 
with  young."  He  is  our  Physician  that  came  to  heal  the  dis- 
eased, his  name  is  Jehovah  Bophi;  and  will  not  the  Physician 
pay  a  visit  to  his  patient?  Thus,  I  say,  let  faith  (ix  on  the  re- 
lation that  he  bears  to  us  in  his  person  and  ofKces. 

6.  Let  faith  and  hope  for  a  visit  of  love  fix  on  the  excel- 
lency of  his  loving-kindness  manifested  in  Christ,  and  display- 
ed in  the  word  of  grace.  O  sirs,  God  is  love,  love  is  the  reg- 
nant atlribute  of  his  nature;  and  his  whole  design  in  sending 
of  his  Son,  and  in  a  gospel  dispensation,  is  to  persuade  us  of 
his  love.  Now,  let  faith  fix  on  this,  and  persuade  itself,  that 
lie  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry.  See  tliis  laid  as  a  ground 
of  faith  and  hope,  Psal.  xxxvi.  G:  "How  excellent  is  thy 
loving-kindness,  O  God  !  therefore  the  children  of  men  put 
their  trust  under  the  shadow  of  thy  wings. 

7.  Let  faith  and  hope  for  a  visit  of  the  day-spring  fix  on 
the  very  design  of  this  gos[)el  ordinance  and  institution,  par- 
ticularly of  a  communion  table.  But  this  I  refer  till  after- 
wards. 


DISCOURSE  AFTER  THE  TABLES. 


Now,  my  friends,  the  day-spring  from  on  high  has  been 
visiting  us  all  in  a  gospel  dispensation,  I  mean,  in  the  word 
and  sacrament;  his  light  has  been  shining  u[)on  us:  but  I 
would  ask  you,  by  way  of  trial,  Whether  has  the  day  dawn- 
c-d,  and  the  day-star  arisen  in  your  hearts?  Has  the  light  of 
(he  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesiis  Ciirist,  shined  into  your 
hearts?  Oh,  say  you,  how  shall  I  know  that  the  day-spring 
from  on  high  has  visited  me  by  an  internal  revelation  of 
Himself  to  my  soul  ? 

I  answer,  1.  You  may  know  it  by  the  evidence  of  its  own 
light.  The  light  of  day  carries  its  own  evidence  with  it ;  so 
the  visits  (hat  Christ  makes  lo  the  souls  of  his  people,  carry 
a  self-evidencing  light  with  them,  by  which  the  soul  knows 
that  it  is  he,  and  not  another.  His  voice  has  a  peculiar  air 
with  it,  by  which  it  is  known.  Cant  ii.  8:  "The  voice  of  my 
beloved!"  &.c.  "Mv  sheep  know  my  voice,"  &-c.  His  steps 
have  a  peculiar  grace  with  them,  and  therefore  his  steps  are 

37* 


438  THE  DAY-SPRI^G  FROM  ON  HIGH.  [sER. 

called  "  steps  of  majesty ;"  there  is  something  divine  in  his 
gait  and  way  with  his  people.  His  countenance  has  a  pecu- 
liar majesty  with  it,  "U'hich  the  soul  knows,  and.  yet  cannot 
express:  Oh,  says  the  soul,  when  it  gets  a  visit,  I  cannot  de- 
scribe him,  but  this  I  can  tell  to  my  soul's  satisfaction,  that 
"  his  countenance  is  like  Lebanon,"  and  there  is  none  like 
him;  he  has  neither  match  in  heaven  nor  earth,  for  he  is  in- 
deed "fairer  than  the  children  of  men." 

2.  You  may  know  it  by  this,  that  the  visit  of  this  day-spring 
from  on  high  is  very  satisfying  and  sweet ;  "Truly  the  light  is 
sweet,  and  a  pleasant  thing  it  is  for  the  eyes  to  behold  the 
sun."  What  more  sweet  and  refreshing  than  the  spring  of  day 
to  them  that  watch  for  the  morning  ?  So  here.  When  Christ 
comes,  he  brings  soul-contentment  along  with  him:  the  man 
found  nothing  but  emptiness  in  his  comforts,  in  ministers,  or- 
dinances, word,  and  sacrament :  but  whenever  the  day-spring 
visit  comes.  Oh,  says  the  sou!,  now,  now,  this  is  what  I 
wanted  :  "  Return  unto  thy  rest,  O  my  soul,  for  the  Lord 
hath  dealt  bountifully  with  thee."  O,  says  Peter  upon  mount 
Tabor,  on  the  top  of  a  barren  mountain,  where  he  had  neither 
meat  nor  drink,  wife,  nor  children,  "  It  is  good  to  be  here." — 
"  When  I  awake,"  says  the  Psalmist,  "  I  shall  be  satisfied  with 
thy  likeness."  The  soul  finds  such  satisfaction  in  Christ's  visits, 
that  makes  all  the  stars  to  disappear:  "  I  count  all  things  but 
loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my 
Lord." 

3.  If  the  day-spring  has  visited  thy  soul,  thou  wilt  desii'e 
more  and  more  of  this  day-spring  to  break  out  from  on  high 
upon  thee,  Oli  for  more  and  more,  and  more  of  the  Lord  !  as 
when  the  day-light  breaks,  we  long  for  moi-e  of  tlie  light. 
So,  here,  Paul  knew  "  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
Christ;"  but  was  he  surfeited  with  it?  No,  though  he  saw  all 
things  to  be  but  dung  and  loss  in  respect  of  what  knowledge 
he  had  of  Christ,  yet  he  desires  to  know  more  of  him,  and  of 
the  power  of  his  resurrection,  he  forgot  what  was  behind  :  I 
do  not  speak  as  if  I  had  attained  to  all  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
that  I  desire;  no  no,  "  J  forget  thor-e  things  which  are  behind, 
and  reaching  forth  to  those  things  which  are  before,  I  press 
toward  the  mark,  for  the  prii^e  of  the  high  calling  of  God  irt 
Christ  Jesus."  And  this  is  one  great  thing  that  makes  a  be- 
liever so  willing  to  die,  because  he  hath  seen  the  Lord,  and  he 
hopes  when  he  is  dead  to  see  him  as  he  is,  to  see  him  face  to 
face,  which  he  cannot  have  here.  And  therefore  you  that 
are  stalled  or  surfeited  with  this  communion,  and  think  you 
have  just  enough  of  Christ,  it  is  a  sign  that  the  day-spring  has 
not  been  visiting  you. 

4.  If  the  day-spring  from  on  high  has  visited  you,  I  am  sure 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON    HIGH.  430 

it  has  made  thy  heart  glad  within  thee.  "  Abraham,"  says 
Christ,  "saw  my  day  afar  ofl,  and  was  glad."  He  saw  his 
day,  the  day  of  his  incarnation,  and  Ihe  day  of  salvation  to 
be  accomplished  by  him,  at  a  vast  distance,  and  was  glad.  So 
if  you  have  seen  the  spring  of  day  in  thy  soul,  it  has  made 
thee  glad.  See  for  this  that  pregnant  place.  Is.  xxxv.  1,  2: 
"  The  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for  them: 
and  the  desert  shall  rejoice,  and  blossom  as  the  rose.  It  shall 
blossom  abundantly,  and  rejoice  even  with  joy  and  singing; 
the  glory  of  Lebanon  shall  be  given  unto  it,  the  excellency 
of  Carmcl  and  Sharon :  they  shall  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  excellency  of  our  God."  And  in  the  following  verses 
you  will  see  that  it  is  such  a  joy  as  gives  the  weak  man 
strength,  ver.  3,  the  timorous  faint-hearted  man  courage, 
ver.  4,  and  makes  the  dumb  man  to  sing,  and  the  lame  man 
to  leap,  ver.  5,  G:  It  is  a  joy  that  transcends  all  worldly  joy: 
Psal.  iv.  7:  "Thou  hast  put  gladness  in  my  heart,  more  than 
in  the  time  that  Iheir  corn  and  their  wine  increased." 

5.  If  the  day-spring  from  on  high  has  visited  thy  soul,  it 
has  left  an  impression  of  it  on  thy  soul.  I  told  you  of  some 
of  the  rays  or  beams  of  this  day-spring ;  there  is  a  ray  of  wis- 
dom, a  ray  of  divine  power,  holiness,  justice,  goodness,  and 
faithfulness.  Now,  these  rays  have  left  a  proportionable  im- 
pression upon  thy  soul,  if  the  day-spring  has  been  visiting 
thee  ;  for  we  "  are  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,"  and 
are  "  changed  into  the  same  image,  by  beholding  his  glory  ;" 
a  sight  of  the  glorious  beams  of  this  day-spring  sinks  into  the 
heart,  a<pd  leaves  a  correspondent  impression  on  the  soul,  of 
tiie  communicable  attributes  of  God. 

6.  If  the  day-spring  from  on  high  has  visited  thy  soul,  it 
will  be  known  by  the  etiect  of  it  on  thy  heart  and  life.  1  name 
these  two:  (L)  A  visit  of  this  day-sjjring  will  discover  much 
emptiness  in  thyself,  and  sink  thee  into  nothing  in  thine  own 
eyes.  See  this  in  Is.  vi.  Job  xlii.  (2.)  The  light  of  this  day- 
spring  will  make  you  holy :  "  If  any  man  say  that  he  has 
seen  the  light,  and  yot  walk  in  darkness,  he  is  a  liar,  and  the 
truth  is  not  in  him ;  all  his  religion  is  but  a  fancy.  Instead 
of  seeing  ihe  day-sjiring,  thou  hast  but  seen  a  delusion  of  thine 
own  brain.  A  sight  of  the  day-spring  from  on  high  will  make 
you  groan  uiulcr  I'omaining  darkness,  enmity,  unbelief,  &c. 
Now,  I  say,  try  by  these  things  whether  you  have  seen  the 
day-sprinti  from  on,  high. 

I  shall  conclude  by  speaking  a  word  to  two  sorts  of  per- 
sons. 1.  To  you  with  whom  it  is  yet  midnight.  2.  To  you 
whom  the  day-spring  has  visited. 

Thcy?rs;sort  arc  those  with  whom  it  is  }ct  midnight,  whom 
the  day-spring  from  on  high  has  never  visited. 


440  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON  HIGH.  [sER. 

1.  Your  condition  is  uncomfortable.  How  sad  was  the  con- 
dition of  Egypt  when  plagued  with  a  darkness  that  might  be 
felt !  But  thine  is  worse  in  the  nature,  a-nd  worse  in  the  con- 
tinuance;  their  darkness  lasted  but  for  three  days,  but  thine 
will  last  to  the  days  of  eternity,  unless  infinite  mercy  prevent. 

2.  Your  condition  is  dangerous:  Prov.  iv.  19:  "The  way 
of  the  wicked  is  as  darkness."  You  know  not  your  way  :  you 
are  walking  on  the  ridge  of  eternal  destruction. 

3.  Your  condition  is  full  of  horror.  We  read  of  the  "  hor- 
ror of  darkness,"  Gen.  xv.  12.  Thou  art  compassed  with  ter- 
rors on  every  side  ;  the  terrors  of  the  law,  the  terrors  of  con- 
science, the  terrors  of  the  Almighty,  the  terrors  of  eternal 
miseries  are  all  round  about  thee,  though  perhaps  thou  art 
asleep,  and  dost  not  perceive  them,  &-c.  But  yet  1  would 
not  leave  you  in  this  hopeless  condition,  but  offer  you  a  word 
of  advice. 

1.  Be  really  convinced  of  your  miserable  case,  and  your 
own  utter  inability  to  relieve  yourselves.  You  can  no  more 
create  this  divine  light  than  you  can  make  a  sun  in  the  firma- 
ment to  arise  at  midnight.  But,  say  you,  to  vthat  purpose  do 
you  tell  us  of  our  impotency,  for  that  quite  discourages  us 
from  the  use  of  means?  Anszv.  We  tell  you  of  your  impo- 
tency not  to  discourage  you  to  use  the  means,  but  that  in  the 
use  of  means  you  may  be  driven  out  of  yourselves  to  the  Lord 
of  light,  life,  and  strength. 

2.  My  advice  to  you  is,  to  come  to  the  light  of  the  day- 
spring  that  has  visited  you  in  a  gospel  dispensation,  look  to 
that,  till  light  spring  in  upon  thy  soul.  This  is  the  advice  of 
God  himself;  2  Pet.  i.  19:  "  We  have  a  more  sure  word  of 
prophecy;  whereunto  ye  do  well  that  ye  take  heed,  as  untoa 
light  that  shinefh  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day  dawn  and 
the  day-star  arise  in  your  hearts."  Take  heed  to  it,  let  all 
your  thoughts  and  conceptions  of  God,  and  of  the  things  of 
God,  be  moulded  in  a  suitableness  to  that  revelation;  be  ev<?r 
looking  to  t!ie  Sun  shining  through  the  glass  of  the  word,  for 
it  is  through  this  glass  that  the  rays  of  God's  glory,  a  re  darted 
or  transmitted  into  the  mind  of  man.  We  receive  the  Spirit 
of  wisdom  and  revelation  "by  the  licaring  of  faith." 

3.  Look  to  "Christ,  and  you  shall  be  enlightened  and  saved, 
Psal.  xxxiv.  5:  Is.  xlv.  22.  0/y>c/.  But  I  am  blind.  A?i.szv.  Ho 
that  opens  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  commands  you  to  look  ;  and 
in  attempting  to  obey  his  command,  light  and  sight  come  in 
to  the  soul. 

The  second  sort  of  persons  are  those  on  whom  the  day-spring 
from  on  high  has  broken  up.  And  these  are  of  two  sorts.  1, 
Sonie  who  have  once  in  a  day  been  visited  with  the  day^ 


XIV.]  THE  DAY-SPRING   FROM  ON  HIGH.  44l 

spring  are  walking  in  darkness.     2.  Some  at  present  enjoy 
the  visits  of  the  day-spring. 

As  to  the  first.  O,  may  some  be  saying,  I  thought  the  day 
did  once  spring  up  in  my  soul,  and  I  saw  the  light  of  the 
Lord;  but,  alas.!  now  I  "  walk  in  darkness,  and  can  see  no 
light."  "  O  that  it  were  with  me  as  in  months  past !"  I 
thought  to  have  got  a  visit  of  the  day-spring  on  this  occasion; 
but,  alas!  I  am  going  away  as  I  came  ;  the  darkness  of  tempta- 
tion, ailliction,  desertion,  and  despondency,  overspread  my 
soul,  and  I  think  I  am  cast  out  of  his  sight.  I  shall  only  say 
two  or  three  things: — 

1.  Bless  God  that  ever  the  day-spring  did  visit  thee.  Thou 
knowest  the  ditFerence  between  light  and  darkness,  between 
absence  and  presence.  One  visit  of  this  day-spring  from  on 
high  secures  thy  state  for  ever. 

2.  When  once  the  Sun  of  righteousness  arises  on  a  soul, 
though  he  may  suffer  eclipses,  yet  he  will  never  set  again ; 
and  therefore  the  Sun  is  in  the  firmament,  and  it  is  day  with 
thee,  although  thou  dost  not  see  it,  by  reason  of  interposing 
clouds.     "  Ye  are  not  of  the  night,  but  of  the  day." 

3.  My  advice  to  you  is,  to  "  hope  in  God  :  for  you  shall  yet 
praise  him  for  the  light  of  his  countenance."  It  is  his  com- 
mand, "  Let  Israel  hope  in  the  Lord."  See  God's  command 
to  you.  Is.  1.  10:  "Who  is  among  you  that  feareth  the  Lord, 
that  obeyeth  the  voice  of  his  servant,  that  walkcth  in  dark- 
ness, and  hath  no  light  ?  let  him  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
and  stay  upon  his  God."  And,  to  encourage  you  to  hope  and 
trust,  see  what  the  Lord  says.  Is.  liv.  7,  8:  "  For  a  small  mo- 
ment have  I  forsaken  thee,  but  with  great  mercies  will  I  ga- 
ther thee.  In  a  little  wrath  I  hid  my  face  from  thee  for  a 
moment ;  but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have  mercy  on 
thee,  saith  the  Lord,  thy  Redeemer." 

As  to  the  second  sort  of  believers,  who  have  the  spring  of 
day  on  them,  have  got  a  visit  of  the  day-spring.  Thy  condi- 
tion, believer,  is  safe;  for  "the  Lord  will  be  thy  everlasting 
light."  It  is  glorious  and  comfortable :  "  Light  is  sown  for 
the  righteous,  and  gladness  for  the  upright  in  heart."  My 
advice  to  you  is, 

L  Bless  God  who  has  made  the  day-spring  to  visit  you, 
while  others  are  left  in  darkness.  Remember  thy  former 
darkness,  and  bless  the  Lord  that  has  delivered  thee  from  it, 
translated  thee  "out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light." 

2.  Walk  in  the  light  of  this  day  that  has  dawned  on  thy 
soul:  Is.  ii.  5:  "O  house  of  Jacob,  come  ye,  and  let  us  walk 
in  the  light  of  the  Lord."  This  is  Christ's  counsel,  John  xii. 
35;  Eph.  v.  8.  Walk  in  the  light  of  Christ's  example,  and  in 
the  light  of  his  commandment ;  let  them  be  a  light  to  your 


442  THE  DAY-SPRING  FROM  ON   HIGH.         '  [SER. 

feet,  and  a  lamp  to  your  path.  And  "  let  your  light  so  shine 
before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify 
your  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 

3.  Beware  of  every  thing  that  may  eclipse  the  light  of  the 
Sun  from  thy  soul;  beware  of  pride,  carnality,  worldliness, 
unbehef  and  all  untenderness  in  your  walk,  otherwise  you 
may  bring  yourselves  under  as  great  darkness  to  your  own 
feeling,  as  though  the  sun  had  never  arisen  on  you. 

4.  Long  for  the  break  of  the  everlasting  day  of  glory,  when 
the  sun  shall  never  any  more  suffer  an  eclipse.  The  Old  Tes- 
tament church  longed  for  the  break  of  the  New  Testament 
day;  and  we  that  are  under  the  New  Testament  day,  should 
long  for  the  break  of  the  day  of  glory,  saying,  "  Make  haste, 
my  beloved,  and  Idc  thou  like  to  a  roe,  or  to  a  young  hart 
upon  the  mountains  of  spices." 

Now,  because  there  are  some  young  persons  that  have  been 
at  the  Lord's  table,  who  never  were  at  it  before,  therefore  I 
conclude  with  a  word  or  two  to  them-. 

J.  "Keep  yourselves  from  idols."  Let  nothing  usurp  God's 
room  in  your  heart,  &c. 

2.  Keep  and  "save  yourselves  from  a  present  evil  world," 
that  you  be  not  seduced  or  entangled  with  snares,  &c. 

3.  Be  on  your  guard  ;  for  the  devil  will  be  on  you,  he  will 
seek  to  sift  and  winnow 'you,  and  to  draw  you  back  to  his 
service,  &c. 

4.  "  Put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God,"  and  be  often  proving 
it,  "  the  shield  of  faith,  the  helmet  of  salvation,  and  the  sword 
of  the  Spirit,"  &c. 

5.  Keep  Christ,  the  Captain  of  salvation,  ever  in  j'our 
eye,  that  you  may  be  supplied,  strengthened,  and  enlightened, 

&.C. 

6.  Be  much  on  your  knees  at  a  throne  of  grace,  "  for  grace 
and  mercy  to  help  you  in  time  of  need." 

7.  Lastly,  Be  much  in  studying  your  own  emptiness,  and 
Christ's  fulness,  and  travel  continually  betwixt  these  two. 


443 


8ERI?101\   XV. 

THE  RAIXBOW  OF  THE   COVENANT   SURROUNDING   THE  THRONE  OF 

GRACE.* 

Alul  there  was  a  rainbow  rouiifl  about  the  throne,  in  sight  like  unto  an  eme- 
rald.— llt.v.  IV.  3. 

Not  lo  stand  in  the  entry,  \vc  may  notice  here  three  things 
which  John  saw  in  a  vision.  1.  A  throne  set  in  heaven,  in  the 
close  of  the  2d  verse.  2.  The  glorious  Majesty  that  sat  on 
the  throne,  who  was  like  a  jasper,  and  a  sardine  stone,  for  l)right- 
ness.  3.  The  canopy  of  the  throne,  a  rainbow  round  about  it, 
in  colour  like  unto  an  emerald.  1  understand  the  whole  of  this 
to  have  a  respect  innmed lately  to  the  church  militant  here 
upon  earth,  and  the  glorious  dispensation  of  the  grace  of  God 
under  the  New  I'estament  economy.  And  that  which  in- 
clines me  to  understand  it  in  this  view,  is,  because  this  vision 
is  prophetical,  and  has  a  respect  to  things  that  were  to  be 
done  afterward,  as  you  see  in  the  1st  verse,  "Come  up  hither, 
and  I  will  show  thee  things  which  must  be  hereafter;"  that 
is,  things  which  are  to  be  transacted  in  the  church  in  the  suc- 
ceeding ages  and  generations  of  the  world.  And  therefore  by 
the  throne  here  that  was  set  in  heaven,  I  understand  the  throne 
of  grace,  to  which  we  are  invited  to  "come  with  boldness,  for 
crace  and  mercy  to  help  in  time  of  need,"  Heb.  iv.  16;  the 
throne  which  has  justice  satisfied,  and  judgment  executed 
upon  the  Son  of  God,  for  its  basis  and  foundation,  Psal.  Ixxxix. 
12;  the  throne  of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb,  from  which  pro- 
ceeds "a  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,"  Rev. 
xxii.  1.  And  this  throne  is  said  to  be  "set  in  heaven."  Not 
as  if  God's  throne  of  grace  were  only  in  heaven  properly  so 
called;  for  we  tind  the  church  militant  on  earth  frequently 
expressed  by  heaven  in  scripture :  Heb.  xii.  22.  She  is  called 
"  the  Heavenly  Jerusalem,"  to  wit,  the  church,  1  Pet.  ii.  9 ; 
the  "  heavenly  nation."  And  therefore  by  heave?!  here  we 
may  understand  the  church  of  God  in  general.  And  it  is  so 
called,  to  show  that  the  hearts  of  believers,  even  while  here 
upon  earth,  are  in  heaven,  they  are  "  desiring  a  better  coun- 
try, that  is,  a  heavenly  ;"  and   when  they  address  a  throne 

•  Beinj^  the  substance  of  several  Sermons,  preached  at  the  sacrament,  at 
Muckhurt,  June  23,  1728;  and  enlurjfcd  upon  at  Abernelhy,  on  Sutuiday  and 
Sabbatii,  July  5,  and  6. 


4i4  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [sER. 

of  grace,  they  have  their  eyes  upon  an  exalted  Christ,  who  is 
-"  set  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high,"  and  his 
ministry  in  the  heavenly  sanctuary.  By  him  that  sits  on  the 
thro?ie,  I  understand  Christ,  or  God  in  our  nature,  not  ex- 
cluding the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  for  it  is  "  the  throne 
of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb."  Ezek.  i.  26.  We  have  the  same 
description  of  a  throne  in  a  vision,  and  we  are  told,  that 
"  above  upon  the  throne  was  the  appearance  of  a  man," 
which  can  be  applied  to  none  other  than  the  man  Christ  Jesus; 
and  there  is  no  doubt  but  it  is  the  same  throne,  and  the  same 
person  sitting  on  it,  that  was  seen  both  by  Ezekiel,  and  the 
apostle  John.  As  for  his  posture,  he  is  represented  as  "  sit- 
ting upon  the  throne."  This  points  at  the  perpetuity  of  his 
government;  that  he  is  in  quiet  possession  of  it,  it  being  for 
ever  out  of  the  power  of  his  enemies  to  disturb  his  adminis- 
tration. We  are  told  here,  farther,  that  his  appearance  upon 
the  throne  was  "  like  a  jasper  and  a  sardine  stone."  These 
stones  being  unknown  to  us,  we  shall  not  take  up  time  in  tell- 
ing you  what  is  said  about  them  by  naturalists,  and  some  cu- 
rious interpreters;  only  we  are  told,  in  short,  the  jasper  is  a 
bright  transparent  stone,  representing  to  the  eye  a  variety  of 
the  most  vivid  or  lively  colours ;  the  sardine  is  said  to  be  red. 
The  scope  is  plainly  this,  to  point  out  the  admirable  and  in- 
conceivable glory  and  excellency  of  an  exalted  Christ.  Such 
is  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory  shining  in  him,  now 
when  he  is  upon  the  throne,  that  all  the  precious  things  on 
earth  put  together  are  but  faint  shadows  and  representations 
of  his  divine  glory  and  excellency.  The  brightness  of  {\\e  jas- 
per, and  the  redness  of  the  sardijie  stone,  are  put  together,  to 
show  that  he  is  tn/u7e  and  ruddy;  white  in  his  divine,  ruddy 
in  his  human  nature ;  white  in  his  holiness,  red  in  his  suffer- 
ing :  the  bright  and  glorious  perfections  of  God,  shining  through 
the  rent  veil  of  his  human  nature,  do  as  it  were  receive  a 
tincture  of  red  from  the  veil  through  which  they  are  trans- 
mitted. In  Is.  Ixiii.  1,  2,  he  is  said  to  be  glorious,  and  yet 
^^  red  in  his  apparel;"  and  his  appearance  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  is,  as  it  were,  of  a  Lamb  slain,  having  the  sprinkling 
of  his  blood  about  him,  which  was  shed  upon  Mount  Calvary, 
and  which  cries  for  "  better  things  than  the  blood  of  Abel." 

But  now  I  come  to  that  part  of  John's  vision,  which  I  have 
principally  in  view,  and  that  is  the  canopy  of  state  which  co- 
vers the  throne,  and  him  that  sat  on  it,  in  the  close  of  the  3d 
verse:  "And  there  was  a  rainbow  round  about  the  throne, 
in  sight  like  unto  an  emerald." 

Where,  again,  notice,  1.  The  covering  of  the  throne ;  it 
was  very  stately,  like  a  rainbow.     2.  The  circuit  of  this  co- 


XV.]  SURROU^DING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  445 

vering ;  it  was  round  about  the  throne.     3.  The  colour  of  it ;  it 
was  tike  unto  an  emerald. 

Here  1  conceive  there  is  a  manifest  allusion  to  God's  cove- 
nant with  Noah,  Gen.  ix.  When  God  called  back  the  wa- 
ters of  the  deluge  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth,  he  made  a 
promise,  and  bound  himself  by  covenant,  that  he  would  ne- 
ver "  destroy  the  earth  any  more  by  water ;"  and,  in  token 
of  his  faithfulness  in  this  matter,  he  set  his  bow  in  the  clouds. 
With  allusion  to  this,  God's  throne  of  grace,  or  his  mercy-seat, 
from  which  all  the  promises  of  the  covenant  do  proceed,  is 
said  to  be  surrounded  with  a  raitibow :  to  signify,  that  as  God 
deals  with  his  people  in  the  way  of  a  covenant,  so  his  faith- 
fulness in  that  "covenant  is  established  in  the  very  heavens." 
And  this  bow  surrounding  the  throne  is  said  to  be  in  colour 
like  unto  an  emerald,  that  is,  of  a  green  colour ;  to  signify,  that 
his  covenant,  by  virtue  of  the  faithfulness  of  him  that  sits  upon 
the  throne,  is  ever  the  same;  without  any  shadow  of  turning: 
"The  fashion  of  this  world"  withereth  and  "  passeth  away; 
but  the  word  of  the  Lord,"  his  word  of  grace  and  promise, 
"  endureth  for  ever." 

The  doctrine  I  take  notice  of  from  the  words  is  this : 
DocT.  "That  God's  covenant  of  grace,  and  his  faithfulness 
engaged  in  it,  is   like  a  beautiful  rainbow  surrounding   the 
throne  of  grace,  for  the  encouragement  of  our  faith  and  trust 
in  him  that  sits  on  it." 

In  discoursing  on  this  doctrine,  I  shall,  through  divine  as- 
sistance, do  these  things  following : — 

I.  Otfer  a  few  thoughts  respecting  the  covenant  of  grace 
or  promise. 

II.  Concerning  the  faithfulness  of  God  engaged  in  this  co- 
venant. 

III.  Take  a  view  of  this  covenant,  imder  the  similitude  of 
a  rainbow,  in  colour  like  unto  an  emerald,  surrounding  the  throne 
of  ffrace. 

IV.  Speak  a  little  of  that  faith  or  trust  which  the  sight  of 
this  bow  of  the  covenant  should  beget  in  us. 

V.  Apply  the  whole. 

I.  The  first  thing  proposed  is,  to  offer  a  few  thoughts  respect- 
ing the  covenant  of  grace  and  promise.     And, 

1.  I  remark,  that  the  occasion  of  the  covenant  of  grace, 
like  that  of  God's  covenant  with  Noah,  was  a  deluge  of  wrath, 
which  broke  out  upon  Adam,  and  all  his  family,  for  the 
breach  and  violation  of  the  covenant  of  works.  This  is  what 
is  pointed  at,  Ezek.  xvi.  4 — 8;  where  you  sec  that  which 

VOL.  I.  38 


446  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

gave  occasion  to  God's  entering  into  a  covenant  of  grace,  is 
that  miserable  state  man  had  brought  himself  into  by  sin : 
"  When  I  passed  by  thee,  and  saw  thee  polluted  in  thine  own 
blood,  behold,  thy  time  was  the  time  of  love,  and  I  spread  my 
skirt  over  thee,  and  covered  thy  nakedness :  yea,  I  sware 
unto  thee,  and  entered  into  a  covenant  with  thee,  saith  the 
Lord  God,  and  thou  becamest  mine."  Here  it  may  readily 
be  asked.  What  is  that  state  we  are  reduced  to  by  the  breach 
of  the  first  covenant?  1  answer,  in  short,  it  is  a  state  of  sin ; 
original  sin,  like  a  contagion,  has  overrun  all  men,  and  the 
whole  man  "  from  the  crown  of  the  head  to  the  sole  of  the 
foot."  It  is  a  state  of  alienation  and  estrangement  from  God ; 
we  are  "  alienated  from  the  very  life  of  God,  through  the  ig- 
norance that  is  in  us;"  like  tiie  prodigal,  we  have  gone  into 
a  far  country,  and  care  not  for  returning  to  our  Father's 
house.  Yea  more,  it  is  a  state  of  enmity  and  hostility  against 
God:  "  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,"  we  are  "ene- 
mies in  our  minds  by  wicked  works."  It  is  a  godless  and 
hopeless  state ;  therefore  are  we  said  to  be  "  without  God,  and 
without  hope  in  the  world."  It  is  a  state  worse  than  Egyp- 
tian darkness;  w^e  are  not  simply  in  the  dark,  but  we  are 
darkness  itself:  "  Once  ye  were  darkness."  It  is  a  state  of 
impotency  and  weakness;  "for  when  we  were  yet  without 
strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died  for  us."  It  is  a  state  of  bond- 
age and  captivity  to  sin,  Satan,  and  the  world ;  we  arc  led 
captive  by  these  potent  enemies.  It  is  a  cursed  and  con- 
demned state ;  we  are  "  condemned  already,  and  the  wrath  of 
God  abideth  on  us."  It  is  a  state  of  death  ;  we  are  dead  spi- 
ritually, under  the  power  of  sin,  and  lying  upon  the  very  bor- 
ders of  eternal  death.  Now,  this  is  the  condition  we  are  re- 
duced to  by  the  fall;  upon  which  account  we  may  well  take 
up  that  melancholy  song,  "  The  crown  is  fallen  from  our  head: 
wo  unto  us  that  we  have  sinned."  However,  infinite  mercy 
and  love  takes  occasion  from  this  miserable  and  ruined  state 
of  man,  to  enter  into  a  new  covenant,  even  a  covenant  of 
grace,  in  order  to  his  deliverance. 

2.  I  remark,  that  the  rise  and  spring  of  this  covenant  of 
grace  was  not  foreseen  faith  or  good  works,  or  any  thing  else 
in  the  creature  ;  but  only  the  free  and  surprising  love  of  God: 
John  iii.  IG :  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  th;;it  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  should  not  pe- 
rish, but  have  everlasting  life."  Jer.  xxxi.  3:  "I  have  loved 
thee  with  an  everlastine  love:  therefore  with  loving-kindness 
have  I  drawn  thee."  This  love  of  God  to  lost  sinners  was 
altogether,  and  absolutely  free ;  free  in  opposition  to  merit, 
free  in  opposition  to  constraint;  it  has  no  other  cause  but 
only  the  freedom  of  his  own  will,  Eph.  i.  4,  5.     And  as  it  is 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THK  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  447 

free,  so  it  is  superlatively  great ;  love  that  passeth  knowledge; 
love  which  hath  a  height  and  depth,  a  breadth  and  length, 
wiiich  can  never  be  fathomed,  or  found  out.  It  is  distinguish- 
ing love ;  it  lighted  upon  men,  when  it  passed  by  angels  that 
fell ;  it  lighted  upon  some  of  Adam's  family,  when  it  passed 
by  others, 

3.  I  remark  that  this  covenant  of  grace,  in  the  original 
make  and  constitution  of  it,  was  transacted  with  Christ  as  a 
new-covenant  head,  a  public  person,  representing  all  the  spi- 
ritual seed  which  the  Lord  had  given  him ;  for,  sirs,  you  are 
aware,  that  since  the  fall  of  man,  God  never  entered  into 
any  covenant  with  him  directly  and  imiYiediately,  but  only  by 
the  intervention  of  a  Surety  and  Mediator.  Hence,  in  our 
Larger  Catechism,  in  answer  to  that  question,  '  With  whom 
was  the  covenant  of  grace  madel'  the  answer  is,  that,  'it 
was  made  with  Christ,  and  with  the  elect  in  him,  as  his  seed.' 
Hence  it  is  that  we  read  of  "  grace  given  us  in  Christ,  before 
the  world  began."  In  this  covenant  there  are  some  things  that 
relate  particularly  to  Christ  himself  as  Surety  and  Redeemer, 
and  some  things  in  it  that  relate  to  the  members  and  seed  of 
Christ.  The  Father  having  promised  sufficient  furniture  and 
through-bearing  to  his  Son,  both  for  the  purpose  and  ap- 
plication of  our  redemption ;  the  Son,  not  only  undertakes  to 
satisfy  justice,  to  fulfil  the  law,  to  bruise  the  head  of  the  old 
serpent,  but  also  by  his  Spirit,  which  he  would  send  into  their 
hearts,  to  sprinkle  them  with  clean  water,  to  "  take  away  the 
stony  heart,"  to  enlighten  them,  to  justify  them,  to  adopt  and 
sanctify  them,  and  at  last  to  present  them  "  without  spot  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing."  And  when  all  this  comes  to  be 
revealed  and  set  forth  in  a  gospel  dispensation,  what  is  in- 
cumbent upon  us,  but  to  subscribe  to  this  glorious  transaction 
and  plan  of  redemption,  that  was  laid  by  Infinite  Wisdom  1 
Thus,  I  say,  the  covenant  of  grace  was  originally  transacted 
with  (Christ,  and  with  us  in  him,  and  through  him.  And  they 
wiio,  either  in  print  or  pulpit  ridicule  or  exclaim  against  this, 
as  a  new  scheme  of  doctrine,  do  not  ridicule  us,  but  the 
doctrine  asserted  by  the  church  of  Scotland  in  her  standards ; 
which,  as  it  is  founded  upon  the  word  of  God,  so  we  are 
bound  by  solemn  covenant  to  cleave  to  it. 

4.  I  remark,  that  the  revekition  of  this  covenant  of  grace, 
transacted  with  "  Christ,  before  the  world  began,"  was  made 
very  early  to  our  first  parents  in  Paradise,  immediately  after 
the  fall:  Gen.  iii.  15:  "  The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise 
the  head  of  the  serpent."  Here  it  was  that  the  grand  secret, 
whicli  lay  in  the  breast  of  God,  did  first  break  forth.  When 
our  first  parents  were  waiting,  with  a  trembling  heart,  every 
moment  for  the  execution  of  tlie  sentence  of  the  broken  cove- 


448  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

nant  of  works ;  behold,  glad  tidings  of  great  joy  are  issued 
out  from  a  throne  of  grace ;  namely,  that  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  the  Son  of  God  was  to  take  on  the  seed  of  the  woman, 
and  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  to  destroy  the  devil  and  his 
w^orks,  and  redeem  man  from  that  gulf  of  misery  into  which 
he  was  plunged.  This  was  the  covenant  of  grace.  And  it 
is  remarkable,  that  in  its  first  edition,  it  came  forth  in  a  pro- 
mise of  Christ ;  this  was  enlarged  and  explained  to  Abraham, 
Moses,  David,  and  yet  more  fully  opened  after  the  Babylonish 
captivity,  by  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel,  and  other  prophets,  till  Christ 
himself  actually  came,  in  whom  all  the  Old  Testament  types, 
prophecies,  and  promises,  received  their  full  accomplishment. 
And  having  by  his  death  "  confirmed  the  covenant  with  ma- 
ny," the  covenant  of  grace,  after  his  resurrection  and  exalta- 
tion,' came  forth  in  its  last  and  best  edition ;  namely,  in  the 
form  of  a  "  testament,"  having  the  two  great  sacraments  of 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  appended  to  it,  as  full  and  in- 
contestable evidences  of  its  being  confirmed  by  his  death. 
This  glorious  charter  has  now  passed  the  seal,  and  therefore 
faith  may  make  use  of  it  with  boldness. 

5.  I  remark,  that  this  covenant  of  grace,  or  testament  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  may  be  viewed  and  considered  in  its 
dispensation  or  exhibition.  God,  in  his  infinite  wisdom,  for 
reaching  the  great  end  and  design  of  a  covenant  of  grace, 
has  appointed  ordinances,  the  word,  sacraments,  and  prayer, 
and  other  proper  means,  by  which  the  benefits  of  his  death, 
and  blessings  of  his  covenant,  may  come  to  be  actually  ap- 
plied to  us;  he  has  authorized  ministers  to  dispense  the  word 
and  sacraments,  that  by  these,  as  through  conduit  pipes,  his 
grace  and  fulness  may  be  communicated  to  us.  And  here  it 
should  be  remembered,  that  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  the 
dispensation  and  exhibition  of  it,  comes  to  every  man's  door ; 
it  is  presented  as  the  ground  and  foundation  of  faith  in  com- 
mon to  all  the  hearers  of  the  gospel,  elect  and  reprobate. 
We  call  all  and  every  one  to  take  hold  of  God's  covenant, 
and  tell  them,  "  To  you  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent ; 
The  promise,"  or  covenant,  "is  unto  you,  and  to  your  children, 
and  to  all  that  are  afar  oft',  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our 
God  shall  call." 

6.  I  remark,  that  this  covenant  of  grace  may  be  consi- 
dered in  the  application  and  execution  of  it.  And  this, is  either 
initiatoi'y,  progressive,  or  consummate.  (L)  I  say,  there  is 
the  initiatory  application,  or  the  soul's  first  entry  into  the 
bond  of  the  covenant ;  or  rather,  the  Spirit  of  the  great  new 
covenant  Head  taking  hold  of  the  poor  soul,  and  the  soul  at 
the  same  moment  taking  hold  of  the  covenant  by  faith,  re- 
ceives it  as  a  good  and  sufficient  security  for  that  life  and 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  449 

happiness,  which  was  lost  by  the  sin  of  the  first  Adam.  This* 
is  in  scripture  called  "  the  day  of  espousals,"  in  which  the 
soul  does  as  it  were,  sign  and  subscribe  the  marriage-con- 
tract, saying,  "  I  am  the  Lord's."  (2.)  There  is  the  farther 
improvement  of  this  covenant  of  grace,  for  the  soul's  daily 
supply  in  a  way  of  believing,  by  which  it  is  made  to  "grow 
in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
This  is  called  a  "  drawing  water  with  joy  out  of  the  wells 
of  salvation."  The  believer  finding  himself  under  this  and 
the  other  want,  improves  the  promises  of  the  covenant,  as 
they  are  suited  and  adapted  to  his  case.  And  thus  the  work 
of  sanctification  is  daily  advanced:  "they  shall  go  from 
strength  to  strength."  (3.)  There  is  the  full  execution  of 
the  designs  of  this  covenant,  when  the  soul  is  brought  to 
glory,  and  "  presented  faultless  before  the  presence  of  God, 
without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing."  When  Christ, 
who  is  our  life,  shall  appear,  then  shall  we  also  appear  with 
him  in  glory."  At  that  day,  the  covenant,  and  all  the  con- 
cerns of  it,  are  fully  executed  and  ])erformed,  even  ihe  day  of 
Jt'sus  Christ :  Phil.  i.  (> :  '•  Being  confident  of  this  very  thing, 
that  he  whicii  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you,  will  perform 
it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ."  So  much  for  the  Jirst  thing 
proposed,  which  was,  to  give  you  some  views  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace. 

II.  T/ie  second  thing  was,  to  speak  a  little  of  the  faithfulness 
of  God  engaged  i?i  the  cove?iant,  zchich  is  here  resembled  to  the 
rainbow  about  the  throne,  in  colour  like  tinto  ««  emerald.  For 
the  illustration  of  this  head,  I  shall,  1.  Inquire  what  the  faith- 
fulness of  God  implies.  2.  How  far  this  faithfulness  is  en- 
gaged in  the  covenant. 

For  the  first,  I  shall  clear  it  in  the  following  particulars  : — 

\.  God's  covenant  of  grace  or  promise  is  no  hasty  or  inde- 
liberate deed,  but  the  result  of  his  eternal  purpose  and  counsel. 
Men  many  times  speak  before  they  think ;  and  when  they 
liave  passed  their  word,  they  would  be  content  to  eat  it  in 
again,  because  they  speak  frequently  before  they  consider 
matters  duly.  But  no  such  thing  is  incident  to  God ;  his 
promise  is  nothing  else  than  a  revelation  of  his  counsel  and 
purpose  of  grace  before  the  world  began  ;  and  therefore  every 
word  he  speaks  is  sure  and  stable,  like  mountains  of  brass, 
which  cannot  be  shaken. 

2.  God  thinks  as  he  speaks  in  his  covenant  and  promise.  I 
remember  it  is  given  as  the  character  of  a  true  citizen  of 
Ziun,  that  "  he  speaks  the  truth  in  his  heart,"  Psal.  xv.  2;  that 
is,  his  words  and  his  thoughts  agree  together ;  the  one  is  the 
exact  transcri[)t  or  coj)y  of  the  other.  And  if  this  be  the 
characlor  of  the  citizens  of  Zion,  much  more  is  it  so  of  Zion's 

38* 


450  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

God  and  King,  who  "  desires  truth  in  the  inward  parts."  He 
does  not  say  one  thing,  and  think  another ;  he  hates  all  disin- 
genuoLisness  in  others,  and  therefore  cannot  be  guilty  of  it 
himself:  his  words  are  so  much  the  picture  of  his  heart,  that 
we  may  lawfully  and  warrantably  look  into  his  heart  in  and 
by  the  words  of  his  mouth. 

3.  God  cannot  forget  his  covenant  and  promise.  Men  will 
many  times  make  promises,  and  forget  them  as  soon  as 
they  are  made ;  but  it  cannot  be  so  with  God,  "  he  is  ever 
mindful  of  his  covenant,"  his  mercy  and  truth  is  ever  before 
his  face.  And  therefore  it  is  an  unjust  reflection  on  a  God 
of  truth,  to  say  or  think  that  he  has  "  forgotten  to  be  gra- 
cious." A  woman  may  sooner  forget  her  sucking  child,  than 
God  can  forget  his  children,  or  his  promise  made  to  them. 
He  remembers  every  good  word  or  thought  of  ours,  and 
has  a  book  of  remembrance  for  them ;  surely  then  he  will 
not,  he  cannot,  forget  his  own  word  of  promise.  It  is  true, 
(Is.  xKii.  26,)  we  are  commanded  to  "  put  him  in  remem- 
brance ;"  and,  accordingly  David,  (Psak  cxix.  49,)  says  to 
God,  "  Remember  the  word  unto  thy  servant,  upon  which 
thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope."  But  this  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood, as  if  God  needed  to  have  his  memory  helped  by  us ; 
but  only  to  excite  us  to  our  duty,  to  quicken  us  to  faith  and 
fervency  in  prayer,  according  to  the  direction,  Ezek.  xxxvi. 
37:  "  For  these  things  I  will  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of 
Israel,  that  I  may  do  it  for  them." 

4.  God  cannot  change  his  mind.  Our  unbelieving  hearts 
are  ready  sometimes  to  suggest,  that  when  God  made  the 
promise,  he  might  have  thoughts  of  grace  and  love  in  his 
heart,  but  perhaps  now  he  has  altered  his  way  of  thinking ; 
his  thoughts  have  taken  another  turn.  But  this  cannot  be,  for 
"  he  is  of  one  mind,  and  who  can  turn  him  ?'  there  is  "  no 
variableness,"  or  so  much  as  a  "shadow  of  turning"  with 
him ;  he  is  "  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever."  Psal. 
cii.  25 — 27  :  "  Of  old  hast  thou  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
earth  :  and  the  heavens  are  the  work  of  thy  hands.  They 
shall  perish,  but  thou  shalt  endure  :  yea,  all  of  them  shall 
wax  old  like  a  garment ;  as  a  vesture  shalt  thou  change  them, 
and  they  shall  be  changed.  But  thou  art  the  same,  and  thy 
years  shall  have  no  end."  Whatever  changes  there  may  be 
in  his  carfiage  towards  us,  yet  there  can  be  no  change  in  his 
heart ;  consequently,  no  change  or  alteration  in  his  covenant. 

5.  As  God  never  changes  his  mind,  so  he  never  breaks  his 
word  ;  he  always  performs  what  he  promises.  Many  a  time 
the  bejiever  has  found  him  better  than  his  word,  but  never 
worse  than  his  word.  This  is  what  Joshua  observed  in  his 
last  speech  to  Israel,  Jos.  xxiii.  14:  "  And  ye  know  in  all  your 


XV.]        SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.         451 

hearts,  and  in  all  your  souls,  that  not  one  thing  hath  failed  of 
all  the  good  things  which  the  Lord  your  God  spake  con- 
cerning you  ;  all  are  come  to  pass  unto  you,  and  not  one  thing 
hath  failed  thereof"  As  if  he  had  said,  I  a])peal  to  your  con- 
science if  he  has  not  been  a  faithful  God  in  performing  his 
promise  to  you.  Thus  you  see  wherein  the  faithfulness  of 
God  consists. 

For  the  second,  to  wit,  how  far  the  faithfulness  of  God  is  en- 
gaged in  the  covenant  of  grace  ?  I  answer,it  is  so  far  engaged, 
that  he  has  given  all  the  security  that  it  is  possible  for  God  to 
give.     For, 

1.  His  covenant  is  subscribed,  and  that  with  his  own  blood. 
God,  as  it  were,  dips  his  pen  in  the  heart-blood  of  his  own 
Son,  and  therewith  subscribes  the  covenant.  Hence  the  blood 
of  Christ  is  called  "  the  blood  of  the  testament, — This  is  the 
New  Testament  in  my  blood." 

2.  The  covenant  of  grace  is  not  only  subscribed,  but  at- 
tested by  a  glorious  Trinity,  in  the  capacity  of  three  witnesses: 
1  John  v.  7:  "There  arc  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven, 
the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  these  three 
are  one." 

3.  It  is  a  sealed  bargain,  sealed  with  the  oath  of  God,  in 
which  he  has  pawned  his  very  life  for  the  performance  of  it. 
He  gave  his  oath  to  the  covenant  Head ;  Psal.  Ixxxix.  35 : 
"Once  have  I  sworn  by  my  holiness,  that  I  will  not  lie  unto 
David."  He  gives  his  oath  to  the  seed  of  Christ ;  Heb.  vi.  17: 
"  God,  willing  more  abundantly  to  show  unto  the  heirs  of  pro- 
mise the  immutability  of  his  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an  oath." 
It  is  sealed  with  the  death  of  the  Testator,  Heb.  ix.  IG— 18. 
It  is  sealed  with  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  supper, 
which  are  like  the  delivering  of  earth  and  stone  upon  an  en- 
feofliiient.  And  the  moment  that  a  sinner  takes  hold  of  it, 
he  seals  it  upon  the  heart  by  his  Holy  Spirit;  Eph.  i.  13: 
"In  whom  also  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with 
that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inhe- 
ritance." 

4.  This  covenant  or  testament  has  the  faithfulness  of  (iod 
so  far  engaged  in  it,  that  for  farther  s(!cui"ity,  it  is  registered 
in  heaven  among  the  antiquities  of  the  land  afar  off,  Psal. 
cxix.  89:  "  For  ever,  O  Lord,  thy  word  is  settled  in  heaven  ;" 
registered  upon  earth,  "  in  the  volume  of  his  book,"  which  is 
a  "  more  sure  word  of  prophecy,"  than  an  immediate  voice 
from  heaven;  and  therefore  "we  do  well  to  take  heed  to  it, 
as  to  a  light  shining  in  a  dark  place."  This  nuich  for  the 
second  thing  proposed. 

III.  The  third  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  take  a  view  of 
this  covenant  of  grace,  and  the  faithfulness  of  God  engaged  in  it. 


452  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

under  the  similitude  and  representation  of  a  rainbow  surrounding 
the  throne,  in  colour  like  unto  an  emerald.  And  here  I  shall 
endeavour  to  do  these  three  things.  1.  View  the  covenant 
under  the  similitude  of  a  rainbow.  2.  Inquire  why  this  bow 
is  said  to  be  round  about  the  throne.  3.  Why  it  is  said  to  be 
i?i  colour  like  unto  an  emerald. 

First,  I  say,  I  would  view  the  covenant  of  grace  under  this 
metaphor  of  the  rainbow  in  the  text. 

1.  Then,  the  rainbow  was  of  God's  setting:  "I  have  set 
my  bow  in  the  clouds."  So  the  covenant  of  grac^e  is  of  God's 
making :  "  I  have  made  a  covenant  with  my  chosen. — Hear, 
and  your  souls  shall  live,  and  I  will  make  an  everlasting  cove- 
nant with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David. — I  will  make 
an  everlasting  covenant  with  them,  that  I  will  never  turn 
away  from  them  to  do  them  good."  Beware  of  thinking  that 
the  covenant  is  of  your  making.  It  is,  indeed,  your  duty  to 
take  hold  of  God's  covenant,  and  to  come  under  engagements, 
through  the  grace  thereof,  to  observe  all  the  duties  command- 
ed in  the  law:  but  do  not  think  that  your  engaging,  or  pro- 
mising and  covenanting,  can  make  or  constitute  th'e  covenant 
of  grace :  no,  it  is  God  that  both  makes  the  covenant,  and 
leads  our  heart  and  hand  in  taking  holdof  it,  and  in  engaging 
to  these  duties  of  obedience,  which  are  consequent  to  our  be- 
ing in  covenant  with  the  Lord:  Heb.  viii.  10:  "This  is  the 
covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel,  after  those 
days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind,  and 
write  them  in  their  hearts:  and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and 
they  shall  be  to  me  a  people."  The  covenant  of  grace  is  as 
much  of  God's  making,  as  the  forming  of  the  bow  in  the 
clouds,  which  cannot  be  done  by  the  hands  of  men. 

2.  The  bow  was  set  in  the  clouds  upon  God's  smelling  a  sweet 
savour  in  Noah's  sacrifice;  as  you  will  see  in  the  close  of  the 
eighth  and  ninth  chapters  of  the  book  of  Genesis.  So  here, 
upon  Christ,  our  blessed  Noah,  engaging  to  make  himself  a 
sacrifice  to  justice  in  our  room  and  stead,  and  God  smelling  a 
sweet  savour  in  his  death  and  satisfaction,  God  sets  his  bow 
of  the  covenant  in  his  church.  O  sirs,  if  it  had  not  been  for 
the  satisfaction  which  our  Surety  oflTered,  this  bow  of  the  co- 
venant had  never  appeared  in  our  heavens. 

3.  God's  bow  in  the  clouds  is  a  security  against  the  waters 
of  the  deluge,  that  they  shall  never  return  any  more  to  de- 
stroy the  earth :  and,  indeed,  the  bow  in  the  heaven  is  a 
greater  security  against  it,  than  the  sands  and  rocks  with 
which  it  is  surrounded.  So  the  covenant  of  grace,  founded 
upon,  and  sealed  with  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  is  a  glorious  , 
security  against  the  devouring  deluge  of  divine  wrath,  that  it 
shall  never  return  to  destroy  any  soul  that  by  faith  flees  to 


XV.]        SURROUNDING  THE  THRONK  OF  GRACE.         453 

Christ,  and  takes  shelter  under  the  covert  of  his  blood  and 
righteousness.  Whenever  a  man  sees  the  rainbow,  it  yields 
him  peace  and  safety  against  the  fears  of  another  deluge, 
though  ever  such  hurricanes  or  tempests  were  blowing  out 
of  the  heavens :  though  the  sea  were  roaring,  and  its  waves 
swelling,  as  though  it  would  swallow  up  the  dry  land ;  yet 
the  sight  of  God's  bow  in  the  clouds  puts  us  out  of  fear  of  a 
universal  deluge.  So,  here,  whenever  a  poor  soul  by  faith 
takes  a  view  of  the  bow  of  the  covenant  surrounding  God's 
throne  of  grace,  it  yields  him  peace;  he  is  made  to  see,  that 
whatever  be  God's  dispensations,  whatever  be  the  appear- 
ance of  his  providences;  yet  the  deluge  of  his  vindictive 
wrath  having  spent  itself  upon  the  Surety,  justice  itself  be- 
comes the  sinner's  security,  by  virtue  of  the  covenant  of  grace: 
Is,  liv.  9:  "For  this  is  as  the  waters  of  Noah  unto  me:  for  as 
I  have  sworn  that  the  waters  of  Noah  should  no  more  go  over 
the  earth ;  so  have  I  sworn  that  1  would  not  be  wroth  with 
thee,  nor  rebuke  thee." 

4.  The  rainbow  (as  naturalists  think)  is  just  a  reflection  of 
the  beams  of  the  sun;  and  it  is  the  sun  that  gives  being  to  the 
rainbow:  take  away  the  sun  out  of  the  firmament,  there 
would  be  no  rainbow  in  the  clouds.  So,  here,  it  is  Christ,  the 
Sun  of  righteousness,  that  gives  being  to  the  covenant  of  grace; 
he  is  the  very  life  and  substance  of  it :  "I  will  give  thee  for 
a  covenant  of  the  people."  What  are  all  the  promises  of  the 
covenant,  but  the  rays  of  grace  and  love  flowing  out  from 
-Christ,  "the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory?"  All  the  pro- 
mises are  "  in  him,"  and  in  him  they  are  "  yea  and  amen." — 
Take  away  Christ,  and  the  promise  is  not,  the  covenant  is 
not. 

5.  Although  the  arch  of  the  bow  is  high  above  us,  reach- 
ing to  the  heaven ;  yet  the  extremes  of  it  stoop  down  to  the 
earth,  and  come  near  to  every  man ;  yea,  one  would  think, 
wherever  he  is,  or  whatever  place  of  the  world  he  is  in,  still 
the  end  of  the  rainbow  is  pointing  towards  him.  Just  so  it  is 
with  the  covenant  of  grace ;  although  the  great  covcnant- 
iiead  be  in  heaven,  yet  the  covenant  itself  stoops  down  to  men 
upon  earth,  Rom.  x.  6 — 8:  "Say  not  in  thine  heart,  Who 
shall  ascend  into  heaven?  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ  down  from 
above,)  or.  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep  ?  (that  is,  to  bring 
up  Christ  again  from  the  dead;)  but  whatsaith  it?  The  word 
is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart:  that  is,  the 
word  of  faith,  which  we  preach."  Jiy  the  "  righteousness  of 
faith,"  spoken  of  in  the  sixth  verse,  some  of  our  best  interpre- 
ters do  undeistand  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  which  is  so  Called, 
because  therein  God  brings  near  his  righteousness  to  us;  yea, 
the  covenant  of  grace  in  the  dispensation  of  it,  like  the  bow 


454  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

in  the  clouds,  points  to  every  man,  saying,  "To  you  is  the 
word  of  this  salvation  sent."  The  covenant  is  indefinite,  no 
man's  name  is  mentioned,  no  man's  name  excluded;  but,  as  it 
were,  a  blank  left  for  every  man  to  put  in  his  own  name  by 
an  applicatory  faith. 

6.  God's  bow  in  the  clouds  is  very  extensive,  reaching  from 
the  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other :  so  God's  covenant  of  grace 
is  a  large  and  wide  covenant.  Though  all  Adam's  posterity 
were  gathered  together,  there  would  be  room  for  them,  with- 
in the  arches  of  the  rainbow.  God's  covenant  of  grace  is  a 
large  and  wide  covenant;  there  is  room  in  it  for  you,  room 
for  me,  and  room  for  all  mankind.  God's  voice  is  to  every 
one  to  take  hold  of  it,  for  every  one  to  come  within  the  cir- 
cuit of  it :  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  wa- 
ters, and  he  that  hath  no  money  let  him  come."  You  that 
have  spent  "  your  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread,  and 
your  labour  for  that  which  profiteth  not,"  you  are  called  to 
take  hold  of  it.  Is.  Iv.  1,  2. 

7.  As  the  rainbow  is  a  security  against  a  universal  deluge, so 
it  is  a  prognostic  of  a  refreshing  shower  of  rain  to  the  thirsty 
earth.  So  this  bow  of  the  covenant  that  is  surrounding  the 
throne  of  grace,  as  it  secures  against  vindictive  wrath,  so  it 
prognosticates,  yea  gives  the  greatest  assurance  of  the  rain 
of  the  Spirit's  influences.  It  is  an  article  of  the  covenant,  "I 
will  be  as  the  dew  unto  Israel:  and  he  shall  grow  as  the  lily, 
and  cast  forth  his  roots  as  Lebanon:  I  will  come  unto  them 
as  the  rain;  as  the  latter  and  former  rain  unto  the  earth."  As 
it  seldom  or  never  fails,  that  a  man  looks  upon  the  rainbow,  but 
a  shower  shortly  follows  it:  so  it  never  fails,  when  a  man  looks 
by  faith  to  the  bow  of  the  covenant,  and  the  faithfulness  of 
God  in  it,  but  some  refreshing  rain  of  the  dew  of  heaven  falls 
on  his  soul:  Eph.  i.  13:  "After  that  ye  believed,  ye  were 
sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise."  John  xi.  40  :  "  Said 
I  not  unto  thee,  that  if  thou  wouldst  believe,  thou  shouldst  see 
the  glory  of  God  r 

8.  The  visible  and  sensible  appearance  of  the  rainbow  is 
but  of  a  short  continuance;  for  ordinarily  it  appears  for  a  little 
and  then  vanishes.  So  the  sensible  and  lively  views  that  the 
believer  gets  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  in  its  beauty,  order, 
freedom,  fulness,  and  stability,  are  ordinarily  but  of  a  short 
continuance:  It  is  "a  rare  hour,  and  a  short  stay,"  said  one 
of  the  ancients. 

9.  Although  the  rainbow  disappear,  and  that  for  a  long 
while  together,  yet  we  do  not  conclude  upon  that  account 
that  God's  covenant  with  us  is  broken,  or  that  the  waters  will 
return  again  to  destroy  the  earth:  no,  the  remembrance  of 
the  rainbow  set  in  the  clouds,  though  a  man  has  not  seen  it 


XV.]        SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.         455 

but  once  in  his  life  ;  I  say,  the  very  rennembrance  of  the  bow 
makes  us  easy,  and  persuades  us  that  the  deluge  shall  not  re- 
turn again.  So  here,  whenever  God  discovers  this  bow  of 
the  covenant  surrounding  the  throne  of  grace,  when  he  has 
determined  thy  soul  to  "  take  hold  of"  it,  although  thou  dost 
not  see  it  in  such  a  sensible  manner  now  as  thou  hast  seen  it 
formerly,  yet  the  very  remembrance  of  this  covenant  may 
make  thy  soul  easy  against  the  fears  of  wrath,  because  the 
veracity  and  faithfulness  of  God  in  the  covenant  is  the  same 
without  any  variableness,  however  matters  may  be  with  thee, 
as  to  thy  present  sense  and  feeling.  Thus,  you  see  in  what 
respects  God's  covenant  is  resembled  to  the  bow  which  he 
has  set  in  the  clouds. 

For  the  second  question,  why  this  bow  is  said  to  be  round 
about  the  throtte  ? 

I  answer,  1.  This  signifies  the  glorious  majesty  of  a  God 
of  grace  in  Christ ;  for,  as  I  told  you,  it  is  represented  as  a 
canopy  of  state  covering  the  throne,  which  is  a  badge  of  ma- 
jesty. O  sirs,  honour  and  majesty  are  before  the  face  of  a 
God  in  Christ,  his  throne  of  grace  is  encircled  with  the  glory 
of  grace,  grace  lies  scattered  about  the  throne  on  every  hand  ; 
and  this  shows  his  glorious  greatness. 

2.  The  rainbow  being  set  round  about  the  throne  of  grace, 
may  perhaps  signify  this ;  that  there  is  access  to  the  throne 
of  grace  on  every  hand,  or  from  every  quarter.  Whatever 
part  of  the  covenant  you  look  to,  whatever  article,  what- 
ever promise  you  cast  your  eye  upon,  you  will  still  find  it 
leading  you  directly  to  a  throne  of  grace  for  grace  to  help 
you :  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37  :  "  For  these  things,"  to  wit,  for  the 
blessings  promised,  "  1  will  be  inquired  of"  at  a  throne  of 
grace  "  by  the  house  of  Israel,  that  I  may  do  it  for  them." 

3.  Tlie  throne  of  giacc  is  said  to  be  surrounded  with  the 
rainbow,  to  show  the  stability  of  every  promise,  or  of  every 
act  of  grace,  that  is  issued  out  from  a  throne  of  grace.  Every 
part  of  the  covenant  is  sure  ;  every  promise  of  it  is  more 
firm  than  the  pillars  of  heaven  ;  the  faithfulness  of  God  is  in 
every  promise,  and  therefore  one  jot  or  tittle  of  it  cannot  fall 
to  the  ground. 

4.  It  is  said  to  go  about  the  throne,  to  show  the  connexion 
that  there  is  among  all  the  parts  of  the  covenant.  As  every 
part  of  a  circle  leads  to  another  part  of  it ;  so  the  covenant 
of  rrrace  connects  one   hlessin^r  with   another,  one  blessinrr 

o  •.  ,  .  ...»  ^ 

draws  another  alter  it ;  efiectual  calling  brings  justification, 
justification  brings  ado|ttion,  sanctilication,  perseverance,  and 
increase  of  grace,  and  grace  brings  glory  with  it  hereafter. 
As  when  you  take  hold  of  the  least  link  of  a  chain,  you  hv'iwr 
the  whole  chain  with  you  ;  so,  here,  if  you  have  one  blessing, 


456  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

you  have  all ;  if  you  receive  Christ,  you  have  all  in  him,  he 
brings  all  along  with  him. 

5.  The  rainbow  about  the  throne  may  signify,  that  there  is 
no  access  to  a  throne  of  grace,  no  ground  for  faith  to  stand 
upon,  in  its  approaches  to  the  throne,  but  only  by  virtue  of 
the  covenant,  and  the  faithfulness  of  God  engaged  in  it.  It 
is  folly  for  people  to  think  of  coming  to  a  throne  of  grace,  for 
grace  and  mercy,  while  they  overlook  and  neglect  God's  co- 
venant, and  his  veracity  pledged  in  it. 

A  third  question  was,  Why  this  bow  of  the  covenant  is 
said  to  be  iii  colour  like  unto  an  emeraldl  I  shall  not  stay  on 
this :  only,  in  one  word,  I  think  that  it  points  at  the  per- 
petuity of  the  covenant ;  it  is  ever  the  same,  like  an  ever- 
green, it  never  withers  or  decays.  O  sirs,  this  world  is  with- 
ering, it  is  zvaxivg  old  as  a  garment,  the  fashion  of  it  is  passing 
azvay ;  you  yourselves  are  withering  ;  your  beauty,  strength, 
stature,  and  other  excellencies,  are  fading  like  a  moth  ;  your 
frame,  perhaps,  will  wither  in  a  little,  however  agreeable  it 
may  be.  Though  you  were  upon  mount  Tabor,  beholding 
Christ  in  his  glory,  yet  that  will  not  last ;  in  a  little  your 
prosperous  state,  and  your  mountain  that  seems  to  stand  firm, 
may  be  shaken  through  the  hidings  of  the  Lord's  countenance. 
But  here  is  what  may  be  relief  under  all;  God's  covenant  is 
in  colour  like  unto  an  emerald,  continually  green,  without  any 
decay.  I  think  it  very  remarkable,  that  when  God  is  sending 
Moses  to  the  children  of  Israel,  in  order  to  bring  them  out 
of  the  land  of  Egypt,  he  puts  him  in  mind  of  the  covenant 
that  God  made  with  Abraham,  in  which  he  said,  that  he 
would  bring  them  out  of  Egypt.  Well,  what  way  does  God 
take  to  confirm  the  faith  of  Moses,  and  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  respecting  his  faithfulness  ?  he  bids  him  tell  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  "  I  AM  hath  sent  me  unto  you."  As  if  he 
had  said.  Do  not  think  that  I  have  forgotten  my  covenant  and 
promise  to  Abraham  :  no,  "  I  am  that  i  am  ;"  I  am  the  same 
this  day  as  Iwas  four  hundred  years  ago,  when  I  spoke  to 
Abraham  upon  this  head,  and  my  promise  is  as  fresh  with 
me,  as  it  was  that  day  I  made  it.  The  apostle  says,  Heb.  x. 
33,  "  Faithful  is  he  who  hath  promised."  So  it  reads  in  our 
translation  ;  but  in  the  original  Greek  the  words  may  be  read, 
"  Faithful  is  he  who  is  promising."  We  are  not  to  look  upon 
God's  covenant  and  promise  as  a  thing  that  is  past,  and  out 
of  date  :  no,  he  is  a  promising  God  to  us,  as  much  as  when 
the  promise  first  passed  out  of  his  blessed  lips  :  it  is  an  ever- 
green, it  is  in  colour  like  unto  an  emerald ;  he  is  ever  mindful 
of  his  covenant ;  and  as  justice  and  judgme?if  are  the  habita- 
tion of  his  thro?ie,  so  his  mercy,  wrapped  up  in  the  word  of 


XV.]        SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.         457 

truth,  is  still  goiyig  before  his  face.  This  much  for  the  third 
thing  in  the  method. 

IV.  The  fourth  tiling  in  the  method  was,  to  inquire  a  Utile 
into  the  faith  and  trust,  ri'hich  the  considtration  of  all  this  should 
beget  in  us.  And  for  clearing  of  it,  I  shall  ^o  no  farther  than 
the  representation  made  in  tlic  text.  What  do  you  think 
when  the  rainbow  appears  in  the  heavens ;  the  same  yon  are 
to  do  with  relation  to  the  bow  in  the  covenant,  and  the  faitli- 
fulness  of  God  engaged  in  it. 

-  1.  When  the  bow  appears  in  the  heaven,  you  behold  it, 
you  look  upon  it  with  your  eyes,  for  it  is  a  beautiful  appear- 
ance ;  you  consider  and  inquire  for  what  end  there  is  such 
an  appearance  in  the  heavens.  Now,  the  same  you  are  to 
do  with  (lod's  covenant  of  grace,  the  bow,  that  he  has  set 
in  the  heaven  of  his  church,  about  his  throne  of  grace  which 
he  has  reared  up.  It  is  absolutely  impossible  that  ever  you 
can  reap  any  benefit  by  God's  covenant,  unless  you  behold 
it,  consider  it,  and  study  to  know  and  understand  it;  there 
must  be  an  uptaking  of  the  secrets  of  the  covenant.  And 
this  is  the  first  thing  that  ever  God  does,  when  he  is  to  bring 
the  soul  wit  bill  the  bond  of  his  covenant,  he  enlightens  the 
mind  with  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  the  great  covenant  Head : 
he  makes  the  man  to  think  upon  and  consider  the  fulness, 
freedom,  the  comely  order  and  stability  of  the  covenant,  as 
a  covenant  of  grace  and  peace,  having  all  our  salvation 
wrapped  up  in  it. 

2.  WHien  a  man  sees  the  rainbow  in  (he  heaven,  and  knows 
that  it  is  a  token  of  God's  covenant  with  mankind,  that  "the 
waters  shall  not  return  to  destroy  the  earth,"  he  assents  to  the 
truth  of  the  covenant,  or  ))romise  of  God  ;  he  believes  that  it 
is  true,  that  God  made  such  a  promise;  and  that  God  who 
promised  such  a  thing,  will  not  break  his  word,  but  that  he 
will  make  it  good.  So,  here,  when  you  see  the  bow  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  the  veracity  of  God  pawned  therein; 
when  you  see  it  sealed  with  the  oath  of  God,  and  the  blood 
of  his  eternal  Son,  your  duty  is  to  assent  to  the  truth  of  God 
pledged  in  the  covenant,  because  he  has  "  righteousness  for 
the  girdle  of  his  loins,  and  faithfulness  fur  the  girdle  of  his 
reins."  O,  will  the  soul  say,  I  see  every  promise  of  CJod  to 
be  true,  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  lie  ;  and  therefore  I  set  to 
my  seal  that  he  is  true. 

3.  When  a  man  sees  the  bow  in  the  cloud,  he  concludes 
that  he  himself  in  particular  is  safe  from  the  waters  of  the 
sea,  that  they  shall  not  overflow  him  ;  he  rests  upon  the  ve- 
racity of  the  Promisor  ;  and  so  makes  himself  easy  against 
the  fears  of  a  second  deluge.  So  here,  when  we  see  God's 
covenant  like  a  bow  surrounding  his  throne,  we  should  rest 

VOL.  I.  31) 


458  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

with  assured  confidence  upon  it  as  a  good  security  against 
wrath,  a  good  security  for  our  everlasting  happiness,  for  peace, 
pardon,  grace,  and  glory.  The  covenant  is  God's  charter 
for  eternal  life,  and  the  soul  accordingly  takes  it,  and  says, 
"  This  is  all  my  salvation,"  that  "  he  hath  made  with  me"  in 
Christ  "  an  everlasting  covenant,"  and  *'  in  this  will  I  be  con- 
fident." Indeed,  if  God  can  break  his  covenant,  I  am  un- 
done, I  will  sink  in  the  mighty  waters  of  his  wrath  :  but  God's 
covenant  cannot  be  broken;  it  stands  fast  for  ever ;  "the 
mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  removed,  but  the  co- 
venant of  his  peace  shall  never  be  removed:"  and  therefore 
I  am  sure,  God  will  not  betray  me,  his  covenant  will  not  de- 
ceive me.  And  all  this  is  just  what  is  called  a  "  taking  hold 
of  God's  covenant,"  Is.  Ivi.  4. 

V.  The  ffth  thing  proposed,  is  the  use  of  this  doctrine.  All 
the  use  I  will  make  of  it  at  this  time,  is  in  these  few  infer- 
ences. Is  it  so  that  God's  covenant  of  grace,  and  his  faith- 
fulness engaged  in  it,  is  like  a  rainbow  surrounding  the  throne, 
for  our  encouragement  to  trust  him  1  then, 

1.  See  hence  the  amazing  glory  and  beauty  of  the  throne 
of  grace  to  which  we  are  invited  and  called  to  come.  Every 
thing  in  and  about  this  throne  has  glory,  beauty,  and  majesty 
in  it.  He  that  sits  on  it  is  like  the  sardine  and  jasper  sto?ie ; 
they  that  behold  him,  or  who  are  about  the  throne,  are  so 
dazzled  with  his  glory,  that  they  cry  day  and  night,  "  Holy 
holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to 
come,"  Rev.  iv.  8  :  they  worship  him,  and  cast  their  crowns 
down  before  his  throne,  saying,  "  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord, 
to  receive  glory,  and  honour,  and  power :  for  thou  hast  cre- 
ated all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are,  and  were  cre- 
ated." O  how  majestic  is  tiic  appearance  of  a  God  in  Christ ! 
how  majestic  is  his  throne,  high  and  lifted  up  !  how  majestic 
is  his  retinue,  filling  the  wide  temple  of  heaven  and  earth! 

2.  See  hence  the  ground  that  the  assurance  of  faith  goes 
upon  in  drawing  near  to  a  throne  of  grace :  why,  it  goes 
upon  the  ground  of  the  divine  veracity  pledged  in  a  cove- 
nant of  grace  ;  it  sees  this  bow  about  the  throne,  and  this 
gives  the  man  courage  and  confidence.  Abraham's  faith 
builded  its  assurance  here  ;  Rom.  iv.  20, 21 :  "  He  staggered 
not  at  the  promise  of  God  through  unbelief;  being  fully  per- 
suaded, that  what  he  had  promised,  he  was  able  also  to  per- 
form." If  you  were  putting  up  that  petition,  sirs,  to  God, 
that  he  would  hem  in  the  waters  of  the  ocean,  and  bind  up 
the  fountains  of  the  great  deep,  that  the  waters  might  not  re- 
turn to  overflow  the  earth ;  I  am  persuaded  that  you  would 
ask  it  with  full  assurance  of  faith,  not  doiabting  his  veracity 
respecting  your  being  heard  in  that  petition ;  why,  because 


XV.]  SURROUNDINS  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  459 

God  has  promised  that  "  the  waters  shall  no  more  return  to 
destroy  the  earth  ;"  and  he  has  set  his  bow  in  the  cloud  as  a 
token  of  his  veracity  in  that  matter.  Well,  I  am  sure  you 
have  as  firm  a  ground  to  build  your  faith  upon,  when  you 
draw  near  to  a  throne  of  grace,  to  ask  of  him  things  agree- 
able to  his  will,  things  promised  in  the  covenant  of  grace, 
peace,  pardon,  and  salvation,  through  a  Redeemer  ;  you  have 
the  veracity  of  the  same  God  pledged;  not  only  his  veracity, 
but  his  power,  his  holiness,  and  other  perfections.  Yea, 
God's  covenant  of  grace  that  is  made  with  us  in  Christ,  is 
more  firm  than  God's  covenant  with  Noah  ;  for,  as  you  have 
heard,  this  covenant  of  grace  is  attested  by  the  three  that 
bear  record  in  heaven,"  it  is  sealed  with  the  oath  and  blood 
of  God,  and  registered  "  in  the  volume  of  his  book."  And, 
therefore,  whenever  you  go  to  a  throne  of  grace  for  any  mer- 
cy, keep  your  eye  upon  the  bow  of  the  covenant,  and  the  faith- 
fulness of  God  pledged  in  it,  that  so  you  may  hope,  and  trust, 
and  believe  without  staggering. 

3.  See  hence  the  way  how  to  be  supported  and  relieved 
under  all  pressures  of  trouble  of  whatever  kind,  whether  from 
without  or  from  within.  My  friends,  you  have  been  at  a  com- 
munion table,  and  I  hope  you  have  been  upon  the  mount  v\'ith 
God,  feeding  upon  "fat  things  full  of  marrow;"  now  we  arc 
about  to  part,  we  are  going  out  again  to  the  wide  world,  and 
God  knows  what  deep  seas,  what  tempestuous  waves  and 
storms  from  earth  and  hell  may  be  abiding  us.  Well,  what- 
ever may  befall  you,  I  give  you  this  advice,  to  keep  your  eyes 
always  upon  the  rainbow  of  the  covenant  about  the  throne, 
of  which  you  have  been  getting  a  sensible  seal  in  the  sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  Supper ;  es|)ccially  in  the  cases  following, 
and  you  shall  find  wonderful  relief  and  support,  as  David  did 
to  his  experience,  Psal.  xxvii.  13:  "I  had  fainted,  unless  1 
had  believed  to  see  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  in  the  land  of 
the  living." 

1st,  Perhaps,  then,  poor  believer,  a  storm  of  vindictive  wrath 
in  appearance  may  blow  from  heaven,  which  will  startle  thy 
conscience  to  that  degree,  that  thou  shalt  be  made  to  cry, 
through  a  sense  of  guilt,  and  the  imi)r('ssions  of  God's  anger 
on  thy  soul,  "  The  arrows  of  the  Almighty  are  within  me, 
the  poison  whereof  driid<eth  up  my  si)irit :  the  terrors  of  God 
do  set  themselves  in  array  against  me."  Well,  if  that  hap- 
pen to  be  thy  case,  as  I  know  not  but  it  may,  look  to  the  rain- 
bow of  the  crjvenant  aI)out  the  throne,  and  there  you  shall 
see  the  faithfulness  of  God  engaged,  that  vindictive  wrath 
shall  never  touch  thee.  Read  for  this,  Isaiah  liv.  7 — 10. 
There  you  see  the  oath  of  God  is  passed,  that  the  deluge  of 
vindictive  anger  shall  no  more  return  to  deslrov  thee:  and 


460  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [sER. 

what  more  wouldst  thou  have  1  will  unbelief  dare  to  charge 
God  with  perjury? 

2f//y,  Perhaps,  believer,  a  storm  of  trouble  from  the  world 
may  blow  upon  thee,  times  of  public  calamity  may  come, 
days  of  persecution  for  righteousness'  sake;  or,  if  that  fail,  a 
storm  of  personal  trial  may  be  abiding  thee,  trouble  in  thy 
name,  in  thy  estate,  in  thy  family  or  relations ;  the  storm  may 
blow  so  bard  as  to  sweep  away  all  that  is  dear  to  thee  in  a 
world.  Well,  say  you,  what  shall  I  do  in  that  case?  Why, 
my  advice  to  you  is,  to  cast  the  eye  of  faith  upon  the  bow  of 
the  covenant,  and  there  thou  shalt  find  what  will  cheer  and 
keep  up  thy  heart;  there  thou  shalt  find  thy  covenanted  God 
in  Christ  promiseth  his  sympathy  in  all  thy  troubles:  Is.  Ixiii. 
9:  "In  all  their  affliction  he  is  afflicted."  Psal.  ciii.  13: 
"  Like  as  a  father  pitieth  his  children  ;  so  the  Lord  pitieth 
them  that  fear  him."  There  you  shall  find  him  engaged  to 
go  through  the  fire  and  water  with  thee  :  Is.  xliii.  2 :  "  When 
thou  passest  through  the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee ;  and 
through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee :  when  thou 
walkest  through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burnt;  neither 
shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee."  There  you  will  find  him 
engaging  himself  by  covenant  to  carry  thy  head  above :  Is. 
xli.  10:  "Fear  thou  not,  for  I  am  with  thee: — I  will  help 
thee,  yea,  I  v\-ill  uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand  of  my  right- 
eouness."  There  thou  shalt  find  him  engaged  to  bring  thee 
safely  through  all  thy  troubles:  "Many  are  the  afflictions  of 
the  righteous;  but  the  Lord  delivereth  him  out  of  them  all." 
Thou  shalt  find  that  thy  light  afflictions,  which  are  but  for  a 
moment,  shall  work  for  thee  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eter- 
nal weight  of  glory." 

Sdly,  Perhaps  a  storm  from  hell  may  be  abiding  thee,  "prin- 
cipalities and  powers,  and  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this 
world ;"  the  armed  legions  of  the  bottomless  pit,  like  the 
"  bulls  of  Bashan,"  may  ere  long  be  goring  at  thee.  Well, 
in  this  case  look  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  to  the  bow  of 
the  covenant  that  surrounds  it,  and  thou  shalt  find  what  may, 
and  will  relieve  thee ;  you  will  find  that  Christ  has,  accord- 
ing to  the  first  article  of  the  covenant,  "  bruised  the  head  of 
that  serpent,  spoiled  principalities  and  povi^ers,  triumphed  over 
them,  and  made  a  show  of  them  openly  on  his  cross;"  he 
"  has  destroyed  death,  and  him  that  had  the  power  of  death." 
There  thou  wilt  find  him  engaged  to  stand  by  thee  as  thy 
leader  and  commander,  to  make  thee  "  tread  Satan  under 
thy  feet  shortly  !"  and  by  faith  acted  upon  this  covenant,  thou 
art  assured  of  the  victory,  yea,  that  thou  art  a  conqueror, 
and  "  more  than  a  conqueror,  through  him  that  loved  thee." 

4iA/y,  Perhaps,  believer,  thou  may  in  a  little  time  find  the 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  461 

strong  man  of  indwelling  sin,  like  Samson  after  his  locks  were 
cut,  recover  strength,  and  begin  to  rage  in  thy  soul,  insomuch 
that  thou  shalt  be  made  to  cry  with  the  apostle,  "  Oh,  wretch- 
ed man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
death  !"  Well,  in  that  case  look  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and 
the  bow  of  the  covenant,  and  thou  shalt  tind  God  engaging 
himself  to  give  grace  and  mercy,  to  help  thee  in  this  time  of 
need:  Rom.  vi.  14:  he  has  said  "Sin  shall  not  have  dominion 
over  you."  Micah  vii.  11):  "I  will  subdue  their  iniquities." 
Ezek.  xxxvi,  25:  "  From  all  their  (ilthiness,  and  from  all  their 
idols  will  I  cleanse  them."  Is.  lix.  19:  "When  the  enemy 
Cometh  in  like  a  flood,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  lift  up  a 
standard  against  him." 

5lhlij,  Perhaps  in  a  little  time  Satan  and  corruption  togeth- 
er may  give  thee  a  trip,  and  lay  thee  on  thy  back,  and  as  it 
were  tread  thee  in  the  mire,  so  that  thy  "own  clothes  shall 
abhor  thee;"  and  what  shall  be  done  in  that  case  ?  Well,  even 
in  that  case  look  up  to  the  throne,  and  behold  the  "exalted 
Prince  that  gives  repentance  and  remission  of  sin,"  that  he 
may  lift  thee  up  again,  and  "  by  the  blood  of  his  covenant, 
bring  thee  out  of  the  pit,  wherein  there  is  no  water."  ,  Take 
a  view  of  the  bow  of  the  covenant,  and  thou  wilt  find  written 
upon  tlie  arch  of  this  bow,  that  "  though  thou  hast  lien  among 
the  pots,  he  xcill  make  ihce  as  the  wings  of  a  dove  covered 
with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold."  Listen  to 
his  voice  that  sits  upon  the  throne,  and  thou  wilt  hear  him 
saying,  "  Though  thou  hast  played  the  harlot  with  many 
lovers,  yet  return  again  to  me,  saith  the  Lord." 

(jllily.  Perhaps  a  black  and  melancholy  night  of  desertion 
ma}'^  overtake  thee  in  thy  way  ;  God  may  hide,  and  thou  be 
brought  to  cry  with  the  church,  "  The  Lord  hath  forsaken 
me,  and  my  Lord  hath  forgotten  me."  Well,  though  thou 
"  walk  in  darkness,  and  see  no  light,  yet  trust  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  and  stay  thyself  upon  Idm,'^  by  virtue  of  the  cove* 
nant,  as  ihy  God ;  for  here  he  is  engaged,  that  he  will  be  "  thy 
God  for  ever,"  that  he  will  "  never  leave  thee;  nor  forsake 
thee,"  as  to  his  real  presence ;  and  that  "  though  weeping 
may  endure  for  a  night,  yet  joy  comoth  in  the  morning. — For 
a  small  moment  have  I  forsaken  thee,  but  with  great  mercies 
will  I  gather  thee.  In  a  little  wrath  I  hid  my  face  from  thee, 
for  a  moment;  but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have  mercy 
on  thee,  sailh  the  Lord  thy  Iledeemer." 

Itlthi,  Perhaps  you  may  tall  under  the  melancholy  fears 
and  aj)prehensions,  that  thou  shalt  be  so  left  of  God,  as  to 
prove  an  apostate  in  the  end.  Well,  look  up  to  the  bow  of 
the  covenant  about  the  throne,  and  thou  wilt  find  security 
against   that  also:  Phil.   i.  G:  "He  which  hath   begun   the 

39* 


462  THR  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

good  work  in  thee,  will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ. 
The  righleous  shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he  that  hath  clean 
hands  shall  wax  stronger  and  stronger."  Grace  and  glory 
are  connected  by  the  covenant  so  inseparably,  that  they  can 
never  be  divorced:  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  11:  "The  Lord  will  give 
grace  and  glory." 

Slhly,  Perhaps  thou  may  in  a  little  fall  under  a  melancholy 
deadness  and  indisposition  of  heart ;  the  spices  of  the  garden, 
that  seem  now  to  be  sending  out  their  smell,  may  wither,  and 
thou  may  be  crying,  /  am  a  dry  tree.  Well,  in  that  case, 
look  up  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  thy  glorious  Head  sit- 
ting on  the  throne,  and  thou  wilt  see  thy  life  in  him:  "Our 
life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God. — Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live 
also. — After  two  days,  will  he  revive  us,  in  the  third  day  he 
will  raise  us  up,  and  we  shall  live  in  his  sight. — I  will  be  as 
the  dew  unto  Israel,  and  they  shall  revive  as  the  corn,"  Hos. 
vi.  and  xiv. 

9thly,  Perhaps  "  the  terrors  of  death"  may  shortly  take  hold 
on  thee,  poor  believer  ;  the  dark  curtains  of  the  grave,  and  the 
shadows  of  the  land  of  forgetfulness  may  begin  to  stretch  them- 
selves upon  thee  :  O!  what  shall  be  done  in  that  case  ?  1  an- 
swer, even  in  that  case  look  up  and  take  hold  of  the  bow  of 
the  covenant  surrounding  the  throne;  as  David  did,  when  his 
latter  end  was  approaching,  "Although  my  house  be  not  so 
with  God;  yet  he  hath  made  with  mean  everlasting  covenant, 
ordered  in  all  things  and  sure:  for  this  is  all  my  salvation, 
and  all  my  desire."  The  same  holy  man,  (Psal.  xxiii.)  view- 
ing the  covenant,  and  God  engaged  to  be  with  him  in  death, 
cries  out,  (ver.  4,)  "Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley 
of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil;  for  thou  art  with 
me,  thy  rod  and  thy  stafT  they  comfort  me."  See  a  sweet 
promise  of  the  covenant  to  this  purpose,  Hos.  xiii.  14  :  "I  will 
ransom  them  from  the  power  of  the  grave:  I  will  redeem  them 
from  death:  O  death,  I  will  be  thy  plagues!  O  grave,  I  will 
be  thy  destruction !" 

But,  after  all,  you  may  perhaps  say,  These  things  may 
yield  excellent  support  and  relief  to  the  believer  that  has 
taken  hold  of  God's  covenant,  and  gotten  within  the  arches 
of  the  bow  ;  but  I  fear  I  am  none  of  these.  An  answer  to 
this  leads  me  to  the  last  use  of  the  doctrine ;  which  I  do  not 
design  to  enlarge  upon  at  present.  Only  lot  me  exhort  and 
call  all  hearing  me,  whether  believers  or  unbelievers,  to  put 
this  matter  out  of  doubt,  presently  without  delay,  by  taking 
hold  of  God's  covenant,  here  represented  by  the  "rainbow 
surrounding  the  throne,  in  colour  like  unto  an  emerald." — 
Sirs,  ye  cannot  gripe  the  natural  rainbow  with  the  hands  of 
your  body;  but  when  you  see  it,  you  gripe  at  God's  covenant 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  463 

with  Noah  hy  an  act  of  Iriist  or  hclievir^,  that  God,  accord- 
ing to  that  covenant,  will  deliver  you  from  a  deluge  of  water. 
Well,  do  the  same  in  the  present  case;  gripe  or  take  hold  of 
God's  covenant  of  grace,  and  his  faithfulness  engaged  in  it, 
through  Christ,  for  your  deliverance  and  freedom  from  the 
deluge  of  eternal  wrath,  whicii  ihrealens  to  swallow  you  up 
for  ever  and  ever.     But  1  go  no  farther  at  present. 


THE  SUnSTANCE  OF  SOME  DISCOURSES.* 

And  lliere  was  a  rainbow  round  about  tlie  tluone,  in  siglit  like  unto  an 
emerald. — Ukv.  iv.  3. 

I  PROCEED  to  the  last  use  which  I  designed  to  make  of  the 
doctrine,  and  that  is  hy  way  of  Exhor(atiu?i. 

Is  it  so,  that  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  the  faithfulness  of 
God  engaged  in  it,  is  like  a  roinboxv  ruuixl  about  the  thro7ie,  in 
colour  like  unto  an  emerald?  Then  my  exhortation  to  all  hear- 
ing me  is,  to  answer  the  design,  and  improve  this  manifestation 
and  dis[)lay  of  the  grace  of  God.  Why  has  he  set  tlie  rain- 
bow of  his  covenant  round  about  iiis  throne,  but  that  sinners 
who  are  far  ofF  may  be  encouraged  to  come  and  enter  in 
within  God's  covenant,  and  take  hold  of  his  faithfulness 
pledgfd  therein,  that  they  may  "  obtain  mercy,  and  tind  grace 
at  a  throne  of  grace,  to  help  the7n  in  time  of  need  ?"  When 
you  sec  the  bow  in  the  clouds,  you  rememljer  God's  covenant 
with  Noah,  and  believe  that  you  are  safe  against  a  second  de- 
luge of  water,  not  for  any  good  deed  done  by  you  to  deserve 
such  a  thing,  but  because  of  the  veracity  of  God  pledged  in 
his  covenant  with  Noah:  so,  when  you  see  the  bow  of  tlie 
covenant  about  a  throne  of  grace,  improve  it  as  a  security 
against  llie  deluge  of  wrath,  which  was  slopped  and  recalled 
upon  the  satisfaction  and  death  of  Christ;  improve  it,  I  say, 
for  this  and  all  the  other  blessings  that  lie  wrapped  up  in  the 
large  bosom  of  it. 

But  now,  that  I  may  set  this  exhortation  in  a  clearer  light, 
1  shall  endeavour,  through  divine  assistance, 

1.  To  show  of  what  the  rainbow  of  the  covenant  of  grace 
is  a  sign. 

1.  Show  what  it  is  to  improve  this  rainbow  of  the  cove- 
nant. 

3.  What  are  these  blessings  or  privileges  that  lie  within 
the  circle  of  this  rainbow,  and  of  which  the  soul  comes  to  be 

*  Preached  at  Aberncthy,  Saturday  and  Sabbatli,  July  5  and  6,  172S. 


464  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

possessed,  either  in  part  or  in  whole,  that  moment  that  it 
takes  hold  of  God's  covenant. 

4.  Who  they  are  that  may  warrantably  come  within  the 
compass  of  this  rainbow. 

5.  Roll  away  some  impediments  or  stumbling-stones  that 
lie  in  the  way  of  the  sinner,  and  which  have  a  fatal  influence 
to  discourage  him  from  taking  the  benefit  of  the  rainbow  of 
the  covenant  which  is  about  the  throne. 

6.  OtFer  a  few  advices,  in  order  to  your  improving  the  rain- 
bow of  the  promise  or  covenant,  for  your  safety  against  the 
deluge  of  wrath  that  threatens  you  upon  the  account  of  sin. 

1.  The^^r^^  thing  proposed  is,  to  inquire  of  what  this  rain- 
bow of  the  covenant  is  a  sign.  You  know  the  rainbow  in  the 
visible  heavens  is  a  sign  of  something ;  and  so  is  this  spiritual 
rainbow  of  the  covenant.     As, 

1st,  It  is  a  sign  that  the  first  covenant  is  broken,  and  that 
"the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  upon  the  earth;"  for 
which  cause  "the  fountains  of  the  great  deep"  of  God's  wrath 
were  opened  like  a  mighty  sea,  sweeping  all  Adam's  family 
to  the  bottomless  pit.  When  we  see  the  bow  in  the  heavens, 
we  remember  the  flood  of  J\oah,  which  was  sent  to  take  ven- 
geance upon  the  old  world  for  their  sin ;  so  when  we  view 
the  rainbow  of  the  covenant,  we  should  remember  the  flood 
of  divine  wrath  and  vengeance,  that  is  broken  out  against  the 
whole  family  and  race  of  mankind.  The  broad  flying  roll 
of  the  curse  of  God  is  gone  forth  over  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth,  because  of  the  sin  of  man:  Gal.  iii.  10:  "Cursed  is 
every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them."  Remember  this  when 
you  see  the  bow  of  the  covenant  of  grace  round  about  the 
throne  of  grace. 

2dly,  This  rainbow  of  the  covenant  is  a  sign  that  a  ransom 
is  found  out,  and  that  the  sacrifice  of  our  great  Noah,  is  ac- 
cepted ;  that  God  has  smelled  a  sweet  savour  in  the  death  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  You  know  the  rainbow  was  set  up  in 
the  heavens,  after  God  had  accepted  of  Noah's  sacrifice  ;  and 
when  we  see  God's  bow  in  the  clouds,  we  remember  this:  so, 
when  we  look  upon  a  covenant  of  grace,  we  ought  to  remem- 
ber the  death  and  satisfaction  of  Jesus,  as  the  very  ground 
and  foundation  of  God's  dealing  with  sinners  in  a  way  of  grace. 
When  we  behold  the  covenant,  we  should  behold  the  blood 
of  the  covenant,  behold  the  red  streams  of  this  rainbow : 
Zech.  ix.  11:  "  By  the  blood  of  thy  covenant,  I  have  sent 
forth  thy  prisoners  out  of  the  pit  wherein  there  is  no  water." 
I  have  read,  that  in  Holland,  where  most  of  their  country  is 
taken  off  the  sea  by  strong  dikes,  if  the  sea  at  any  time  hap. 
pen  to  make  a  breach,  by  which  the  country  is  in  danger  of 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  465 

being  laid  under  water,  any  man  tliat  observes  the  breach,  is 
by  the  law  of  the  country,  ordered  to  stop  the  breach,  if  pos- 
sible, though  it  were  with  his  most  valuable  packs  of  goods, 
and  he  has  re|)aration  from  the  community.  O  sirs!  sin  has 
made  a  breach  for  tfie  iniuuiation  of  Cod's  wrath  to  break  in 
upon  the  whole  race  of  Adam  ;  and  the  breach  was  so  wide, 
and  the  current  of  wrath  so  rapid  and  strong,  that  it  would 
have  swallowed  up  and  swept  away  the  whole  creation  of 
angels  and  men,  if  they  had  been  cast  in  to  stop  it.  The  glo- 
rious Son  of  Cod,  perceiving  that  nothing  else  would  do  it, 
cast  his  own  body  into  the  breach;  "he  redeemed  us  fr^m 
the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us."  Let  us  re- 
member this,  when  we  remember  the  bow  about  the  throne. 

3(////,  The  bow  of  the  covenant,  as  it  is  set  up  in  the  hea- 
ven of  the  visible  church,  is  a  sign  that  the  deluge  of  God's 
wrath  is  recalled,  and  that  God  is  a  God  of  peace  toward  sin- 
ners, through  the  atoning  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Sirs,  I  bring 
you  glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  the  waters  of  the  deluge  of  Cod's 
wrath  are  so  far  abated  and  fallen,  that  the  olive-branch  is 
brought  forth  to  your  view  by  God's  ministers.  We  preach 
the  gospel  of  peace,  and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things  to 
you  ;  we  tell  you  in  the  name  of  God,  that  he  is  so  well  pleased 
with  the  ransom  that  he  has  found,  that  he  declares  "  fury  is 
not  in  him,"  that  "though  he  was  angry,  his  anger  is"  now 
"turned  away."  and  if  ye  will  not  believe  his  word,  take  his 
oatli  for  it,  in  which  he  has  pawned  his  very  life:  £zek. 
xxxiii.  11  :  "As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure 
in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from 
his  way  and  live." 

Aihlij,  The  rainbow  in  the  clouds  is  a  sign  of  God's  faithful 
promise,  that  no  man  shall  be  ruined  by  a  universal  deluge. 
Indeed,  if  a  man  will  stand  within  the  sea-mark  till  the  wa- 
ters of  the  sea  overflow  him,  there  is  no  help  for  that ;  Cod's 
faithfulness  in  liis  covenant  with  Noah  stands  firm,  though  the 
man  peri.sh.  So  liere,  the  rainbow  about  the  throne  of  grace 
is  a  sign  of  Cod's  faithfulness  in  a  word  of  promise,  that  no 
man  shall  perish,  who  will  take  the  advantage  of  the  dry-land 
that  stands  before  him  in  the  gospel.  Indeed,  if  a  man  will 
by  unbelief  stand  Still  within  tbe  sea-mark  of  God's  wrath  till 
he  perish,  there  is  no  help  for  that ;  but  the  faithfulness  of 
God  in  the  covenant  of  giace  stands  firm,  and  shall  not  be 
"  made  of  none  eflc;ct  "  through  his  folly.  But  I  say  "  whoso- 
ever believcth,"  or  taketh  hold  of  the  faithfulness  of  (iod 
pled<i:ed  in  his  covenant,  "shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlast- 
ing life;"  the  deluge  of  wralh  shall  never  touch  him.  This 
much  for  iUc  firsl  thing,  namely,  what  this  rainbow  about  the 
throne,  in  colour  like  unto  an  emerald,  is  a  sign  of. 


466  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

2.  The  second  thing  was,  to  inquire  what  it  is  to  improve 
this  rainbow  of  the  covenant  1  1  answer,  as  it  is  well  expressed 
in  our  Confession  of  Faith,  chap.  xiv.  §  2,  at  the  close,  '  It  is 
to  believe  in  Christ,  or  to  accept,  receive,  and  rest  upon  him 
alone,  for  justification,  sanctification,  and  eternal  life,  by  vir- 
tue of  the  covenant  of  grace.'  This  is  a  very  material  ex- 
pression, and  I  fear  little  noticed  by  the  generality  of  people; 
a  resting  upon  Christ,  by  virtue  of  the  coveriant  of  grace-  As 
we  rest  upon  a  man,  by  virtue  of  his  word  or  promise  ;  so  we 
rest  upon  Christ,  by  virtue  of  the  covenant,  and  the  promises 
of  it.  It  is  observable  here  in  the  text,  that  the  rainbow  is 
round  about  the  throne,  and  him  that  sits  on  it ;  so  that  there 
could  be  no  coming  to  the  throne,  or  Christ  sitting  on  it,  with- 
out coming  within  the  rainbow:  so  there  is  no  coming  to 
Christ,  no  true  believing  in  him,  but  by  virtue  of  his  word  of 
grace  and  promise  in  a  covenant  of  grace.  And  this  is  one 
main  difference  between  true  saving  faith,  and  the  presump- 
tuous faith  of  hypocrites.  Hypocrites,  by  a  presumptuous 
faith,  will  indeed"  gripe  at  Christ  and  salvation ;  but  in  the 
mean  time  they  do  not  receive  Christ  and  his  benefits  as  they 
lie  within  the  rainbow,  they  do  not  receive  and  improve  him 
by  virtue  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  The  covenant  of  grace, 
or  the  promise  of  God  in  Christ,  it  is  his  testament,  bond,  or 
disposition,  in  which  he  assigns  and  makes  over  himself,  his 
righteousness,  his  Spirit,  his  fulness,  and  all  the  blessings  of 
his  purchase.  Now,  true  faith  receives  and  rests  upon  Christ, 
by  virtue  of  this  covenant  of  grace.  I  defy  you  either  to  fas- 
ten your  faith  or  trust  upon  God  or  man  without  a  word  of 
promise  to  ground  your  faith  upon.  If  1  should  bid  you  trust 
or  believe  your  neighbour,  or  any  responsible  man  for  a  sum  of 
money  that  you  stand  in  need  of,  you  would  ask  me.  Why, 
what  ground  have  I  to  trust  him  1  has  he  promised  to  give  it 
or  lend  it  to  me  1  If  he  has  not  promised  to  do  it,  there  is  no 
ground  of  trust ;  and  you  would  think  that  I  were  only  mock- 
ing you,  when  I  bid  you  trust  him  for  it,  unless  he  has  passed 
his  word.  So,  here,  when  we  bid  you  believe  in  Christ,  re- 
ceive him,  or  rest  upon  him  for  salvation,  your  eye  must  im- 
mediately be  turned  to  the  word  of  grace,  or  promise,  and 
his  faithfulness  engaged  in  it ;  for  it  is  by  virtue  of  that,  that 
we  receive  him,  or  approve  and  apply  him  to  our  own  souls: 
hence  believing  in  Christ  is  expressed  by  a  "  taking  hold  of 
God's  covenant,"  Is.  Ivi.  4 ;  which  expression  plainly  implies 
a  fastening  on  the  veracity  or  faithfulness  of  God  pledged  in 
the  covenant.  And  how  far  the  faithfulness  of  God  is  engaged 
in  the  covenant  of  grace,  I  showed  in  the  doctrinal  part  of 
this  discourse.  He  has  subscribed  it  as  a  party,  he  has  sealed 
it  with  his  oath,  and  the  blood  of  his  Son ;  he  has  attested  it 


XV.]         SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.         467 

in  the  capacity  of  a  witness ;  he  has  consented  to  the  regis- 
tration, yea,  has  actually  registered  his  bond,  that  we  might 
have  the  more  speedy  diligence  upon  it  at  a  throne  of  grace. 
Now,  I  say,  faith  is  a  taking  hold  of  God's  faithfulness  thus 
pledged  in  the  covenant,  it  is  a  resting  upon  his  veracity,  it  is 
a  trusting  to  him  that  he  will  be  as  good  as  his  word,  because 
"  it  is  impossible  for  God  to  lie ;"  it  is  a  "  setting  to  the  seal 
that  he  is  true,"  and  a  saying  with  David,  "God  hath  spoken 
in  his  holiness,  I  will  rejoice."  O  sirs !  faith  in  Christ,  by  vir- 
tue of  his  word  of  grace  and  promise,  is  one  of  the  plainest 
and  clearest  things  in  the  world,  if  the  devil  and  an  unbe- 
heving  jealous  heart  working  together,  did  not  darken  and 
obscure  the  account  we  have  of  it  in  the  word.  What  is 
plainer  than  to  trust  the  word  of  an  honest  man,  or  to  rest  on 
him  by  virtue  of  his  word?  So  here,  believing  is  a  resting 
on  Christ,  or  a  trusting  in  him,  by  virtue  of  his  covenant  or 
word  of  grace.  But  the  legal  proud  heart  of  man  has  such 
a  strong  bent  after  salvation  by  doing  or  working  for  life,  that 
nothing  else  than  "the  mighty  power  of  God"  can  bring  the 
sinner  to  quit  and  renounce  all  his  works  and  "  righteousness 
as  filthy  rags,"  and  to  take  salvation  and  eternal  life  by  trust- 
ing or  believing  the  bare  word  of  a  promising  God  in  Christ. 
But  I  shall  not  enlarge  farther  upon  this  at  present. 

3.  The  third  thing  proposed  was,  to  inquire  what  are  these 
blessings  or  privileges  which  lie  within  the  circuit  of  this  rain- 
bow of  the  covenant,  and  of  which  the  soul  comes  to  be  pos- 
sessed, either  in  part  or  in  whole,  the  moment  that  it  takes 
hold  of  the  covenant.  The  very  naming  of  these  blessings 
may  serve  as  so  many  motives  or  arguments,  to  persuade  you 
to  take  hold  of  the  covenant,  to  come  to  a  throne  of  grace,  by 
virtue  of  the  rainbow  that  surrounds  it.  And  here  a  field  of 
matter  presents  itself  to  view,  so  large  and  copious,  that  it  is 
impossil)lc  for  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive  it,  far  less  can  the 
tongue  of  man  tell  it,  or  express  it  in  words ;  for  all  the  bless- 
ings of  heaven  and  eternity  lie  within  the  wide  circuit  of  this 
rainbow  of  the  covenant,  which  surrounds  God's  throne  of 
grace.  All  grace  whatsoever  lay  originally  in  the  heart  of 
God ;  but  as  it  lies  there,  it  is  inaccessible  by  sinners,  "  For 
who  hath  known  tlie  mind  of  the  Lord?"  Well,  because  that 
grace  that  is  in  God's  heart  is  inaccessible  by  us,  therefore  he 
brings  it  yet  nearer  to  us,  by  taking  a  piece  of  our  nature, 
uniting  it  to  the  person  of  his  eternal  Son,  and  calls  it  Christ, 
Afessiah,  Immanucl,  God-man,  or  Godrvilh  ws  ;  and  makes  "all 
the  fulness  of  the  (iodhead,"  all  the  grace  that  is  in  his  heart, 
to  dwell  there,  that  so  we  might  not  be  afraid  to  come  to  one 
in  our  nature  for  grace  and  mercy  to  help  us.  But,  that  our 
faith  might  yet  have  a  greater  advantage,  he  does  not  rest 


468  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [sER. 

there ;  but  he  brings  all  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  into  a  pro- 
mise, or  a  covenant  of  grace,  pledges  his  faithfulness  in  the 
strongest  way  imaginable  in  the  promise  or  covenant,  that  so 
unbelief  might  have  nothing  to  object.  Unbelief  might  be 
ready  to  say.  It  is  true,  there  is  enough  of  grace  in  Christ,  but, 
alas  !  he  is  in  heaven,  and  he  has  carried  all  his  grace  to  hea- 
ven with  him ;  and  the  throne  on  which  he  now  sits  is  so 
high,  that  I  know  not  how  to  win  at  him.  But,  says  the  Lord, 
O  sinner,  say  not  so,  think  not  so;  for  all  the  fulness  of  Christ 
is  nigh  thee  in  the  rainbow  of  my  covenant.  I  give  thee  a 
word  of  faith,  a  faithful  word  of  promise,  lean  to  that,  rest  on 
that,  and  Christ,  and  all  that  is  in  him,  and  all  the  grace  that 
is  in  my  heart,  shall  come  along  with  it  into  thy  soul.  What 
is  it,  O  sinner,  thou  wan  test,  which  thou  may  est  not  have 
either  in  title  or  possession,  by  resting  on  the  veracity  of  him 
who  has  set  his  bow  in  the  clouds? 

I  shall  instance  in  a  few  of  the  many  blessings,  that  are  to 
be  had  by  taking  hold  of  God's  covenant,  or  by  believing  in 
Christ  by  virtue  of  the  covenant. 

1st,  Would  you  have  Jehovah,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
to  be  thy  God,  even  thy  07v?i  God,  to  be  "  the  strength  of  thy 
heart,  and  thy  portion  for  ever?"  Well,  come  within  the 
rainbow,  by  taking  hold  of  God's  covenant,  or  trusting  in  the 
word  of  a  promising  God  in  Christ,  and  it  shall  be  so ;  for  this 
is  the  leading  article  of  the  covenant ;  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God. — I  will  be  their  God. — I  am  thy  shield,  and  thy  exceed- 
ing great  reward."  O  sirs,  you  lost  your  claim  to  God  by  the 
first  covenant;  and  while  in  a  state  of  nature,  under  a  cove- 
nant of  works,  you  arc  without  God  in  the  world:"  but  here 
is  a  God  in  Christ  coming  back  again  in  a  new  covenant,  a 
covenant  of  grace  and  peace,  O  take  him  at  his  word,  and 
take  him  in  his  word  ;  for  "  faithful  is  he  that  hath  promised." 
Let  thy  soul  say  to  the  Lord,  upon  the  covenant  ground  and 
grant,  "  This  God  is  my  God  for  ever  and  ever ;  and  he  shall 
be  thy  God  even  unto  death,"  because  he  has  said  it  in  his 
covenant.  But,  say  you,  must  I  not  first  close  with  Christ  be- 
fore I  can  claim  the  Lord  as  my  God?  I  answer.  To  close 
with  Christ  is  nothing  else  but  to  take  a  God  in  Christ  as  thy 
own  God,  by  virtue  of  the  covenant  of  grace  and  promise,  in 
which  his  faithfulness  is  more  deeply  engaged  than  ever  it 
was  in  God's  covenant  with  Noah,  of  which  the  rainbow  is  a 
perpetual  and  standing  sign.  But  O,  say  you,  I  am  afraid  it 
would  be  presumption  for  me  to  claim  a  God  in  Christ  for  my 
God,  upon  the  covenant-grant,  "I  will  be  their  God."  I  an- 
swer, So  far  is  it  from  being  presumption,  that  it  is  rebellion 
against  the  authority  of  the  great  God  interposed  in  the  very 
first  command  of  the  moral  law,  not  to  know  and  acknow- 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONK  OF  GRACE.  469 

ledge  him,  and  trust  in  him  as  God,  and  as  thy  own  God : 
and  till  thou  take  him  as  thy  God  in  Christ,  thou  art  living  in 
open  rebellion  against  the  authority  of  Heaven  :  and  wilt  thou 
adventure  to  be  a  rebel  against  (iod,  to  avoid  the  danger  of 
presumption,  and  so  "rush  upon  the  thick  bosses"  of  Hea- 
ven's buckler?  O  that  I  could  persuade  you  to  obey  the 
Hrst  command  of  the  moral  law,  as  it  stands  in  a  subserviency 
to  the  covenant  of  grace,  contained  in  the  preface  to  the  ten 
commandments,  which  teaches  us  to  believe  that  he  is  the 
Lord  our  God  and  Redeemer,  upon  the  ground  of  his  own 
faithfulness  pledged  in  these  words,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God." 
O  sirs,  if  you  can  but  find  in  your  hearts,  through  grace,  to 
obey  the  first  command  in  the  law,  you  will  find  it  easy  to 
obey  the  rest ;  and  if  you  can  but  find  in  your  hearts,  through 
grace,  to  believe  this  first,  and  leading  promise  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,"  you  will  find  it  easy 
to  lay  claim  by  faith  to  all  the  subsequent  promises  of  the  co- 
venant; for  it  would  then  be  remembered,  that  the  first  pro- 
mise of  the  covenant,  and  the  first  command  of  the  moral  law, 
are  inseparably  linked  together. 

2dlii,  Take  hold  of  the  covenant,  and  come  within  the  arch 
of  this  blessed  bow  that  goes  round  about  the  throne,  and 
there  thou  shalt  find  a  sealed  pardon  of  sin,  an  indemnity,  an 
act  of  oblivion  for  all  thy  sins,  though  they  be  innumerable  as 
the  stars,  and  great  and  heinous  like  the  lofty  mountains: 
Heb.  viii.  12:  "J  will  be  merciful  to  their  unrighteousness, 
and  their  sins  and  their  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more." 
So  Jer.  xxxi.  34:  View  him  that  sits  upon  the  throne  within 
the  rainbow,  and  thou  wilt  hear  him  saying,  "  I,  even  I,  am 
he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake,  and 
will  not  remember  thy  sins."  O  condemned  sinner !  trust  a 
(iod  in  Christ  for  this,  by  virtue  of  his  covenant,  or  by  virtue 
of  his  promise ;  for  "  the  Strength  of  Israel  will  not  lie  nor 
repent." 

'Adly,  Thou  art  by  nature  an  alien,  a  stranger,  a  foreigner, 
a  child  of  hell ;  wouldst  ihou  fain  come  back  again  to  God's 
family,  and  have  a  (rod  in  Christ  as  thy  Father?  Well,  view 
the  rainbow,  come  within  the  circuit  of  it,  and  there  thou 
shalt  have  this:  "I  will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall 
be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty.  J5ut  as 
many  as  received  him,"  by  virtue  of  this  covenant-grant, 
•'  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  evtjn  to 
them  that  believe  on  his  name,"  John  i.  12. 

Athhj,  Dost  thou  want  a  principle  of  spiritual  life,  who  art 
by  nature  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  f"  Well,  believe  in  the 
Son  of  God,  by  virtue  of  the  covenant,  and  thou  shalt  have 
it;  for,  says  Christ,  (John  xi.  2.5,)  "  He  that  believeth  in  me, 

VOL.  I.  40 , 


470  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live."  Wouldst  thou  have 
thy  spiritual  life  more  abundant?  new  quickenings  under  the 
languishings  of  grace  ?  Well,  this  is  within  the  rainbow  of 
the  covenant :  "  Thy  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God  ;"  and  he 
has  said,  that  "  thou  shalt  revive  as  the  corn,  and  grow  as  the 
vine." 

Again ;  dost  thou  want  to  have  thy  "  heart  sprinkled  from 
an  evil  conscience  ?"  Here  it  is  to  be  had ;  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25 : 
"  I  will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean: 
from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols  will  I  cleanse 
you." 

Would  you  have  the  power  of  sin  broken  in  thy  soul  1 
Take  hold  of  God's  covenant,  or  believe  in  Christ  by  virtue 
of  the  covenant,  and  thou  shalt  have  this  also:  Mic.  vii.  19: 
"  I  will  subdue  their  iniquities."  Rom.  vi.  14  :  "  Sin  shall  not 
have  dominion  over  you  :  for  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but 
under  grace." 

Wouldst  thou  have  thy  "stony  heart"  softened,  and  turned 
into  "a  heart  of  flesh?"  "This  also  lies  within  the  rainbow 
of  the  covenant:  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26:  "A  new  heart  also  will 
I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you,  and  I  will 
take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give 
you  a  heart  of  flesh." 

Would  you  have  the  Spirit  of  God  within  you,  as  a  "  Spirit 
of  wisdom  and  revelation,"  as  a  quickening,  guiding,  and  sanc- 
tifying Spirit?  Well,  this  is  within  the  covenant  also:  Ezek. 
xxxvi.  27:  "I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you 
to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  judgments,  and 
do  them." 

Would  you  have  protection  against  all  enemies  and  dan- 
gers ?  This,  also,  is  to  be  had  within  the  circuit  of  this  rain- 
bow. The  mafi  Christ,  who  sits  upon  the  throne,  "  is  a  hiding- 
place  from  the  wind,  and  a  covert  from  the  tempest." 

Wouldst  thou  have  strength  to  encounter  thy  enemy, 
strength  to  grapple  with  difhculties,  and  to  manage  thy  work 
and  warfare  ?  This  is  within  the  rainbow  of  the  covenant : 
Zech.  X.  12:  "And  I  will  strengthen  them  in  the  Lord,  and 
they  shall  walk  up  and  down  in  his  name,  saith  the  Lord." 
Is.  xli.  10:  "I  will  strengthen  them,  yea,  I  will  help  them, 
yea,  I  will  uphold  them  with  the  right  hand  of  my  righteous- 
ness." 

Lastly,  Would  you  have  grace  to  keep  in  the  Lord's  way 
to  the  end,  till  the  good  work  be  perfected  ?  Well,  this  is  in 
the  covenant:  "The  righteous  shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he 
that  hath  clean  hands  shall  wax  stronger  and  stronger.  He 
which  hath  begun  the  good  work  in  you,  will  perform  it  until 
the  day  of  Jesus  Christ."     All  these,  and  innumerable  other 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  471 

blessings,  lie  within  the  circuit  of  this  rainbow,  which  goes 
round  about  the  throne  of  grace. 

4.  The  fourth  thing  proposed  was,  to  inquire  who  are  they 
that  nnay  warrantably  come  within  the  compass  of  this  rain- 
bow ?  who  are  they  that  may  take  hold  of  God's  covenant? 
An  answer  to  this  question  is  the  more  necessary,  as  it  is  one 
of  the  main  engines  by  which  the  devil  keeps  sinners  under 
the  power  of  unbelief,  to  tell  them  that  God's  covenant  and 
promise  belong  to  others,  and  not  to  them.  Will  the  poor 
sinner  be  ready  to  say,  Indeed  if  I  were  a  believer,  I  might 
confidently  come  within  this  rainbow,  and  intermeddle  with 
Christ,  and  the  blessings  of  his  covenant ;  but  till  then  1  must 
not  presume  to  meddle.  And  thus,  I  say,  sinners  are  many 
times  discouraged  from  coming  to  Christ  to  take  hold  of  his 
covenant.  But,  sirs,  allow  me  to  tell  you,  that  none  are  ex- 
cluded from  coming  within  this  rainbow,  or  from  coming  to 
Christ  who  sits  on  the  throne  of  grace,  by  virtue  of  this  cove- 
nant of  grace,  but  only  they  who  exclude  themselves  by  their 
unbelief  Every  one  hath  liberty  to  look  to  the  natural  rain- 
bow, and  improve  the  faithfulness  of  God  in  his  promise  as  a 
security  against  the  universal  deluge ;  so  every  soul  that  hears 
the  gospel,  is  allowed  to  look  to  the  rainbow  of  the  covenant 
of  grace,  and  improve  it  as  a  security,  through  the  satisfac- 
tion of  Christ,  against  the  deluge  of  divine  wrath  due  to  him 
for  sin. 

Quest.  What  is  it  that  may  warrant  and  encourage  a  lost 
sinner  by  faith  to  lay  hold  of  the  faithfulness  of  God,  engaged 
in  this  rainl)o\v  of  the  covenant  that  is  about  his  throne? 

Answ.  1.  God  commands  you  to  lay  hold  on  his  covenant: 
1  John  iii.  23 :  "  This  is  his  commandment,  that  we  should  be- 
lieve on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  Now,  when  God 
bids  you  believe  in  Christ,  he  bids  you  believe  in  him,  by  vir- 
tue of  the  covenant  of  grace,  or  by  virtue  of  the  free  promise 
of  life  through  Christ  to  perishing  sinners,  O  essay  it  in  the 
strength  of  him  that  commands  you.  The  very  first  com- 
mand, as  I  was  saying,  warrants  you,  yea,  obliges  you  to  have 
a  God  in  Christ,  and  none  other,  as  your  God.  Now,  this 
command  is  to  all  and  every  one;  and  if  it  were  not  so,  it 
would  needs  follow,  that  there  are  some  in  whom  unbelief 
were  no  sin  ;  for  wiiere  there  is  no  law,  there  can  be  no  trans- 
gression :  but  depend  upon  it,  sirs,  that  unbelief  is  your  sin, 
and  the  great  sin  upon  which  the  sentence  of  condemnation 
will  run  against  you  at  the  great  day  ;  and  if  unbelief  be  your 
sin,  then  it  is  your  indispensable  duty,  by  the  command  of 
God,  to  believe  in  Christ  or  to  trust  in  hin»  for  salvation,  by 
virtue  of  his  faithfulness  engaged  in  the  bow  of  the  covenant 
that  is  about  the  throne  of  grace. 


472  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

2dly,  Let  the  extent  of  the  rainbow  encourage  and  warrant 
you  to  come  within  it.  The  natural  rainbow  reaches  from 
one  end  of  the  heaven  to  the  other :  but,  O  sirs,  the  grace  of 
God  in  a  covenant  of  grace  is  much  wider  and  larger,  for  it 
reaches  forth  its  arms  to  clasp  every  creature  in  its  bosom, 
Mark  xvi.  15,  16.  The  voice  of  a  God  of  grace  is  to  men,  and 
the  so7is  of  men,  to  take  hold  of  his  covenant,  to  improve  his 
faithfulness  in  the  rainbow  against  this  the  deluge  of  his  wrath : 
Is.  Iv.  1,  2:  "Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 
waters,  and  he  that  hath  no  money ;  let  him  come.  Where- 
fore do  ye  spend  your  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread '?  and 
your  labour  for  that  which  satisfieth  not?" 

'Mly,  The  rainbow  of  the  covenant  is  pointed  towards  you 
in  particular ;  and  if  you  will  but  look  to  it,  you  will  see  the 
end  of  it  coming  close  to  your  very  hand  :  Acts  ii.  39  :  "  The 
promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  seed,  and  to  all  that  are  afar 
oflC — To  you  is  the  word  of  this  salvation."  Art  thou  a  sin- 
ner, far  away,  like  the  prodigal?  Well,  see  the  rainbow  about 
the  throne  pointing  to  you :  Is.  Ivii.  19 :  "I  create  the  fruit 
of  the  lips;  peace,  peace  to  him  that  is  far  off."  So  Acts  ii. 
39.  Art  thou  a  polluted  sinner,  black  like  the  Ethiopian,  spot- 
ted like  the  leopard  1  Well,  see  the  rainbow  of  the  covenant 
pointing  out  its  grace  to  you:  Psal.  Ixviii.  13:  "Though  ye 
have  lien  among  the  pots,  yet  shall  ye  be  as  the  wings  of  a 
dove  covered  with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold." 
Art  thou  sinking  under  the  load  of  sin,  as  a  burden  heavier 
than  thou  canst  bear  ?  Well,  see  the  bow  of  the  covenant 
reaching  grace  and  mercy  to  help  thee.  "Cast  thy  burden 
upon  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  sustain  thee."  In  a  word,  what- 
ever be  thy  condition,  if  on  this  side  of  hell,  thou  wilt  find  still 
the  bow  of  God's  covenant  stretching  out  its  hand  to  thee  and 
accommodating  itself  to  thy  condition  and  circumstance.  Al- 
though the  arch  of  the  bow  be  high,  yet  it  stoops  down  to 
every  man ;  though  the  throne  be  high  and  lifted  up,  and  he 
that  sits  on  it  be  exalted,  yet  the  bow  that  is  about  his  throne 
bows  itself  down  to  thy  very  hand,  that  thou  may  climb  up 
to  Christ  by  it  in  a  way  of  believing :  and  therefore  "  say  not 
in  thine  heart.  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven,  to  bring  Christ 
down  from  above  ?  or.  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep,  to 
bring  up  Christ  again  from  the  dead?  for  the  word  is  nigh 
thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart :  that  is  the  word 
of  faith  which  we  preach,"  Rom.  x.  6 — 8. 

4t/ilij,  It  is  most  pleasing  to  him  that  sits  on  the  throne  of 
grace  to  see  a  lost  sinner  come  within  the  circuit  of  his  rain- 
bow for  safety.  You  cannot  do  a  thing  that  is  so  pleasing  to 
God,  as  to  believe  in  Christ,  by  virtue  of  the  covenant.  John 
vi.  29 :  "  This  is  the  work   of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  hire 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  473 

whom  he  liath  sent."  He  speaks  as  if  this  were  the  only 
work;  and  indeed  it  is  so  mucli  the  only  work  of  a  sinner, 
that  without  it,  it  is  impossible  to  please  him;  and  with  it 
every  thing  you  do  is  pleasing,  your  persons  and  your  sacrifices 
are  accepted  upon  his  altar.  O  sirs,  will  you  not  do  a  thing 
that  is  so  pleasing  to  him  that  made  you,  him  that  preserves 
you,  him  that  provides  for  you,  him  that  shed  the  blood  of  his 
"heart  to  redeem  you  ?  Never  was  the  overflowing  breast  of 
a  tender-hearted  mother  more  glad  to  be  sucked,  than  the 
Lord  is  to  see  a  sinner  come  within  the  bow  of  his  covenant, 
for  grace  and  mercy  to  help  in  time  of  need. 

bthly.  The  nature  of  the  throne,  and  the  nature  of  the  rain- 
bow, invites  and  encourages  your  faith  and  trust.  The  throne 
is  of  the  nature  with  the  rainbow,  the  throne  is  a  throne  of 
grace,  and  the  covenant  a  covenant  of  grace.  What  sort  of 
a  throne  is  a  throne  of  grace  ?  It  is  a  throne  for  beggars, 
debtors,  and  bankrupts,  to  come  to,  that  they  may  get  whatso- 
ever they  want  fi-eely  ;  it  is  a  throne  that  stands  by  outgiving, 
by  giving  liberally  to  nWxKithoul  nphraidbig.  What  sort  of  a 
covenant  is  a  covenant  of  grace  ?  The  very  name  of  it  tells 
you  what  is  its  nature  ;  a  covenant  of  grace  can  be  nothing 
else  but  an  absolute  free  grant  of  all  the  riches  of  grace  that 
lie  about  (he  throne  of  grace.  If  any  thing  were  required 
of  us  as  a  condition  of  our  taking  or  receiving  the  blessings 
of  the  covenant,  it  would  that  moment  cease  to  be  a  cove- 
nant of  grace.  But,  say  you,  is  not  faith  the  condition  of 
the  covenant?  Ansrv.  I  will  be  loath  to  condemn  that  way  of 
speaking,  because  worthy  men  have  nsed  it,  and  do  use  it 
in  a  sound  sense.  But,  sirs,  I  would  have  you  to  remember, 
that  when  it  is  called  a  condition,  all  that  such  worthy  learn- 
ed men  mean  by  it,  is  only  this  ;  that  you  can  have  no  saving 
benefit  or  advantage  by  Christ,  unless  he  be  received  ;  you 
can  have  no  benefit  by  God's  covenant  or  promise,  unless 
you  believe  the  promise  to  be  true,  and  believe  it  with  ap- 
plication to  your  own  souls.  Faith  is  just  such  a  condition 
as  shows  the  inseparable  connexion  between  one  thing  and 
another.  As  if  you  should  say  to  a  beggar,  '  There  is  your 
alms,  on  the  condition  that  you  take  it :  '  There  is  meat,  on 
the  condition  you  eat  it ;'  '  There  is  a  good  bond  for  a  sum  of 
money,  on  condition  that  you  trust  him  that  granted  it.'  Or» 
as  if  I  should  say  to  one,  thou  shult  have  tlie  bcnclit  of  the 
light  of  the  sun,  on  condition  thou  open  thine  eyes  to  see  it  ; 
or,The  ground  will  bear  you, on  condition  you  lay  yourweight 
upon  it.  Such  a  condition  of  the  covenant  of  grace  is  faith; 
it  is  just  taking  what  is  freely  given  "  without  money  and 
price:"  and  let  it  be  remembered,  that  itself  is  one  of  the 
blessings  promised  in  this  covenant.     Now,  I  say,  let   the 

40* 


474  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

nature  of  the  throne,  and  the  nature  of  the  rainbow  of  the 
covenant,  encourage  and  warrant  you  to  come  and  trust  in 
a  God  of  grace.  I  make  but  a  supposition,  that  a  great  and 
rich  king  should  erect  a  throne  in  tlie  open  field,  and  emit  a 
proclamation  for  all  beggars,  bankrupts,  and  people  in  wants 
and  straits,  to  come  to  his  throne,  and  they  should  get  what- 
ever they  needed.  O  what  a  gathering  would  there  be  ! 
With  what  confidence  would  needy  people  flock  thither,  and 
ask  what  they  wanted,  especially  if  the  king  had  sworn  by 
his  life  that  they  should  be  served  1  Well,  this  is  the  very 
case  :  the  throne  of  grace  is  only  a  throne  for  the  needy, 
for  "  The  rich  are  sent  empty  away  :"  and  the  bow  about 
the  throne  is  just  the  faithfulness  of  God  engaged  in  a  free 
promise,  that  come  to  him  who  will,  "  he  will  in  no  wise  cast 
them  out."  O  then  take  the  advantage,  and  trust  his  promise, 
and  you  have  the  thing  promised,  for  his  promise  is  as  good 
as  payment, 

tjlhly.  Will  you  but  take  a  view  of  the  name  of  him  that 
sits  upon  the  throne  within  the  rainbow,  and  let  that  encou- 
rage your  faith,  hope,  and  expectation.  O  sirs,  "  they  that 
know  his  name  will  put  their  trust  in  him  ;"  his  name  that  sits 
on  the  throne  is  a  strong  tower,  to  which  the  sinner  may  fiee, 
and  to  which  the  saints  "  do  flee  and  are  safe."  See  what 
his  name  is,  Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  his  name  is,  "  The  Lord,  the 
Lord  God,  Jehovah  El,  the  strong  God,  able  to  do  for  thee 
exceeding  abundantly  above  what  thou  canst  ask  or  think." 
He  stretched  out  the  heavens  and  laid  the  foundations  of  the 
earth,  and  does  whatever  pleases  him  in  the  armies  of  hea- 
ven, and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth ;  and  tlicrefore 
is  able  to  do  for  thee  whatever  thou  askest  of  him,  yea,  more 
than  thou  canst  ask.  Abraham  by  faith  stayed  himself  upon 
the  power  of  a  promising  God  without  staggering,  Rom.  iv. 
20,21.  Again;  his  name  is  merciful:  and  therefore  may 
tliou  say.  Will  he  not  answer  his  name,  and  extend  mercy, 
considering  that  misery  is  the  only  proper  object  of  mercy, 
and  I  am  wretched,  miserable,  poor  and  blind,  and  naked  ? 
David's  faith  found  footing  in  this  name  of  a  God  in  Christ, 
when  he  could  not  stand  before  the  bar  of  the  law,  Psal. 
cxxx.  4  :  "  But  there  is  mercy  with  thee ;  that  thou  mayst 
be  feared."  Again ;  his  name  who  sits  upon  the  throne  within 
the  rainbow  is  gracious ;  and  it  is  the  very  nature  of  grace, 
as  I  said,  to  give,  and  to  give  freely.  Grace  is  that  attribute 
of  the  divine  nature  which  shall  be  celebrated  through  eter- 
nity ;  this  world  is  but  a  theatre  on  which  he  designs  the 
manifestations  of  his  grace.  May  not  this  encourage  thee  to 
go  within  the  circuit  of  the  rainbow,  and  ask  grace  and 
mercy  to  help  thee  in  time  of  need  ?     Unbelief,  indeed,  vyill 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  475 

tell  thee,  that  "  the  Lord  has  forgotten  to  be  gracious  ;"  but 
it  is  not  so,  for  ho  cannot  forget  his  own  name.  Unbelief 
will  tell  thee,  that  thou  art  unworthy  of  his  grace,  and  this 
will  hinder  thee  from  coming  successfully  ;  but  that  cannot 
be,  either,  for  grace  is  most  grace  when  it  is  extended  to  the 
most  unworthy.  Thus,  I  say,  draw  encouragement  from  Ihe 
name  of  him  that  sits  upon  the  throne  within  the  rainbow. 

IthUj,  It  is  for  the  honour  and  glory  of  God,  that  you  im- 
prove the  rainbow,  of  the  covenant,  for  your  security  against 
the  deluge  of  wrath,  and  for  obtaining  the  blessings  that  lie 
within  the  bosom  of  it.  Hereby  ye  glorify  his  power,  being 
persuaded  that  he  is  able  lo  make  good  what  he  has  pro- 
mised ;  hereby  you  glorify  his  holiness,  which  is  pawned  to  (he 
great  covenant-head,  and  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance 
of  his  holiness,  pledged  in  the  covenant  to  him  and  his  seed ; 
hereby  you  glorify  his  justice,  by  acquiescing  in  that  right- 
eousness or  justice  which  is  the  foundation  of  his  throne  ; 
hereby  you  gloi'ify  his  mercy,  and  join  with  him  in  saying, 
"  Mercy  shall  be  built  up  for  ever,"  hereby  you  glorify  his 
truth  and  faithfulness,  by  "  setting  to  the  seal  that  God  is 
true  :"  in  a  word,  you  give  him  the  glory  of  your  salvation, 
saying,  "  Salvation  toour  God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever;"  the  language  of  faith 
is,  "  Not  unto  us,  O  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  be 
the  glory." 

Thus  you  see  that  there  is  noble  encouragement,  and  the 
best  warrants  in  the  world,  for  belie\ing  or  coming  within 
this  bow  of  the  covenant.  O  then,  sirs,  lor  the  Lord's  sake, 
and  for  your  own  souls'  sake,  flee  within  the  rainbow  that 
is  about  the  throne  ;  believe  in  Christ  by  virtue  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  and  promise.  And  if  after  all  you  will  not 
comply,  I  declare  in  the  name  of  God,  that  the  bow  of  God's 
covenant  shall  stand  you  in  no  stead.  The  faithfulness  of 
God,  that  is  engaged  to  save  the  sinner  that  believes,  or  takes 
hold  of  his  covenant,  is  engaged  to  damn  the  soul  that  con- 
tinues in  unbelief;  for,  as  "  he  that  belicvcth, shall  be  saved  ; 
f:o  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  The  fountains  of 
the  great  deep  of  God's  wrath  will  inevitably  sweep  you 
away;  and  he  who  is  the  God  of  salvation  has  said,  that  he 
will  "  wound  the  head  of  his  enemies,  and  the  hairy  scalp  of 
them  that  go  on  still  in  their  trespasses." 

5.  The  ///7/(  thing  proposed  was,  to  roll  away  some  im- 
pediments, or  stumbling-slones,  that  lie  in  the  way  of  sinners, 
and  whi(;h  have  a  fatal  influence  in  discouraging  them  to 
take  the  benefit  of  the  rainbow  of  the  covenant,  which  sur- 
rounds the  throne  of  grace.  'J'here  are  some  things  on  God's 
part,  that  appear  as  great  and  strong  bars  against  the  sinner, 


476  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [sER. 

and  tend  mightily  to  discourage  him  from  looking  either  to 
the  throne,  or  the  bow  that  surrounds  it ;  namely,  the  law  of 
God,  the  justice  of  God,  the  holiness  of  God,  and  the  decree 
of  God. 

1st,  The  law  of  God.  O,  says  the  sinner,  lam  condemned 
already  by  God's  law  and  how  then  shall  I  look  towards 
God's  covenant,  or  take  hold  of  it  for  my  safety  against  the 
deluge  of  wrath  ?  Jinszv.  If  thou  hadst  not  broken  the  divine 
law,  thou  wouldst  not  stand  in  need  of  the  grace  of  God's  co- 
venant. The  law  is  so  far  from  being  against  the  promise  in 
the  business  of  salvation,  that  that  moment  thou  takest  hold 
of  Christ  by  virtue  of  the  covenant  or  promise,  the  right- 
eousness of  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  thee ;  "  for  Christ  is  the  end 
of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth. 
Christ  zvas  made  under  the  law  to  redeem  them  that  were 
under  the  law." 

2dly,  But  O,  says  the  sinner,  the  justice  of  God  is  against 
me,  the  thoughts  of  incensed  justice  make  my  heart  to  trem- 
ble within  me.  Afisiv.  The  throne  of  grace,  that  is  surrounded 
with  the  bow  of  the  covenant,  is  founded  upon  justice  satis- 
fied, and  judgment  executed  upon  the  Surety ;  and  that 
moment  thou  comest  within  the  bow  of  the  covenant,  justice 
becomes  thy  friend,  assoilzing  thee  on  the  ground  of  Christ's 
satisfaction :  for  "  God  has  set  forth  Christ  to  be  a  propitia- 
tion, through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  show  forth  his  righteous- 
ness for  the  remission  of  sins  ;  that  he  might  be  just  and  the 
justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus." 

3dly,  The  holiness  of  God  sometimes  , scares  the  sinner  from 
looking  toward  the  throne  of  grace,  or  covenant  of  grace. — 
But,  sirs,  I  tell  you,  that  that  moment  you  come  within  the 
bow  of  the  covenant,  you  are  "  made  partakers  of  his  holi- 
ness;" and  the  holiness  of  God  being  laid  in  pawn  for  the  out- 
making  of  the  promise,  stands  up  for  its  own  interest  in  the 
sinner's  behalf  And,  beside,  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  the  filth 
of  sin  is  covered  from  the  eyes  of  unspotted  holiness,  as  well  as 
the  guilt  of  it  hid  from  the  eye  of  incensed  justice. 

4thli/,  The  sinner  is  ready  to  be  scared  from  taking  hold  of 
God's  covenant,  and  his  faithfulness  engaged  in  it,  on  account 
of  the  decrees  of  God.  O,  will  the  sinner  say,  it  is  true,  if  I 
were  among  the  number  of  the  elect,  I  might  meddle  with 
God's  covenant;  but,  alas!  I  think  I  am  none  of  these,  and 
therefore  I  need  not  think  of  taking  hold  of  Christ  by  virtue 
of  his  covenant.  But,  sirs,  let  me  tell  you,  that  "  secret  things 
belong  unto  the  Lord,  but  those  things  which  are  revealed, 
belong  unto  us  and  to  our  children."  Let  God's  decrees  alone; 
you  have  no  more  business  with  them  in  the  matter  of  be- 
lieving, than  you  have  to   trouble  yourself  with  what  they 


XV.]         SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.         477 

are  doing  in  Mexico  or  Peru.  Meddle  you  with  tiie  things 
that  are  revealed,  for  these  are  the  things  that  bclo?ig  to  us, 
and  to  our  children.  Now,  what  are  the  things  that  are  re- 
vealed? Christ  is  revealed,  the  covenant  and  the  pronnises 
are  revealed  as  the  ground  of  faith,  the  command  of  God  en- 
joining you  to  believe  is  revealed,  God's  good  will  to  man  upon 
earth  is  revealed :  these  are  the  things  that  belong  to  you, 
and  therefore  meddle  you  with  these.  And  let  not  the  devil 
and  your  own  ill  heart  together  perplex  and  confound  you,  by 
telling  you,  that  you  do  not  know  if  you  be  elected  ;  for  that 
moment  you  come  within  the  bow  of  God's  covenant,  you  may 
know  your  election,  and  that  "  God  hath  loved  you  with  an 
everlasting  love;"  and  no  other  way  can  you  possibly  know 
it.  But,  besides  all  this,  let  me  tell  you,  that  God's  promise, 
registered  in  his  word,  is  but  arj  extract  of  the  eternal  thought 
and  purpose  of  his  heart;  so  that  by  believing  his  promise, 
immediately  you  may  know  that  you  are  "  the  called  accord- 
ing to  his  purpose." 

But,  may  the  sinner  say,  that  though  there  be  no  bar  on 
God's  part,  yet  there  are  many  bars  and  impediments  on  my 
part.  I  shall  endeavour  to  roll  away  these  also,  by  answer- 
ing the  following  objections  of  unbelief: — 

Object.  1.  I  am  a  poor  unworthy  creature,  I  dare  not  think 
of  meddling  with  God's  covenant.  Jlnszv.  It  is  a  bastard  de- 
vilish humility,  that  keeps  you  from  believing;  for  the  more 
unworthy  you  are  of  the  grace  and  favour  of  God,  the  more 
fit  you  are  for  receiving  the  grace  of  God  at  a  throne  of  grace, 
by  virtue  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  Grace  is  only  calculated 
for  the  unworthy  sinner,  and  not  for  those  that  think  them- 
selves worthy  of  it. 

Object.  2.  My  sins  are  like  the  great  mountains,  and  1  fear 
the  grace  of  God  will  never  level  them.  Anszv.  Take  hold  of 
God's  covenant,  and  you  shall  find  these  mountains  removed, 
and  cast  into  the  midst  of  the  sea  :  Is.  i.  18:  "Come  now,  and 
let  us  reason  together,  saith  the  Lord  :  though  your  sins  be 
as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow;  though  they  be  red 
like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool." 

Object.  3.  I  want  a  law-work,  I  am  not  weary  and  heavy 
laden,  and  therefore  am  not  fit  to  take  hold  of  God's  covenant. 
Anszv.  If  thou  think  to  make  a  law-work  and  humiliation  a 
price  in  your  hand  to  recommend  you  to  Christ,  and  lit  you 
ibr  him;  I  tell  you  that  instead  of  fitting  yourself  for  Christ, 
you  are  building  up  a  wall  between  Christ  and  you,  that  you 
shall  never  win  o\er.  If  you  see  an  absolute  need  of  Christ, 
and  that  you  are  uiulone  without  him,  do  not  stand  to  seek 
more  law-work;  for  that  moment  you  close  with  Christ,  by 
virtue  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  the  law  has  gotten  its  end, 


478  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [SER. 

Christ  being  "  the  end  of  the  law  to  every  one  that  believeth." 
It  is  the  weary  and  heavy  laden  that  are  called ;  but  that  is 
not  to  exclude  others,  who  cannot  find  that  disposition  in 
themselves;  and  they  are  mentioned  in  particular  in  the  calj, 
because  they  are  most  ready  to  exclude  themselves  from 
having  any  concern  in  Christ  or  his  covenant. 

Object.  4.  I  am  afraid  to  take  hold  of  God's  covenant  in 
case  I  turn  away  from  his  commandments,  and  so  render 
myself  unworthy  of  a  covenant  relation  to  him.  Anszv.  If  you 
really  take  hold  of  his  covenant,  the  grace  of  his  covenant 
will  keep  you  in  the  way  of  his  commandments :  Jer.  xxxii. 
40:  "I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them,  that  I 
will  not  turn  away  from  them  to  do  them  good  :  but  I  will 
put  my  fear  in  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart  from 
me." 

Object.  5.  I  am  afraid  to  take  hold  of  God's  covenant  in 
case  that  I  never  be  able  to  bear  the  cross :  I  will  faint  in  the 
day  of  adversity,  for  my  strength  is  small.  A7isw.  Do  not 
fear  that,  for  he  that  sits  on  the  throne  has  said  in  his  cove- 
nant, "  when  tliou  passest  through  the  waters,  he  will  be  with 
thee;  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee: 
when  thou  walkest through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burnt; 
neither  shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee."  His  presence  shall 
go  with  thee  to  the  hottest  furnace,  and  unto  the  deep  waters 
of  Mara :  and  if  so,  there  is  no  fear :  but  thy  head  shall  be 
carried  above. 

Object.  6.  I  have  formerly  tried  to  take  hold  of  God's  co- 
venant ;  but  I  have  played  the  harlot  with  many  lovere  since 
that,  Answ.  Renew  thy  gripes  of  the  covenant;  for  the  grace 
of  God's  covenant,  the  rainbow  about  the  throne,  is  still  point- 
ing thee  out  as  it  were  by  name:  Jer.  iii.  1:  "Though  thou 
hast  played  the  harlot  with  many  lovers;  yet  return  again  to 
me,  saith  the  Lord." 

Object.  7.  But  I  have  acted  as  a  rebel  against  Heaven,  I 
have  been  wasring:  war  aijainst  God,  and  will  ever  he  allow 
me  to  meddle  with  his  covenant,  or  come  within  the  verge  of 
this  rainbow?  For  answer,  see  Psal.  Ixviii.  18,  where  we  are 
told  concerning  him  that  sits  upon  the  throne  of  grace  within 
the  rainbow,  "  He  received  gifts  for  men ;  yea,  even  for  the 
rebellious,  that  the  Lord  God  might  dwell  among  us."  See 
also,  Is.  Iv.  7:  "  Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  un- 
righteous' man  his  thoughts :  and  let  hi4Tti  return  unto  the  Lord, 
and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him,  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will 
abundantly  pardon." 

Object.  8.  I  want  power  to  take  hold  of  the  covenant,  I  want 
power  to  believe  in  Christ  by  virtue  of  the  covenant.  Anszc. 
He  that  sits  upon  the  throne,  with  the  rainbow  about  it,  he  is 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  479 

saying,  "  I  will  give  power  to  the  faint,  and  increase  strength 
to  them  that  have  no  might;"  yea,  he  has  said  that  he  will 
"  make  thee  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power :"  and  if  he  has 
given  thee  the  will  to  believe,  there  is  no  fear  for  the  want  of 
power;  for  he  that  works  the  will  by  his  covenant,  has  en- 
gaged to  work  the  do  also;  he  "  works  in  us,  both  to  will  and 
to  do  of  his  good  pleasure." 

Object.  9.  You  are  ever  speaking  of  the  bow  of  the  covenant, 
but  I  would  fain  see  it;  I  haveseen  the  natural  bow,  but  (he 
rainbow  of  the  covenant  is  invisible.  Ansiv.  It  is  strange  not 
to  see  it,  when  you  have  it  in  your  hand  ;  the  Old  and  New 
Testament  is  the  rainbow  that  1  am  speaking  of;  the  rainbow 
is  at  this  moment  shining  upon  you  in  a  preached  gospel.  O 
remember  that  awful  word,  2  Cor.  iv.  3,  4 :  "  If  our  gospel 
be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost;  in  whom  the  God  of  this 
world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  which  believe  not,  lest 
the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of 
God,  should  shine  unto  them." 

Object.  10.  I  am  afraid  I  am  one  of  those  from  whom  this 
rainbow  is  hid,  and  so  am  lost  for  ever.  Atiszv.  If  thou  dost 
not  sec  it,  I  ask,  Art  thou  longing  to  see  it  ?  If  so,  I  can  tell 
you,  for  good  news,  thou  shalt  see  it  ere  long;  "for  he  satis- 
tieth  the  longing  soul,  and  lillcth  the  hungry  soul  with  good- 
ness;" and  then  he  that  sits  on  the  throne  has  said,  that  he 
will  •'  open  the  blind  eyes,  and  turn  thee  from  darkness,  that 
thou  shalt  behold  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  the  excellency 
of  oiu-  God." 

Thus  I  have  endeavoured  to  roll  away  all  the  impediments 
I  can  think  of,  that  you  may  be  encouraged  to  come  within 
the  bow  that  is  about  the  throne  of  grace.  What  are  you  re- 
solved to  do?  Will  you  come  within  the  bow  of  God's  cove- 
nant or  not  1  ]  would  fain  expostulate  the  matter  with  yon. 
What  will  you  do  in  the  day  of  death,  if  you  come  not  within 
this  rainbow?  What  will  you  do  in  the  day  of  reckoning,  when 
standing  before  the  bar  of  CJotl  '.  Whither  will  you  flee,  when 
rocks  and  mountains  refuse  to  tall  upon  you,  to  hide  you  from 
the  face  of  the  Lamb?  O  sirs,  there  is  no  shunninff  thedeluo-e 
of  divine  wrath,  but  by  taking  hold  of  the  covenant,  and  of 
the  faithfulness  of  God  engaged  in  it;  the  whole  creation 
cannot  help  you,  if  you  do  it  not,  but  you  must  lie  under  the 
fiery  mountains  of  Gcxl's  wrath  for  ever;  for  "he  that  be- 
lieveth  not  is  condeiuned  already;  and  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him." 

But  1  cannot  think  of  parting  w  ith  you  upon  mount  Ebal 
or  Sinai.  Ami  therefore  let  me  beseech  you,  by  the  mercy 
of  God,  by  all  the  blessings  of  his  covenant,  by  the  blood  and 
bowels  of  a  God  of  love  in  Christ,  by  all  the  gloi-y  of  heaven 


4S0  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [sER. 

and  eternity,  that  you  come  within  the  compass  of  the  rain- 
bow that  is  about  the  throne.  O,  say  you,  with  my  whole 
soul  I  would  take  hold  of  God's  covenant,  and  his  faithful- 
ness engaged  in  it ;  but  will  you  give  us  your  advice  as  to 
this  matter.     An  answer  to  this  leads  to, — 

6.  The  last  thing  proposed,  which  was,  to  offer  a  few  ad- 
vices in  order  to  your  improving  the  rainbow  of  the  promise, 
or  covenant,  for  your  safety  against  the  deluge  of  wrath. 

1st,  Study  to  be  firmly  persuaded  of  your  misery  and  lost 
state  without  Christ,  and  while  without  the  confines  of  the 
bow  that  surrounds  his  throne.  Till  you  see  your  lost  state 
by  the  breach  of  the  covenant  of  works,  you  will  never  take 
hold  of  a  covenant  of  grace ;  and  therefore  be  firmly  per- 
suaded, that  by  nature  you  are  wretched,  miserable,  poor, 
blind,  and  naked.  But  now  if  you  have  come  to  this  persua- 
sion, you  must  not  rest  content  here,  for  many  have  perished 
in  this  place  of  breaking  forth  of  children.     And  therefore, 

2dli/,  Be  firmly  persuaded,  that  there  is  relief  for  you  in 
Christ,  and  in  the  new  covenant,  of  which  he  is  the  glorious 
Head.  However  bad  thy  condition  is,  there  is  relief  for  thee 
in  Christ ;  for  he  is  all  in  all.  Is  thy  state  a  state  of  sin  1 
Well,  Christ  is  the  Saviour  of  none  but  sinners.  Is  thy  state 
a  state  of  distance  from  God  ?  Well,  he  came  to  bring  us  near 
by  his  own  blood.  Is  thy  state  a  state  of  enmity  and  war 
against  Heaven  ?  Well,  his  work  is  to  reconcile  God  and  man, 
to  satisfy  justice,  and  to  slay  the  enmity  of  the  heart;  he 
breaks  down  the  wall  of  partition,  and  brings  both  parties 
unto  one.  Is  thy  state  a  hopeless  state  ?  Well,  he  is  the  hope 
of  all  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Is  it  a  state  of  darkness  ?  He  is 
the  light  of  the  world.  Art  thou  in  an  impotent  state  'I  He 
is  the  strength  of  the  poor,  and  of  the  needy.  Art  thou  in  a 
state  of  bondage  ?  He  proclaims  liberty  to  the  captives,  and 
the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound.  Art  thou 
cursed  ?  He  came  to  redeem  thee  from  the  curse.  AYt  thou 
dead  in  sin,  dead  by  the  law?  Well,  he  died  that  we  might 
live;  and  thougli  thou  be  dead,  yet  thou  shalt  live,  if  you  be- 
lieve in  him.  So  that,  I  say,  there  is  that  in  Christ  which 
meets  with  the  condition  of  the  sinner,  let  his  case  be  ever 
so  bad,  if  he  be  on  this  side  of  hell.  Now,  I  say,  be  persuaded 
of  all  this,  be  assured  of  it,  that  there  is  help  laid  upon  this 
mighty  Redeemer,  and  that  he  is  indeed  "  able  to  save  to  the 
very  uttermost." 

3dly,  Be  persuaded  that  the  rainbow,  that  is  surrounding 
the  throne  of  grace,  is  pointing  to  you  ;  I  mean,  that  the  co- 
venant of  grace,  or  promise  of  help,  relief,  and  rest,  through 
Christ,  is  left  to  you,  and  directed  or  endorsed  to  you  in  par- 
ticular, and  that  it  belongs  to  you,  as  a  thing  you  may  claim 


XV.J  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  481 

without  any  vicious  intromission.  This  is  absolutely  necessa' 
ry,  for  I  can  never  trust  to  a  security,  which  mean  time  I 
think  or  imagine  is  granted  to  another  man,  and  not  to  myself. 
Can  I  prosecute  upon  a  bond  granted  in  another  man's  name, 
and  not  in  my"  own  1  O,  say  you,  if  I  thought  I  l)ad  a  right  to 
the  covenant,  or  promise  of  God  in  Christ,  I  would  believe  it, 
and  rejoice.     Well,  to  establish  you  in  the  faith  of  this,  know, 

0  sinner,  for  thy  encouragement,  (1)  The  covenant  and  pro- 
mise is  endorsed  or  directed  to  thee,  as  if  thou  wert  named 
by  name  and  surname.  Like  a  letter,  when  it  is  backed  to 
a  man  ;  when  he  reads  the  back  of  the  letter,  and  finds  it  di- 
rected to  him,  he  breaks  the  seal  of  it,  and  claims  all  that  is  in 
it,  though  it  were  a  security  for  millions  of  gold  and  silver. 
(2.)  Thou  hast  already  got  the  seal  of  the  covcn^ant  in  baptism  ; 
and  would  God  allow  the  seal  of  his  covenant,  and  yet  wilt 
thou  say  thou  hast  no  claim  to  intermeddle  with  the  covenant 
itself?  (3.)  God  has  put  his  covenant,  his  confirmed  testa- 
ment, in  thy  hand  as  a  charter  for  eternal  life,  and  command- 
ed thee  to  read  it,  search  it,  trust  to  it  for  a  happy  eternity ; 
and  yet  wilt  thou  say  thou  hast  no  claim  to  the  covenant,  no 
right  to  take  hold  of  it  ?  And  therefore,  I  say,  be  persuaded 
that  you  have  a  good  claim  to  the  covenant  of  grace  and  pro- 
mise: "the  promise  is  to  you,  and  to  your  seed."  You  may 
readily  say  to  mc,  that  by  this  means  God's  promise  is  made 
to  the  reprobate,  as  well  as  to  the  elect,  in  the  visible  church. 

1  answer  with  the  learned  and  pious  Rutherford,  that  there- 
probate  have  as  good  a  revealed  warrant  for  believing  as  the 
elect  have.  If  God's  covenant  and  promise  were  not  to  all 
in  common  within  the  visible  church,  and  if  his  faithfulness 
were  not  engaged  in  the  promise  tendered  to  them,  how  is  it 
possible  that  unbelievers  could  be  said  to  "  make  God  a  liar," 
by  not  believing  his  promise,  or  the  record,  in  which  he  has 
given  to  us  eternal  life,  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ?  You  may 
again  object  and  say,  If  God's  promises  weic  made  to  the 
reprobate,  then  it  would  follow,  that  his  faithfulness  would 
fail,  if  he  did  not  fulfd  his  promise  to  thein.  I  answer,  We 
are  to  distinguish  between  the  promise  in  the  exhibition  of 
it  in  the  word,  and  in  the  effectual  application  of  it  by  the 
Spirit.  In  the  first  of  these  respects  it  is  made  to  all,  with- 
out exception  of  elect,  or  reprobate;  and  that  the  promise 
is  not  made  effectual  to  the  reprobate  will  no  more  infer  the 
want  of  faithfulness  in  God,  than  a  man's  not  marrying  of  a 
woman  after  he  has  passed  his  promise  to  her,  when  yet  she 
refuses  to  consent  to  the  bargain. 

4th/>/,  Be  persuaded,  that  this  covenant  of  grace  and  pro- 
mise is  a  good  and  noble  security,  and  that  it  is  able  to  bear 
thy  weight.     You  heard  in  the  doctrinal  part,  how  much 

VOL.  I.  41 


482  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT,  [SER. 

the  faithfulness  of  God  is  engaged  in  the  covenant  Pray 
do  not  forget  it;  he  has  subscribed  it,  attested  it,  sealed  it, 
registered  it;  in  a  word,  he  has  given  all  imaginable  advan- 
tage for  believing,  and  takes  off  all  imaginable  pleas  for  un- 
belief. 

5thly,  Be  much  in  viewing  those  great  and  glorious  bless- 
ings that  lie  within  the  covenant,  wiihin  the  verge  of  the 
bow  that  is  about  the  throne;  of  which  I  gave  you  an  account 
upon  the  third  head  proposed,  in  prosecuting  of  this  exhor- 
tation. What  thinkest  thou  of  having  Jehovah,  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  for  thy  God  and  portion  for  ever? 
What  thinkest  thou  of  a  sealed  pardon,  and  indemnity  for  all 
thy  sins?  What  thinkest  thou  of  being  "  an  heir  of  God,  and 
a  joint-heir  with  Christ  ?"  Wliat  thinkest  thou  of  the  "  in- 
heritance, that  is  incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  and  vvhicli 
fadeth  not  away  ?"  Yet  all  these  lie  within  the  circle  of  the 
bow  of  the  covenant.  Now,  I  say,  keep  your  eye  upon  these, 
that  you  may  be  encouraged,  or  stirred  up  to  press  towards 
the  actual  possession  of  these  glorious  blessings,  by  coming 
within  this  blessed  bow. 

Qthly,  Take  a  view  of  all  these  great  and  glorious  bless- 
ings, as  lying  in  the  hand  of  him  that  sits  upon  the  throne, 
ready  to  be  given  out  to  eveiy  one  that  believes  in  him  by 
virtue  of  the  covenant.  0  hear  him  that  sits  on  the  throne 
crying  to  all  sinners,  to  a  whole  pei-ishing  world,  "  Whoso- 
ever believelh  in  me,  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life.  Whosoever  will,  let  him  come,  and  take  the  water  of 
life  freely."  Thus,  I  say,  be  persuaded,  that  all  the  bless- 
ings of  the  covenant  lie  ready  in  his  hand  to  be  disti'ibuted 
and  communicated  to  every  one  that  comes  to  him. 

llhly.  Being  firmly  persuaded  of  all  these  thiniijs,  study  to 
rest,  and  lay  the  weight  of  thy  sinking  soul  upon  the  veracity 
and  faithfulness  of  a  promising  God  in  Christ.  You  know 
what  it  is  to  lay  weight  upon  an  honest  man's  word,  who  you 
are  persuaded  will  not  fail  you;  so  lay  weight  and  stress 
upon  the  promise  of  God,  upon  his  faithfulness  engaged  in  the 
covenant,  being  fully  persuaded,  that  what  he  has  promised, 
lie  is  both  able  and  willing  to  perform.  O  sirs,  trust  in  him. 
let  his  truth  be  your  shield  and  buckler,  for  he  is  truth  itself, 
faithfulness  is  the  girdle  of  his  loins  ;  hang  by  his  girdle,  and 
say  with  David,  "  In  his  word  will  I  hope.  Remember  the 
word  unto  thy  servant,  upon  which  thou  hast  caused  me  to 
hope."  And  if  thou  do  so,  thou  shalt  not  be  disappointed  : 
*'  The  fashion  of  this  v.orld  passelh  away ;  but  the  word  of 
the  Lord  endureth  for  ever." 

Sthly,  If  you  have  thus  entered  within  the  bow  of  the  co- 
venant, go  forward  to  the  throne  and  him  that  sits  on   it. 


XV.]  SimuOUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  483 

whose  appearance  is  like  a  jasper  and  sardine  stone  for 
brightness  and  glory  ;  pursue  him  at  his  own  throne ;  plead 
the  actual  out-nriaking  and  accomplishing  of  his  promise,  for 
this  is  God's  stated  and  ordinary  way  appointed  in  his  word: 
Ezek.  xxxvi.  37,  compared  with  ver.  25 — 27  :  there  God 
makes  a  great  many  promises,  and  after  all  he  adds,  "  For 
these  things  1  will  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  that 
I  may  do  it  for  them.  Only  when  you  come  to  the  throne, 
and  plead  the  promise,  take  care  that  you  do  not  expect  the 
accomplishment  of  the  promise  for  your  own  pleading  ;  but 
upon  the  account  of  his  own  faithfulness  engaged  in  his  own 
covenant  of  grace.  But,  may  you  say,  I  have  neither  skill 
nor  confidence  to  plead  the  promise.  1  answer,  It  is  very 
true,  you  have  no  skill  to  manage  at  his  throne ;  and  there- 
fore 1  give  you — 

A  Olh  advice:  Put  the  promise  of  the  covenant,  of  which 
you  seek  the  accom{)lishment,  in  the  hand  of  your  advocate, 
that  he  may  plead  it  for  you  :  "  We  have  an  advocate  with 
the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous."  And  therefore  in 
your  approaches  to  the  throne,  beware  of  neglecting  him; 
for  "  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved  :"  owing  to  his 
skill  and  his  interests  in  the  court.  He  has  his  Father's  ear, 
and  his  Father's  commission  to  make  "  intercession  for  the 
transgressors."  The  Father  says  to  him,  "  Ask  of  mc,  and  I 
shall  give  thee  the  Heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  ut- 
termost parts,  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession."  So  that  how- 
ever great  your  suits  at  a  throne  of  grace  are,  you  have  no 
i'eason  to  fear,  if  you  employ  this  glorious  advocate  and  days- 
man :  and  in  doing  so,  do  not  doubt  of  success  ;  "  but  ask  in 
faith,  nothing  wavering: — draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in 
full  assurance  of  faith." 

lOthly,  When  you  have  done  all  this,  you  must  wait  for 
the  accomplishment  and  out-making  of  the  promise  in  a  sen- 
sible way  ;  for  "  he  that  believcth,  does  not  make  haste. — I 
will  look  unto  the  Ijord  :  I  will  w'ait  for  the  God  of  my  sal- 
vation :  my  God  will  hear  me."  Do  not  limit  the  Lord  to 
your  time :  but  wait  his  time :  "  For  the  Lord  is  a  God  of 
judgment,  and  he  waits  to  be  gracious  ;  and  therefore  blessed 
are  all  they  that  wait  for  him."  Sirs,  if  you  have  but  the 
))romise  of  a  man,  or  the  bond  of  a  man,  for  a  sum  of  mo- 
ney, you  will  wait  many  years  before  you  get  payment,  and 
yet  you  will  not  doubt  of  payment  at  the  end,  when  the  time 
comes;  and  will  you  trust  and  wait  on  men,  and  will  you  not 
wait  on  your  (Jod  continually?  O  "the  Lord  is  good  unto 
them  that  wait  for  him,  to  the  soul  that  secketh  him.  The 
vision  is  for  an  appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak, 
and  not  lie :  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it,  because  it  will  surely 
come,  it  will  not  tarry."  Sec  to  this  purpose,  Heb.  x.  3G,  37  : 


484  THE  RAINBOW  OF  THE  COVENANT  [sER. 

"  Ye  have  need  of  patience  ;  that  after  ye  have  done  the  will 
of  God  ye  might  receive  the  promise.  For  yet  a  little  while» 
and  he  that  shall  come  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry." 

Having  thus  taken  hold  of  God's  covenant,  and  entered 
within  the  rainbow  that  is  about  the  throne,  come  to-morrow 
and  get  the  seal  of  the  covenant,  for  the  confirmation  of  your 
faith,  that  so  you  may  with  the  greatest  freedom  intermeddle 
with  the  goods  contained  in  your  Elder  Brother's  testament. 
Although  a  man  have  a  good  right  to  an  estate,  yet  perhaps 
he  may  be  loath  to  intermeddle  till  he  get  enfeoftment.  Well, 
sirs,  having  taken  hold  of  the  good  charter,  the  covenant  of 
grace,  I  invite  you  to  come  and  get  enfeoftment  upon  the  char- 
ter to-morrow  at  God's  table,  where  he  invites  all  his  friends 
to  eat  and  drink  abundantly  of  the  bread  and  wine  that  he  has 
mingled. 

I  shall  conclude  the  whole  of  this  discourse,  by  offering  a 
few  marks  by  which  you  may  try  whether  or  not  you  have 
really  got  within  the  bow  of  the  covenant  which  surrounds 
the  throne.  It  is  true,  indeed,  all  the  members  of  the  visible 
church,  bear  a  relation  to  the  covenant,  "  to  them  belong  the 
adoption  and  the  covenants,  and  the  promises ;"  you  are 
externally  in  covenant  by  virtue  of  baptism,  you  are  profes- 
sedly covenanted  people.  But  the  question  is,  Are  yo.u  really 
within  the  covenant  ?  have  you  by  faith  entered  within  the 
rainbow  that  surrounds  the  throne?  The  marks  that  I  offer 
shall  be  principally  founded  upon  the  context  in  this  chapter. 

1.  Then,  The  Spirit  of  the  great  Covenant  head  that  sits 
upon  the  throne  has  entered  into  you,  if  you  have  entered 
within  the  bow  of  this  covenant,  or  seen  the  glory  of  him 
that  sits  on  the  throne.  We  find  here  John  was  first  m  the 
spirit,  and  then  he  saw  the  throne  and  the  rainbow,  and  him 
that  sat  on  it.  O  sirs,  I  am  persuaded  that  there  was  never 
one  brought  within  the  bow  of  God's  covenant,  but  will  be 
ready  to  own  that  it  was  he  that  brought  them.  "  1  will 
cause  theni  to  pass  under  the  rod,  and  I  will  bring  them  into 
the  bond  of  the  covenant."  The  apostle  Paul  tells  us,  Phil, 
iii.  12,  that  he  was  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus,  before  ever 
he  apprehended  him  ;  so  will  it  be  with  you,  if  you  be  brought 
within  the  rainbow  of  God's  covenant. 

2.  You  will  be  much  in  admiring  the  throne,  and  the  glory 
of  him  that  sits  on  it,  who  is  here  compared  to  a  jasper  and 
sardine  stone.  1  told  you  in  the  explication  of  the  words,  that 
this  is  Christ.  O  have  you  seen  the  glory  of  an  exalted  Christ  ? 
'•  All  we  with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of 
the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image."  If  you  have 
"  seen  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father,"  you  will  be  ready  to  say,  "  He  is  indeed  white  and 
ruddy,  fairer  than  the  children  of  men," 


XV.]  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  485 

3.  If  SO,  then  you  will  take  great  pleasure  in  beholding  the 
rainbow  that  is  about  the  throne,  and  rejoice  in  it  as  your  se- 
curity against  the  deluge  of  wrath,  saying,  with  David, 
•'  This  is  all  my  salvalion,  thai  he  has  made  with  me  an  ever- 
lasting covenant,  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure :"  you  will  be 
delighted  to  think  on  the  freedom  of  the  covenant,  the  order 
of  the  covenant,  the  sureness  of  the  covenant ;  and  its  eme- 
rald colour,  its  perpetual  greenness  without  any  variation. 

4.  When  you  look  to  the  rainbow  of  the  covenant,  it  will 
till  you  with  expectation  of  good  when  you  go  to  the  throne 
in  prayer.  The  natural  rainbow,  as  I  said,  is  the  forerunner 
of  a  shower  to  the  thirsty  earth  ;  people  expect  it  when  they 
see  the  bow  in  the  clouds  :  so  when  yon  see  the  bow  of  the 
covenant,  it  will  give  you  good  hopes  of  a  shower  of  the 
Sjjirit's  influences,  and  that  he  will  come  to  you  "  as  the  rain, 
as  the  latter  and  former  rain  unto  the  earth."  And  truly, 
sirs,  one  great  rotison  why  there  are  so  many  hopeless  pray- 
ers among  us,  is  because  we  do  not  set  the  eye  of  faith  on 
the  rainbow  of  the  covenant. 

5.  If  ever  you  was  brought  within  the  rainbow  of  the  co- 
venant, you  have  been  stripped  of  your  own  "  filthy  rags," 
and  clothed  with  the  white  raiment  of  flie  righteousness  of 
the  Son  of  God ;  for  they  that  aie  about  the  throne  here  are 
said  to  be  "clothed  in  white  raiment,"  ver.  4.  So  then,  I 
ask.  Have  you  been  made  to  see  all  your  own  righteousness 
to  be  "  as  filthy  Kags,  asa  men^truous  cloth,  as  loss  and  dung, 
that  you  may  be  found  in  Christ,  not  having  your  own  right- 
eousness, which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the 
liiith  of  Christ?"  Is  the  language  of  thy  heart,  "  Surely  in 
the  Lord  have  I  righteousness:  in  him7i?7//be  justified,  and 
in  him  alone  ivill  /glory?" 

0.  If  you  have  been  within  the  rainbow,  brought  within 
the  bow  of  the  covenant,  you  have  had  your  heart  and  eyes 
enlightened,  and  warmed  with  the  seven  lamps  of  fire  before 
the  tlirone,  which  are  explained  to  be  tlie  Spirit  with  his 
various  influences,  ver.  5.  These  are  compared  to  Iam])s, 
because  of  t!u:ir  enlightfMiing  efficacy ;  and  lamps  of  fire,  be- 
cause f)'i  their  sanctifying,  pm-ifving,  warming  eflicacy,  on 
th3  soul.  Now,  try  yourselves  by  this  ;  if  you  be  brought 
within  the  bow  of  the  covenant  that  is  about  the  throne,  the 
Spirit  has  been  in  you  a  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  dis- 
covering the  things  of  God  to  you  in  a  divine  lustre:  and, 
like  fire,  they  have  purified  you  in  some  measure  from  the 
dross  of  sin,  and  made  j'our  heart  to  burn  within  you,  like 
the  disciples  going  to  Emmaus  ;  and,  like  a  lamp,  they  serve 
to  direct  you  in  the  way  of  truth  and  holiness;  the  voice  ol 
the  Spirit  is,  "  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it." 

41* 


486  THE  RAIIfBOW  OF  THE  COVElVAJfT  [SER* 

7.  If  you  be  brought  within  the  rainbow  of  the  covenant, 
you  will  be  frequently  bathing  your  polluted  souls  in  "  the  sea 
of  glass,  that  is  before  the  throne,"  spoken  of  in  the  6th  verse. 
Interpreters  think  that  there  is  an  allusion  here  to  the  large 
vessels,  in  the  temple  and  tabernacle,  in  which  the  priests 
used  to  wash  themselves  before  they  oflered  sacrifices,  called 
"  a  sea  of  glass,"  because  of  the  transparent  purity  of  him 
whose  blood  it  was.  They  that  are  come  to  Jesus  by  faith, 
the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  they  are  also  come  to  "  the 
blood  of  sprinkling,"  in  order  to  the  cleansing  of  their  souls 
from  sin  and  from  uncleanness.  You  will  see  a  continual 
need  of  this  blood  to  purify  your  persons  and  actions  from 
every  thing  that  defiles. 

8.  if  brought  within  the  rainbow  of  the  covenant,  you  will 
be  much  taken  up  in  celebrating  the  praises  of  God's  holiness, 
and  adoring  him  upon  this  account;  they  that  are  about  the 
throne,  ver.  8,  cry,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  almighty, 
which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come."  Now,  try  yourselves 
by  this.  Can  you  love  God,  adore,  and  celebrate  his  praises, 
because  of  his  unspotted  holiness  and  purity,  which  cannot 
behold  iniquity  without  abhorrence?  Tills  I  take  to  be  one 
of  the  sweetest  and  surest  marks  of  a  true  believer  and  saint 
which  distinguishes  him  from  all  hypocrites  in  t lie  world.  A 
hypocrite  may  come  the  length  to  love  and  adore  the  divine 
Majesty,  because  of  his  greatness,  because  of  his  goodness, 
because  of  his  mercy ;  but  I  do  not  think  th.-it  they  can  love 
and  praise  him,  because  of  his  holiness,  and  hatred  of  sin. 
No,  this  argues  a  seraphic  and  angehc  spirit,- for  the  angels 
cover  their  faces,  crying,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of 
hosts,"  Is.  vi.  Now,  is  this  the  disposition  of  thy  soul  1  Canst 
thou  say  with  David,  Psal.  xxx.  4,  "  Sing  unto  the  Lord,  O 
ye  saints  of  his,  and  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  of  his 
holiness '?"  and  Is.  xii.  at  the  close,  "  Shout,  O  daugltter  of 
Zion ;  for  great  is  the  holy  One  of  Israel  in  the  midst  of  thee!" 

9.  You  will  equally  adore,  worship,  and  admire  all  the 
three  persons  of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity  as  one  God.  So  do 
they  that  are  about  the  throne:  they  cry,  Holy  Father,  holy 
Son,  and  Holy  Spirit;  and  these  are  but  one  Lord  God 
almight)^,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come.  Faith  takes  up 
God  according  to  the  revelation  that  he  has  made  of  himself, 
considered  personally  or  essentially,  and  it  cannot  endure 
r\ny  thing  that  derogates  from  the  glory  of  any  of  the  blessed 
three  in  one  and  one  in  three.  You  that  are  not  stricken 
with  horror  at  the  blasphemy  that  is  uttered  against  the  Son 
of  God  this  day  in  our  church,  as  if  he  were  only  a  sub- 
or-dinate  deity,  inferior  to  the  Father,  you  were  never  yet 
within  the  compass  of  the  rainbow  that  goes  about  the  throne 
on  which  he  sits ;  for  they  that  have  been  there,  they  have 


XV.J  SURROUNDING  THE  THRONE  OF  GRACE.  487 

seen  him  to  be  the  same  in  substance,  equal  in  power,  and 
glory  with  his  eternal  Father,  to  be  the  Lord  God  almighty, 
as  well  as  the  Father,  "  the  brightness  of  his  glory,  and  the 
express  image  of  his  person."  And  the  concerns  of  his  glory 
will  go  nearer  your  heart  than  any  private  concerns  of  your 
own,  though  your  honour  were  laid  in  the  dust. 

10.  Lastly,  If  ever  you  have  been  within  the  rainbow  of 
the  covenant  that  surrounds  the  throne,  then  I  am  sure  you 
will  be  much  concerned  to  have  the  crown  pulled  off  the 
head  of  self,  and  set  upon  the  head  of  him  that  sits  upon  the 
throne  of  grace  :  ver.  10,  11,  they  tliat  are  about  the  throne, 
''  cast  their  crowns  before  the  throne,  saying.  Thou  art  wor- 
thy, O  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honour,  and  power."  O 
sirs,  if  ever  you  were  brought  within  the  rainbow  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  you  will  not  "  sacrifice  to  your  own  net, 
or  burn  incense  to  your  own  drag;"  you  will  not  attribute 
any  or  the  least  part  of  your  salvation  to  yourselves,  to  your 
own  holiness,  goodness,  diligence,  frame,  or  any  thing  else; 
no,  no,  you  will  tread  every  thing  under  your  feet,  that  dares 
to  usurp  the  room  of  Christ,  and  be  ready  to  say,  "  Not  unto 
us,  O  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  be  the  glory."  O 
he  is  the  Lord  my  righteousness,  he  is  the  glory  of  my 
strength,  in  his  righteousness  will  1  be  exalted,  and  I  resolve 
to  stand  an  eternal  debtor  to  grace,  grace  reigning  through 
imputed  riuhteousness  unto  eternal  life,  by^  Jesus  Christ  my 
Lord.  Wortiiy,  worthy  is  lie  to  wear  the  crown,  to  sit  on 
the  throne,  and  to  sway  the  sceptre  for  ever.  O  let  King 
Jesus  arise,  and  let  his  enemies  be  scattered,  and  flee  before 
him. 


SEBSMO.^'    XVf. 

THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING   HIS   FRt  ITS  AND  LEAVES  AMONG    THE 

NATIONS.* 

Ill  tlie  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  eilliersidc  of  the  river,  was  there  the 
tree  of  life,  wiiicli  bare  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  jicldcd  her  fruit 
every  montli:  and  tiie  leaves  of  the  tiec  were  for  the  healing  of  the  na- 
tions.— Kkv.  x.mi.  2. 

THE  FIRST  SERMON  ON  THIS  TEXT. 

I  HAD  occasion  to  discourse  on  the  verse  imme<iiatelv 
preceding,  at  a  solemnity  in  the  neighbourhood,  about  a  year 
ago  ;  at  which   lime  I  endeavoured   to  make  it  evident,  that 

•  Three  discourses,  preached  at  tlie  celebration  of  the  sacrament  of  the 
Lord's  .supper,  at  UunfcrniUne,  July  12,  13,  14,  1729, 


488  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [SER. 

this  vision  of  the  apostle  John  has  an  immediate  respect  to 
the  church  mihtant,  whatever  farther  accompHshment  it  may 
have  in  the  church  triumphant  in  glory.  By  the  "pure  river 
of  water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne 
of  God,  and  of  the  Lamb,"  we  are  to  understand  that  great 
abundance  of  grace,  that  issues  forth  in  a  gospel  dispensation 
towards  perishing  sinners,  from  a  God  of  grace  "  reconciling 
the  world  to  himself"  in  Christ,  as  is  clear  to  any  who  shall 
compare  the  1st  and  17th  verse  of  this  chapter  together;  they 
having  a  close  and  inseparable  connexion.  In  the  1st  verse, 
the  river  of  water  of  life  issues  forth;  and  in  the  17th  verse, 
there  is  a  universal  call  and  invitation  given  to  all  perishing 
sinners  to  come  and  drink  of  it:  "  Whosoever  will,  let  him 
come,  and  drink  of  the  water  of  life  freely."  Now,  if  the  jn- 
vitation,  ver.  17,  be  to  the  church  militant,  to  come  and  drink 
of  the  water  of  life,  as  no  doubt  it  is,  then  surely  that  river  of 
water  of  life,  of  which  they  are  called  to  drink,  must  flow  in 
the  church  militant  also. 

This  being  established,  it  must  needs  follow,  that  the  words 
1  have  now  read  in  the  2d  verse,  must  have  a  respect  to  the 
church  militant  also ;  especially  if  we  consider  the  last  clause 
of  the  verse,  where  the  leaves  of  the  tree  are  said  to  be  for 
the  healing  of  the  7uitio?is.  Now,  in  heaven  there  are  not  na- 
tions in  the  plural  number,  but  only  one  heavenly  nation  of 
the  first-born,  and  that  nation  does  not  need  any  healing ; 
the  inhabitants  of  that  land  of  glory  do  not  say  we  are  sick, 
being  presented  without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing; 
and  therefore  it  must  be  for  the  healino;  of  the  diseased  na- 
tions  of  this  lower  world  that  this  tree  of  life  is  designed. 

Now,  this  premised,  1  take  up  the  words  as  a  metaphorical 
description  of  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  lost  sinners,  under  the  no- 
tion of  a  tree.  Where  notice,  (1.)  The  nature  of  this  tree  ; 
he  is  the  tree  of  life.  (2.)  The  commodious  situation  of  the 
tree  for  the  convenience  of  the  city  of  God,  the  visible  church 
upon  earth ;  this  tree  of  life  is  in  the  midst  of  the  street  (fit,  and 
on  either  side  of  the  river.  (3.)  The  fertility  of  this  tree  of  life  ; 
it  bears  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  ijields  fruit  every  month. 
(4.)  The  medicinal  quality  of  the  tree;  the  very  leaves  of  it  are 
for  the  healing  of  the  nalio?is.  The  explication  of  these  parti- 
culars I  defer  till  1  come  to  the  prosecution  of  the  following 
doctrine,  which  I  observe  from  them. 

DocT.  "  That  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  fertile  and  medi- 
cinal tree,  planted  by  his  Father  in  the  city  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament church,  for  the  benefit  of  the  starving  and  diseased 
nations  of  the  earth."  The  foundation  of  the  doctrine  is  ob- 
vious, from  the  general  view  that  I  have  already  given  you 
of  the  words,  In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  namely,  of  the  new 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE   NATIONS.  489 

Jerusalem,  that  comes  down  out  of  heaven,  which  is  the  New 
Testament  church,  atid  on  each  side  of  the  river  was  there  the 
tree  of  life,  &.C. 

Now,  in  prosecuting  this  doctrine,  I  shall  just  observe  the 
order  already  pointed  at  in  tlie  division  of  the  words ;  and, 
through  divine  assistance,  I  shall, 

I.  Speak  a  little  of  this  tree  of  life. 

II.  Speak  of  the  situation  of  this  tree  in  the  city  of  God;  it  is 
said  to  be  in  the  midst  of  the  street,  a?id  o?t  each  side  of  the  river. 

III.  Of  the  fertility  of  this  tree  ;  it  bears  tzvelve  manner  of 
fruits,  and  yields  fruit  every  mo7Hh. 

IV.  Of  the  medicinal  quality  of  the  tree,  and  how  its  leaves 
are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations. 

V.  Apply  the  whole;  or,  if  time  do  not  allow,  apply  each 
of  the  particulars  as  I  go  along  them. 

I.  The  frst  thing  is,  to  speak  a  little  of  Christ,  under  the  no- 
tion of  the  tree  of  life.  And  here  I  shall,  1.  Offer  some  remarks 
concerning  this  blessed  tree.  2.  Show  why  it  is  called  the  tree 
of  life.  3.  What  that  life  is  that  springs  out  of  this  tree.  4. 
The  excellent  qualities  of  that  life  that  comes  from  this  tree 
to  those  who  by  faith  eat  of  his  fruit. 

First,  I  would  ofler  some  general  remarks  concerning  this 
blessed  tree  here  spoken  of. 

1.  Then,  I  remark,  that  such  metaphorical  descriptions  of 
Christ  are  very  common  and  familiar  to  the  Spirit  of  God  in 
scripture.  Sometimes  he  is  called  "  a  plant,"  and  "  a  plant  of 
renown,"  by  the  prophet  Ezckiel,  chap,  xxxiv.  29.  Sometimes 
he  is  called  "  a  rod,  and  a  branch  springing  out  of  the  root  of 
Jesse,"  Is.  xi.  1.  Sometimes  "a  root  springing  out  of  a  dry 
ground,"  Is.  liii.  2.  Sometimes  "a  tree,"  Hos.  xiv.  8:  "I  am 
like  a  green  fir  tree ;  from  me  is  thy  fruit  found."  Sometimes 
under  the  notion  of  an  apple  tree.  Cant.  ii.  3 :  "  As  the  apple 
tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood,  so  is  my  beloved  among 
the  sons."  So  here,  in  my  text,  he  is  held  out  under  (he  no- 
tion of  a  "  tree ,"  and  "  the  tree  of  life."  Our  blesised  Lord, 
while  here  upon  earth,  was  a  parabolical  kind  of  preacher, 
that  is  to  say,  he  represented  heavenly  things  by  familiar  si- 
militudes ;  and  he  continues  the  same  strain  of  teaching,  even 
after  he  is  exalted  to  glory  ;  he  is  so  fond  of  making  himself 
known  to  the  children  of  men,  that  he  is  content  to  compare 
himself  to  any  thing  that  may  convey  the  knowledge  of  him- 
self and  of  his  grace  to  us. 

2.  I  would  have  you  to  remark,  that  Christ  is  a  tree  of  his 
Father's  ])lanting:  John  xv.  1  :  "lam  the  true  vine,  and  my 
Father  is  the  husbandman."  Now,  when  I  sjieak  of  Christ's 
being  planted,  it  is  only  to  be  understood  of  him,  as  to  his  oflice, 
as  Immanuel,  God-man  or  Mediator;  for  considered  as  to  his 


490  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [sER. 

divine  nature,  he  is  the  same  independent  self  existent  God 
with  the  Father :  but,  I  say,  viewing  him  as  Mediator,  he  is 
planted  by  his  Father,  as  the  great  husbandman.  He  planted 
him  in  his  eternal  decree,  before  ever  he  planted  the  heavens, 
or  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth,  Prov,  viii.  He  planted 
him  in  his  incarnation,  by  an  actual  manifestation  in  the  flesh : 
"  A  body,"  speaking  of  his  incarnation,  "  hast  thou  prepared 
me ;"  he  made  him  "  of  a  woman,  and  of  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham, according  to  the  flesh."  He  plants  him  declaratively 
or  doctrinally  in  the  visible  church:  "  I  have  placed  salva- 
tion in  Zion  for  Israel  my  glory."  He  plants  him  spiritually 
in  the  hearts  of  all  the  elect  in  a  day  of  power ;  at  which  time 
Christ  \^  formed  and  revealed  in  us,  and  we  created  in  Christ  Jesus. 

3.  This  tree  of  life,  in  his  first  planting  and  budding,  is 
small,  but  his  latter  end  doth  greatly  increase.  How  small 
w^as  his  first  appearance,  in  that  promise,  "  The  seed  of  the 
woman  shall  bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent'?"  no  more  than 
a  bare  hint  of  his  incarnation,  and  sufferings,  in  the  threaten- 
ing denounced  against  the  serpent.  How  small  and  incon- 
siderable was  he  in  the  eyes  of  a  blinded  worid,  when  he  first 
sprang  up,  in  his  actual  incarnation,  like  "  a  root  springing 
out  of  a  dry  ground,"  without  any  form  or  comeliness?  "He 
came  unto  his  own,  and  his  own  received  him  not,"  John  i. 
11.  And  when  he  first  begins  to  spring  up  in  a  land  by  a 
gospel  dispensation,  men  make  so  little  account  of  him,  that 
they  reckon  his  gospel  foolishness  and  vain  babbling.  And 
when  he  first  sprouts  up  in  a  heart  and  soul,  in  a  day  of 
power,  his  grace,  his  kingdom,  is  but  like  "  a  grain  of  mustard 
seed,"  which  can  scarcely  be  discerned.  But,  I  say,  although 
"  his  beginnings  are  small,  yet  his  latter  end  doth  greatly  in- 
crease." The  preaching  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  by  the  apos- 
tles, was  at  first  like  the  scattering  of  "  a  handful  of  corn  on 
the  tops  of  the  mountains ;  but  the  fruit  thereof  did  shake  like 
Lebanon ;"  and  his  spiritual  seed  and  progeny  "  shall  flourish 
like  the  grass,"  or  be  innumerable  like  the  piles  of  grass,  or 
the  "  drops  of  dew  from  the  womb  of  the  morning."  And, 
however  small  his  first  blossomings  in  the  heart  be,  yet  they, 
in  whom  he  is  formed  by  the  Spirit,  "  shall  flourish  like  the 
palm  tree,  and  grow  like  the  cedars  in  Lebanon." 

4.  Notice  that  this  tree  of  life,  after  he  had  flourished 
awhile  in  this  lower  world,  was  cut  down  by  the  sword  of 
divine  wrath  and  justice:  Is.  liii.  8:  "He  was  cut  off  out  of 
the  land  of  the  living :  for  the  transgression  of  my  people  was 
he  stricken."  The  Jews  and  Romans  were  but  like  the  axe 
in  the  hand  of  God  for  hewing  down  the  tree  of  life  ;  for  they 
did  nothing  in  killing  the  Prince  of  life,  but  what  his  hand 
and  his  counsel  had  before  determined  to  be  done.  And  oh, 
many  a  hack,  many  a  heavy  stroke  and  blow  did  this  tree  of 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  491 

life  endure,  before  he  fell  down  to  the  ground ;  "  he  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  ini- 
quities: the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him."  O 
■what  a  tremendous  stroke  did  justice  reach  to  the  tree  of  life, 
when  he  cried,  "  Awake,  O  sword,  against  the  man  that  is 
my  fellow !"  The  very  earth  trembled,  and  the  rocks  were 
rent,  with  the  weight  of  the  stroke  that  was  laid  upon  him  for 
our  sins. 

5.  Although  this  tree  of  life  was  cut  down  unto  death  by 
the  hand  of  justice,  yet  death  could  not  long  keep  his  do- 
minion over  the  tree  of  life  ;  it  was  not  possible  that  the  bands 
of  death,  or  the  bars  of  the  grave  could  detain  him.  No,  no: 
three  days  after  he  was  hewed  down,  this  tree  did  spring  up 
more  tall  and  glorious  than  ever.  lie  was,  indeed,  cut  oft 
out  of  the  land  of  the  living,  and  delivered  to  death  for  our 
oftences,  but  he  I'osc  again  for  our  justification,  and  was  "  de- 
clared to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power,  according  to  the 
spirit  of  holiness,  by  his  resurrection  from  the  dead."  Our 
hope  of  the  inheritance  did  spring  up  with  this  tree  of  life, 
when  he  sprang  up  agnin  out  of  the  grave:  1  Pet.  i.  3,  4: 
*'  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
which  according  to  his  abundant  mercy,  hath  begotten  us 
again  unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ 
from  the  dead,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and 
that  fadeth  not  away."  Our  hope  and  strength  had  for  ever 
perished,  if  this  tree  of  life  had  perished  in  death. 

0.  I  remark  concerning  this  tree  of  life,  that  he  docs  now 
in  his  exalted  state  overtop  and  excel  all  the  trees  of  the 
wood;  having  drunk  of  the  brook  in  the  way,  he  has  now 
lifted  up  his  head:  hence  is  that  commendation  of  the  spouse, 
Cant.  ii.  3:  "As  the  apple  tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood, 
so  is  my  beloved  among  the  sons;"  he  infinitely  excels  them 
all,  he  is  fairer,  infinitely  fairer  "  than  the  children  of  men  :" 
yea,  he  overtops  and  excels  all  the  angels  in  heaven,  "  he 
lias  by  inherKance  obtained  a  more  excellent  name  than  they; 
he  is  far  exalted  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and  might, 
and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  can  be  named,  whether 
in  this  world,  or  that  which  is  to  come." 

7.  I  remark,  that  this  tree  of  life,  though  he  be  now  exalt- 
ed far  above  the  heavens,  yet  his  branches  bow  and  bend 
down  to  the  earth  in  the  dispensation  of  the  v^'ord ;  so  that 
we  need  not  climb  or  scale  heaven  to  bring  him  down  from 
above:  "  The  word  is  ni<ih  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in 
thy  heart,  even  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach."  Where- 
ver the  gospel  is  preached,  wherever  the  table  of  the  Lord 
is  covered,  there  the  loaded  branches  of  the  tree  of  life  are  as 
it  were  bowed  down  to  your   very  hand,  so  as  you   may  sit 


492  tHe  tree  of  life  shaking  his  fruits  [ser. 

down  under  his  shadow  by  faith,  and  taste  of  his  excellent 
fruit.  But  this  will  fail  in  to  be  spoken  of  on  the  second 
branch  of  the  doctrine.  So  much  for  the  general  renriarks 
respecting  this  tree. 

Secondly,  1  come  to  show  why  he  is  called,  by  way  of 
eminence,  the  tr-ee  of  life.  In  general,  then,  I  conceive,  he  is 
called  the  tree  of  life,  with  allusion  to  the  tree,  called  by  that 
name,  that  grew  in  the  earthly  Paradise,  which  it  is  thought 
by  divines  was  the  sacrament  of  the  covenant  of  works,  which, 
if  Adam  had  eaten  of,  after  his  continuance  in  his  integrity 
for  some  time,  he  would  have  been  thereby  confirmed  and 
estabHshed  in  a  state  of  perfect  holiness  and  happiness.  And 
on  this  account  this  tree,  in  the  midst  of  the  eartldy  Paradise, 
is  made  use  of  here  as  a  type  or  shadow  of  Christ,  of  whom 
if  a  man  once  eat,  or  partake  by  a  true  faith,  he  is  secured 
for  ever  against  the  curse,  delivered  from  condemnation,  and 
hath  an  everlasting  name  in  the  family  of  heaven,  which  shall 
never  be  cut  off  But,  more  particularly,  Christ  is  called  the 
tree  of  life. 

1.  Because  he  is  the  original  and  fountain  cause  of  our  life, 
both  spiritual  and  eternal.  Thy  soul,  believer,  had  never 
fetched  one  spiritual  breathing  after  God,  had  not  Christ 
breathed  the  breath  of  life  in  thee:  it  is  "the  spirit  of  life, 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  entering  into  the  dead  soul  by  means 
of  the  word  read  or  preached,  that  "  makes  us  free  from  the 
law  of  sin  and  death." 

2.  He  is  the  material  cause  of  our  life.  It  is  the  very  life 
of  Jesus  that  is  in  the  soul  of  the  believer:  Gal.  ii.  20:  "I 
live,"  says  Paul;  "yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  Christ 
formed  in  the  heart,  by  the  power  of  the  eternal  Spirit,  is  the 
very  internal  principle  of  the  believer's  life ;  for  Christ  is  in 
them,  and  they  are  in  him  :  so  that  as  it  is  the  life  of  the  head 
that  is  in  all  the  members,  so  it  is  the  life  of  Jesus  that  is  in 
all  believers. 

3.  He  is  called  the  tree  of  life,  because  he  is  the  purchaser 
of  our  life;  and  so  he  is  the  meritorious  cause  of  life.  It  was 
by  the  death,  or  down-hewing  of  the  tree  of  life,  that  life  is 
bought  for  a  lost  world;  hence  his  death  is  called  a  ransom, 
and  eternal  life  is  called  a  purchased  inheritance. 

4.  He  is  the  preserving  cause  of  our  life ;  he  maintains 
and  holds  our  souls  in  life,  by  continual  supplies  and  commu- 
nications. When  the  soul  is  in  a  languishing  condition,  he 
restores  it,  as  David  speaks,  Psal.  xxiii.  3.  He  "  strengthens 
the  things  which  remain,  that  are  ready  to  die."  When  the 
soul  is  just  like  the  withered  corn,  when  the  rain  of  heaven  is 
withheld,  he  is  as  the  dew  to  it ;  he  comes  down  as  the  rain, 
and  thereupon  they  revive  as  the  corn,  and  grow  as  the  vink. 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  493 

5.  He  is  the  final  cause  of  our  life.  As  he  is  the  original, 
so  he  is  the  end  of  our  life:  "  For  none  of  us  liveth  to  iiim- 
self,  and  no  man  dicth  to  himself  For  whether  we  live,  we 
live  unto  the  Lord;  and  whether  we  die,  we  die  unto  the 
liord:  whether  w'e  live  therefore,  or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's," 
Rom.  xiv.  7,  8. 

Thirdly,  I  come  to  tell  you  what  sort  of  life  springs  out  of 
this  tree  of  life.  Jlnsiv.  There  is  a  fourfold  life  to  he  found  in 
Christ,  the  blessed  tree  of  life. 

1.  There  is  a  life  of  justification,  in  opposition  to  legal  death. 
Every  man  by  nature  is  dead  in  the  eye  of  the  law;  just 
like  a  malefactor  under  sentence  of  death;  though  he  be  not 
actually  executed,  yet  we  reckon  him  a  dead  man,  because  he 
is  dead  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  the  judge  having  passed  sentence 
against  him,  and  the  day  of  his  execution  approaching.  This 
is  it  which  every  sinner  who  is  out  of  Christ  is  under;  he  is 
under  the  law  as  a  covenant,  and  therefore  a  dead  man  in 
law,  the  law  hath  already  condemned  him,  for  the  law  says 
to  every  sinner,  "The  soul  that  sinnelh  shall  die."  Now,  so 
soon  as  ever  the  poor  sinner  comes  under  the  shadow  of  the 
tree  of  life,  or  by  faith  tastes  of  the  fruit  of  this  tree,  this  sen- 
tence of  the  law  is  repealed  and  cancelled,  by  virtue  of  the 
imputation  of  the  everlasting  riglitcousness  of  the  Son  of  God 
as  our  Surety ;  so  that  the  man  begins  to  live  even  before 
God  as  the  righteous  Judge  and  Lawgiver,  he  being  vested 
with  that  righteousness  by  which  the  law  is  magnified  and 
made  lionourable.  God  allows  the  poor  soul  to  count  and 
reckon  upon  this,  Rom.  vi.  11:  "As  Christ  died  and  rose 
again;  so  likewise  reckon  ye  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed 
unto  sip ;  but  alive  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ."  The 
believer,  by  virtue  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  is  so  much 
alive  unto  God,  that  he  dare  say  with  the  apostle,  "Who 
shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?  It  is  God 
that  JDstifielh:  who  is  he  that  condcmncth?"  &c. 

2,  In  Christ,  the  blessed  tnn^  of  life;,  there  is  to  be  found  a 
life  of  sanctification  or  of  holiness.  This  is  the  fruit  and 
(Consequence  of  the  former.  A  legal  death  inevitably  brings 
on  a  sjiiritual  death  under  the  power  of  sin,  for,  "  the  strength 
of  sin  is  the  law."  Tiie  law  slays  ns  and  puts  out  our  spi- 
ritual life,  because  of  the  violation  of  it.  And,  on  the  other 
hand,  a  life  of  justification,  inevitably  brings  with  it  a  life  of 
sanctification  or  hohness,  which  lies  in  the  soul's  freedom  from 
the  dominion  and  filth  of  sin:  so  that  the  man  now  having  an 
inward  principle  of  life,  begins  to  yield  obedience  to  the  law, 
not  as  a  covenant,  seeking  life  by  it,  but  as  a  rule  of  obedi- 
ence, that  he  may  "show  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath 
called  him  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light."     And 

VOL.  I.  42 


494  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [sER. 

this  life  of  sanctification  he  has  from  Christ,  the  tree  of  hfe: 
"I  am  like  a  green  fir  tree,"  says  he;  "from  me  is  thy  fruit 
found. — Abide  in  me,  and  I  in  you;  so  shall  ye  bring  forth 
much  fruit."  All  the  fruits  of  righteousness  and  holiness  are 
by  Jesus  Christ. 

3.  By  this  tree  of  life  we  live  a  life  of  consolation  or  com- 
fort; for  he  is  "the  consolation  of  Israel. — With  joy  shall  ye 
draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation."  The  spouse  "  sat 
down  under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was 
sweet  to  her  taste."  By  eating  the  fruit  of  this  tree,  David 
declares  his  soul  was  "  satisfied,  as  with  marrow  and  fatness;" 
so  that  he  blessed  God  with  joyful  lips.  Whenever  the  poor 
soul  tastes  of  the  fruit  of  this  tree,  an  air  of  heavenly  joy  ap- 
pears in  the  countenance;  the  man  lays  aside  his  sackcloth, 
and  girds  himself  with  gladness,  and  is  filled  with  a  "joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory."  This  life  of  consolation  is  just 
up  or  down,  according  to  the  fruit  or  lively  exercise  of  faith, 
or  according  to  the  coming  or  going  of  the  I^ord;  whenever 
Christ  appears,  the  soul  revives  and  laughs  like  the  fields  after 
a  pleasant  shower  and  warm  blink. 

4.  There  is  a  life  of  glory  grows  out  of  the  tree  of  life;  for 
"this  is  the  record  that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  hfe:  and 
this  hfe  is  in  his  Son.  And  he  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life; 
and  he  that  believeth  in  the  Son  of  God,  hath  everlasting 
Hfe;"  he  hath  the  earnest,  and  the  security  of  it  here,  and  he 
shall  have  the  full  possession  of  it  in  heaven  for  ever  hereaf- 
ter.    Thus,  you  see  what  life  springs  out  of  the  tree  of  hfe. 

Fourthly,  I  shall  only  add  a  few  properties  or  qualities  of 
this  life  that  springs  out  of  the  tree  of  life. 

1.  Then,  it  is  a  divine  life,  it  is  "the  life  of  God  in  the  soul." 
A  good  man  is  called  a  godly  man,  and  a  wicked  man  is 
called  godless:  why,  what  think  you  is  the  reason  of  these 
opposite  denominations?  The  reason  of  them  is,  because  the 
godly  man  has  something  of  the  life  of- God,  but  a  godless 
man  is  destitute  of  the  life  of  God;  the  expression  is  scriptu- 
ral, Eph.  iv.  18,  the  M-icked  are  said  to  be  "alienated  from 
the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them."  It  is 
a  divine  life;  divine  in  its  original,  divine  in  its  nature  and 
tendency,  and  divine  in  its  end;  it  is  a  living  and  a  walking 
with  God,  as  it  is  said  of  Enoch.  Whenever  a  man  has  tasted 
of  the  fruit  of  this  tree  of  life,  he  can  never  after  it  abide  out 
of  God's  company. 

2.  The  life  that  comes  out  of  the  tree  of  life  to  the  soul,  is, 
of  all  others,  the  most  excellent  life.  There  is  a  threefold 
life  in  every  man.  There  is  a  vegetable  life,  which  he  has 
in  common  with  trees,  plants,  and  other  things  that  spring 
out  of  the  earth :  there  is  a  sensitive  life,  that  he  has  in  com- 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMOIfG  THE  NATIONS.  495 

mon  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth,  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  the 
fishes  of  the  sea,  which  all  have  a  life  of  sense:  he  has  a  ra- 
tional life,  by  which  he  is  distinguished  from  the  inferior 
creatures;  and  this  is  common  to  all  men.  But  the  believer 
is  "more  excellent  than  his  neighbour,"  for  he  has  a  more 
excellent  life  than  they,  even  a  lite  which  is  "hid  with  Christ 
in  God:  He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life:"  and  he  hath  such  a 
life  as  the  rest  of  the  world  are  strangers  to. 

3.  It  is  a  royal  and  a  princely  lite  that  we  have  from  the 
tree  of  life;  for  all  believers,  who  are  branches  of  this  tree, 
are  "made  kings  and  priests  unto  God."  No  sooner  is  the 
soul  ingrafted  or  united  to  him,  but  he  begins  to  live  like  a 
king,  above  the  world,  looking  on  this  dunghill  with  disdain. 

4.  It  is  a  heavenly  life;  it  comes  from  heaven,  where  the 
fountain  of  our  life  is,  and  it  is  ever  tending  heaven-ward : 
"  Our  conversation  is  in  heaven,  from  whence  we  look  for 
the  Saviour,  the  I-iord  Jesus  Christ."  The  believer  "desires 
a  better  country,"  and  his  eye  is  on  the  land  afar  off  He 
"looks  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things 
which  are  not  seen." 

5.  It  is  a  growing  life;  for  "the  path  of  the  just  is  as  the 
shining  light,  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect 
day.  Those  that  be  planted  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  flourish 
in  the  courts  of  our  God,  flourish  like  the  palm  tree,  and  grow 
like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon."  This  life  is  always  growing,  till 
it  "  come  to  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of 
Christ." 

6.  It  is  an  immortal,  durable,  and  everlasting  life.  When 
the  life  of  the  body  ends,  this  lifp  is  so  far  from  ending,  that 
it  is  then  consummated  and  perfected.  It  is  a  life  that  shall 
run  parallel  witli  the  life  of  God  for  duration.  This  much 
for  the  first  thing  in  the  text  and  method,  which  was  to  speak 
a  little  of  this  tn^e  of  life. 

II.  Tlic  second  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  "speak  of  the 
situation  of  this  tree  in  the  city  of  God;"  it  is  said  to  be  /// 
I  he  midst  of  the  street,  and  on  each  side  of  the  river.  For  the 
ilhistration  of  this  clause  of  the  text,  there  are  these  few  par- 
ticulars that  I  would  observe: — 

L  That  the  city  spoken  of,  is  none  otlier  than  the  church 
of  God.  I  jiroved  in  the  entry,  that  whatever  respect  there 
may  be  had  to  the  church  triumphant  in  glory,  yet^  to  me,  it 
ts  clear,  that,  in  the  first  place,  and  immediately,  it  is  to  be 
understood  of  the  church  mihtant  here  upon  earth,  which  is 
fretiuently  in  scripture  called  a  city,  Psal.  Ixxxvii.  3:  "  Glo^ 
rious  things  are  spoken  of  thee,  O  city  of  God."  Psal.  Ixxii. 
1(5:  "The  city  shall  be  flourishing,  and  her  citizens  shall 
abound:"  which  is  spoken  with  a  view  to  the  New  Testament 


496  THE  TREE  Of  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [sER. 

church.  And  all  believers,  while  yet  upon  earth,  are  said  to 
be  actually  come  to  mount  Zion,  and  to  the  heavenly  Jerusa- 
lem: and  the  new^  Jerusalem,  described  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ter, is  said,  verse  10,  to  "  descend  from  God  out  of  heaven;" 
because  all  believers,  who  are  the  only  true  citizens,  are  born 
from  above,  and  are  entered  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  She 
is  a  city  for  habitation,  Psal.  cvii.  7:  "He  led  them  forth  by 
the  right  way,  that  they  might  go  to  a  city  of  habitation ;"  a 
city  of  traffic,  here  the  commodities  of  heaven  are  exposed 
to  sale,  and  that  at  a  low  rate,  "  without  money  and  without 
price,"  Is.  Iv.  1 ;  a  city  for  strength,  walled  about  with  salva- 
tion, Is.  XX vi.  1 :  "  We  have  a  strong  city,  salvation  will  God 
appoint  for  walls  and  bulwarks;"  a  city  for  refuge,  a  city  for 
immunities,  a  city  for  beauty  and  compactness;  a  royal  city, 
for  there  the  great  King  hath  his  residence,  "  The  Lord  hath 
chosen  Zion :  he  hath  desired  it  for  his  habitation.  This  is 
my  rest  for  ever:  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it," 
Psal.  cxxxii.  13,  14. 

2.  I  remark  here,  that  this  city  has  streets  in  it ;  for  the 
tree  of  life  is  said  to  be  in  the  midst  of  the  street  of  the  city  ; 
where,  by  the  street,  I  understand  the  ordinances  of  divine 
appointment,  especially  those  of  a  public  nature.  Cant.  iii.  2, 
the  spouse  there,  when  she  could  not  find  her  Lord  in  more 
private  retirements,  enters  upon  a  resolution  to  arise,  and  go 
through  "  the  streets  and  broad  ways  "  of  the  city  of  God,  to 
see  if  she  could  find  "  him  whom  her  soul  loved ;"  where,  by 
the  streets  and  broad  icays,  it  is  agreed  by  interpreters,  the 
public  ordinances  of  divine  worship  are  to  be  understood. 
And,  Prov.  viii.  1,  wisdom  is  said  "to  cry  in  the  streets;" 
that  is,  in  the  pubhc  ordinances  of  worship;  which  are  so 
called,  because,  as  the  street  of  a  city  is  the  place  where  the 
inhabitants  gather  together  in  concourse,  so  these  ordinances 
are  the  public  concourse  of  the  church  of  God,  "whither  the 
tribes  of  the  Lord  go  up,  to  worship  at  his  footstool."  And 
in  these  streets  and  broad  ways  of  ordinances,  the  inhabitants 
of  the  city  of  God  have  sweet  fellowship  and  communion 
with  the  Lord. 

3.  Notice  here,  that  there  is  a  river,  which  is  said  to  run 
through  the  midst  of  the  city,  and  in  the  streets  of  it,  accord- 
ing to  what  we  have,  Psal.  xlvi.  4:  "There  is  a  river,  the 
streams  whereof  do  make  glad  the  city  of  God."  This  is  the 
very  same  river  spoken  of  in  the  preceding  verse,  which  is 
said  to  "proceed  from  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb." 
When  I  insisted  upon  that  verse,  I  showed  that  this  river  is 
nothing  else  than  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  even  that  Spirit 
which  is  said  to  be  "poured  upon  the  house  of  David,  and 
the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,"  Zech.  xii.  10.     "  The  glorious 


rVI.]  AITD  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  497 

Lord,"  by  his  Spirit  and  the  communication  of  his  grace, 
"  shall  be  unto  her  as  a  place  of  broad  rivers  and  streams," 
Is.  xxxiii.  21:  "I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty, 
and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground,"  Is.  xliv.  3.  By  this  river, 
the  whole  city  of  God,  all  true  believers,  are  refreshed,  sup- 
plied, fructified,  cleansed,  and  quickened.     But, 

4.  Another  thing  that  we  may  remark  here,  is,  that  Christ, 
the  tree  of  life,  is  on  each  side  oft/te  river,  and  in  the  midst  of 
the  street  of  it.  And  here  again  I  conceive  tiiere  arc  these 
things  that  seem  to  be  pointed  at. 

l.s/.  That  a  living  Redeemer,  though  he  be  in  heaven  ex- 
alted at  "  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high,"  and  though 
the  heavens  are  to  contain  him  till  his  second  coming;  yet  still 
he  is  to  be  found  by  his  people  upon  earth ;  yea,  he  is  in  every 
part  of  his  church;  for  here  the  tree  of  life  is  in  the  ?nidst  of 
the  street,  and  one  ach  side  of  the  river:  that  is,  wherever  be- 
lievers (the  true  church  of  God)  are,  or  whatever  be  their  si- 
tuation, while  in  a  militant  state,  Christ  is  ever  to  be  found;  the 
boughs  of  the  tree  stretch  theiiisclvcs  out  to  them  wherever 
they  are,  though  it  were  to  the  "  uttermost  wings  of  the  earth," 
as  the  expression  is.  Is.  xxiv.  IG.  O,  what  unspeakable  com- 
fort is  it,  that  wherever  the  body  is,  there  the  glorious  head 
of  the  body  is!  "Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  ev^en  unto  the 
end  of  the  world."  And,  "In  all  places  where  I  record  my 
name,  I  will  come  unto  you,  and  I  will  bless  you."  And, 
"•Where  two  or  three  qre  gathered  together  in  my  name, 
there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them." 

2d/i/,  The  expression  takes  in,  that  Christ  is  the  centre,  and, 
as  it  were,  the  very  heart  of  his  church  and  people;  for  he  is 
here  said  to  be  in  the  midst  of  the  city:  as  the  heart  is  in  the 
midst  of  the  body,  so  Christ  is  in  the  midst  of  his  church. 
"God  is  in  the  midst  of  her;  she  shall  not  be  moved:  God 
shall  help  her,  and  that  right  early,"  Psal.  xlvi.  5.  Christ  is 
the  centre  of  the  church's  life:  '•  Oiu-  life  is  hid  with  Christ 
in  God :"  he  holds  our  souls  in  lii'c.  lie  is  the  centre  of  light, 
as  the  sun  in  the  lirmamont  is  to  this  li:)Wor  world  :  "I  am  the 
light  of  the  world."  He  is  the  (centre  of  comfort:  therefore 
called  "the  consolation  of  Israel:"  he  gives  "  the  oil  of  joy  for 
mourning."  He  is  the  centre  of  love  and  desire,  "the  desire 
of  all  nations."  "The  desire  of  our  soul  is  to  thy  name,  and 
to  the  remembrance  of  thee."  The  centre  of  faith;  every 
one  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  of  God  have  their  eyes 
fixed  upon  him;  lh(5y"lo()k  unto  him,  and  are  saved,"  «<Our 
eyes  are  towards  the  Lord  our  God."  He  is  the  centre  of 
union;  they  all  "hold  him  as  the  head,  from  which  the  whoI(> 
body,  as  by  joints  and  bands,  having  nourishment  ministered, 
and  knit  together,  increase  with  the  increase  of  God.    There 

4^* 


498  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [sElR« 

is  a  great  cry  for  peace,  peace,  and  many  politic  endeavours 
to  keep  the  peace  and  unity  of  the  church,  but  it  is  impossible 
that  we  can  be  one,  unless  it  be  in  the  Lord.  He  is  the  centre 
of  doctrine;  "to  him  bear  all  the  prophets  witness,"  and  to 
him  bear  all  the  apostles  witness;  and  every  truth  of  the  word 
points  to  him ;  there  is  not  a  word  in  the  Bible  but  it  points 
toward  Christ,  as  the  needle  in  the  compass  points  to  the 
pole-star.  He  is  the  centre  of  worship;  the  prayers  and 
praises  of  all  believers  terminate  in  him;  they  all  cry,  "  Wor- 
thy is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain." 

Sdly,  Christ,  the  tree  of  life,  being  in  the  midst  of  the  street, 
says,  that  Christ  is  a  common  and  public  good  to  the  church, 
that  he  is  set  up  for  the  benefit  of  all  the  inhabitants.  This 
tree  of  life  does  not  grow  in  a  corner,  or  in  any  enclosed 
place,  where  only  some  particular  persons  may  enter,  but  in 
the  public  street,  in  the  market-place,  where  every  body  has 
free  access  to  him.  It  is  remarkably  to  the  same  purpose, 
what  the  spouse  says  concerning  Christ,  Cant.  ii.  3,  she  does 
not  say,  that  her  beloved  was  as  the  apple  tree  among  the 
trees  of  the  garden,  which  is  an  enclosure;  but,  he  is  "the 
apple  tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood,"  which  every  pas- 
senger may  pluck,  and  eat,  and  use  with  freedom.  As  eveiy 
man  in  the  camp  of  Israel  had  the  privilege  of  looking  to  the 
brazen  serpent  that  was  set  up  in  the  camp;  so  every  man 
wdthin  the  visible  church  has  equal  access  to  Christ,  the  tree 
of  life,  for  he  is  "  in  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it."  O  sirs,  do 
not  doubt  of  your  warrant  to  come  to  Clmst,  since  he  is  in 
the  midst  of  our  streets,  accessible  from  all  quarters  of  the 
city.  Christ  is  equally  tendered  to  all  in  a  preached  gospel; 
he  is  every  man's  penny-worth,  who  will  but  take  him,  apply 
him,  and  lay  claim  to  him.  As  every  subject  in  Britain  may 
say  of  our  present  sovereign,  He  is  my  king,  because  he  is 
set  as  a  public  good  to  the  whole  body  politic;  and  as  every 
soldier  of  an  army  may  say  of  the  principal  commander.  He 
is  my  general,  in  a  way  of  application,  and  have  recourse  to 
him  as  such ;  and  as  every  soldier  may  lay  claim  to  the  phy- 
sician of  a  regiment,  and  say.  He  is  my  physician,  because 
of  the  relation  he  stands  under  to  the  whole  company:  so 
Christ,  being  the  common  Saviour  of  sinners,  the  prophet, 
priest,  and  king  of  his  church  by  office,  every  one  may,  in  a 
way  of  particular  application,  claim  the  benefit  of  him  in  his 
saving  offices,  and  say,  in  a  way  of  believing.  He  is  my  Sa- 
viour, my  prophet,  priest,  and  king,  for  he  is  "a  Son  given, 
and  Child  born  unto  us ;  he  is  made  of  God  unto  us  wisdom, 
righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption;"  and  whatever 
he  is  as  Mediator,  that  he  is  to  us;  he  is  "in  the  midst  of  the 
street  of  the  city." 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  499 

Athhj^  It  implies  that  they  who  would  find  Christ  must  seek 
him  in  the  streets  and  broad  ways  of  gospel  ordinances;  for 
here  the  tree  of  life  is  said  to  be  in  the  midst  of  the  street,  in 
the  public  ordinances  of  the  church,  such  as  preaching  of  the 
word,  and  administration  of  sacraments.  O  sirs,  it  is  "  in  his 
temple  that  every  one  is  made  to  speak  of  his  glory,"  Psal. 
xxix.  9.  It  is  there  he  causes  his  name  to  be  recorded ;  and 
there  it  is  he  has  promised  to  come  to  his  people,  and  bless 
them,  Exod.  xx.  24.  And,  therefore,  they  that  turn  their 
back  on  public  ordinances,  are  out  of  the  way  of  coming  to 
the  tree  of  life.  I  own,  indeed,  that  the  Lord  will  sometimes 
meet  with  a  sinner  going  on  in  the  broad  way  to  destruction, 
as  he  did  with  Paul  going  to  Damascus;  but  when  he  does 
so,  he  steps  out  of  his  ordinary  road  of  doing,  for  his  ordinary 
way  of  convincing,  converting,  and  healing  souls,  is  in  his 
sanctuary.  We  read  of  one  (Paul)  converted  in  the  way  to 
Damascus,  but  we  read  of  three  thousand  added  to  the 
church  when  attending  upon  the  word  preached  by  Peter, 
Acts  ii.  41.  So,  I  say,  they  who  would  find  Christ,  the  tree 
of  life,  must  come  to  the  streets  and  broad  ways  of  ordi- 
nances, as  the  spouse  did.  Many  a  sweet  meeting  have  be- 
lievers had  with  the  Lord  there:  I  hope  some  here  can  seal 
it  from  their  experience. 

blhhj.  The  expression  implies,  that  Christ  is  to  be  met  with, 
not  only  in  the  public  ordinances  of  the  church,  but  that  sweet 
fellowship  with  him  is  to  be  had  also  in  the  more  private  and 
secret  retirements  of  the  Lord's  people;  for  here  the  tree  of 
life  is  not  only  in  the  street,  but  on  each  side  of  the  river^ 
through  all  parts  of  the  city.  When  employed  in  family 
prayer,  in  secret  prayer,  secret  meditation,  private  or  secret 
reading  of  the  word,  Christian  converse,  and  the  like;  many 
a  sweet  communion  with  the  Lord  does  the  believer  enjoy  in 
these.  O,  says  David,  "When  I  remember  thee  upon  my 
bed,  and  meditate  on  thee  in  the  night  watches,  my  soul  shall 
be  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and  fatness."  The  hearts  of  the 
disciples  going  to  Emmaus,  were  made  to  "  burn  while  they 
talked  together  by  the  way." 

(J//////,  It  implies  that  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  are  abso- 
lutely necessary,  in  order  to  the  sweetening  of  ordinances, 
a  ul  convoying  the  fruit  of  a  Redeemer's  purchase  to  them  in 
the  use  of  ordinances:  for  here  the.  pure  river  of  the  water 
of  life  iiiterniingles  itself  in  the  streets  of  the  city,  with  tho 
spreading  boughs  and  branches  of  the  tree.  Unless  the  river 
of  the  Spirit's  influence  come  along  with  word  and  sacra- 
ment, "taking  the  things  of  Christ,  and  showing  them"  to  us, 
we  shall  find  them  to  be  but  "dry  beasts  and  miscarrying 
wombs;"  and  therefore  there  is  need  of  a  continual  depeii- 


500  THE  TREE  Or  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [sER. 

dence  on  the  Lord  for  the  concurring  influences  of  the  Spirit 
of  life :  "  Paul  may  plant,  and  Apollos  water ;  but  God  giveth 
the  increase."  And,  therefore,  pray  that  the  river  of  the 
water  of  life  may  run  down  from  the  throne  of  God,  and  of 
the  Lamb,  in  the  streets  of  the  city  of  God,  and  that  the  tree 
of  Ufe  may  be  seen  on  each  side,  on  every  hand,  bearing  his 
twelve  manner  of  fruits. 

Ithly,  It  is  implied  here,  that  Christ  is  the  ornament  of  his 
church  and  people;  for  the  tree  of  life  is  here  spoken  of  as 
the  ornament  of  the  city  in  the  midst  of  its  streets.  Christ  is 
"  the  glory  of  his  people  Israel ;  and  in  him  shall  all  the  seed 
of  Israel  be  justified,  and  shall  glory."  He  reflects  a  beauty 
and  glory  on  the  church  collectively  considered;  his  presence 
in  the  streets  of  it  makes  her  "  beautiful  as  Tirzah,  comely  as 
Jerusalem,  fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as 
an  army  with  banners."  And  he  is  the  beauty  and  ornament 
of  every  particular  believer  in  the  church;  every  one  of  them 
is  beautiful  through  the  comeliness  that  he  puts  upon  them; 
it  is  by  his  merits  upon  them,  and  his  Spirit  within  them, 
that  they  become,  like  the  king's  daughter,  "  all  glorious 
within,  their  clothing  being  of  wrought  gold."  He  it  is  that 
makes  them  "  Hke  the  wings  of  a  dove  covered  with  silver, 
and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold." 

Slhly,  It  is  implied  here,  that  the  whole  city,  and  every  one 
of  its  inhabitants,  dwell  or  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the 
tree;  for  the  tree  is  on  every  side,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
street.  I  remember  the  spouse,  speaking  of  this  tree  of  life, 
says,  "I  sat  down  under  his  shadow  with  great  delight," 
namely,  the  shadow  of  his  blood  and  everlasting  righteous- 
ness, under  the  shadow  of  his  faithfulness  engaged  in  his 
})romise,  under  the  shadow  of  his  providence.  O  happy  they, 
who  by  faith  sit  down  under  this  shadowy  tree.  This  is  the 
])lace  where  Christ  makes  his  flock  to  rest  in  the  noon  of 
temptation,  affliction,  desertion,  and  tribulation.  Thus  I  have 
given  you  the  import  of  that  expression,  which  points  out  the 
situation  of  the  tree  of  life;  it  is  on  either  side  of  the  river, 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it, 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  501 


THE  TREE  OF  LIFE,  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  AND  LEAVES 
AMONG  THE  NATIONS. 

In  tlie  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  eitlicr  side  of  the  river,  was  there  the 
tree  of  life,  wiiich  bare  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded  her  fruit  every 
month :  and  the  leaves  of  tlic  tree  were  for  tlie  healing  of  the  nations. — 
Rev.  XXII.  2. 

THE  SECOND  SERMON  ON  THIS  TEXT. 

I  GAVE  you  this  general  or  comprehensive  doctrine  from 
the  words,  That  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  a  medicinal  and 
fertile  tree,  planted  hy  his  Father  in  the  city  of  the  JVew  Tes- 
tament church,  for  the  feeding  and  healing  of  the  diseased 
and  starving  nations  of  the  icorld. 

In  the  prosecution  of  this  doctrine,  I  promised, 

I.  To  speak  a  httle  of  this  tree  of  Hfe. 

II.  Of  the  situation  of  this  tree  in  the  city  of  God. 

III.  Of  the  fertihty  of  this  tree. 

IV.  Of  tlie  medicinal  quality  of  the  tree.  » 

V.  Apply  tiie  whole. 

I  have  already  spoken  to  the  first  and  second  thing.  I 
come  now  to 

III.  The  third  thing  in  the  method,  which  was,  to  speak  a 
little  of  the  fertility  or  fruitfuhtess  of  this  tree  of  life;  it  hears 
twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yields  fruit  every  month.  Other 
trees  bear  fruit  only  once  a  year,  and"  they  yield  but  one 
manner  of  fruit;  but  this  tree  of  life  hears  tirelve  manner  of 
fruits  every  month.  The  plain  meaning  of  it  is,  that  Christ 
brings  forth  all  manner  of  fruits,  and  that  in  Christ  all  sorts 
of  blessings  are  conveyed  to  the  children  of  men,  and  these 
are  to  be  found  at  all  times;  this  tree  of  life  is  never  empty 
or  barren;  whenever  the  soul  applies  itself  to  him  in  a  way 
of  believing,  it  will  still  find  the  branches  of  the  tree  loaded, 
ripe,  and  ready  for  use. 

Now,  for  clearing  this  branch  of  the  text,  I  shall,  I.  Con- 
descend ujion  some  of  the  fruits  that  grow  upon  this  tree  of 
life.  2.  Tell  you  of  some  of  the  months  wiierein  he  yields 
his  fruit  to  the  souls  of  believers. 

First,  I  would  condescend  upon  some  of  the  fruits  of  the 
tree  of  life.  There  are  only  four  clusters  of  his  fruits  that  1 
would  present  you  with;  these  are,  the  fruits  of  his  death,  of 
his  resurrection,  of  his  ascension,  and  of  his  intercession. 

1.  Let  us  take  a  view,  and  not  only  a  view,  but  a  tasting 


S©S  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  fflS  FRUITS  [sER. 

of  the  fruits  of  his  death.  I  only  present  you  with  these  few : 
O  they  are  sweet  to  the  taste  of  faith ! 

1st,  It  is  by  his  death  that  an  angry  God  is  atoned  and  re- 
conciled. Immediately  after  the  fall,  the  wrath  of  God  began 
to  break  out  like  fire  against  sinful  man:  but  by  the  death  of 
Jesus,  the  anger  of  God  is  taken  away,  and  diverted  into 
another  channel,  Rom.  v.  10;  Is.  xii.  1:  "Though  thou  wast 
angry  with  me,  thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and  thou  com- 
fortedst  me."  Is.  liii.  5 :  "He  was  wounded  for  our  trans- 
gressions, he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities:  the  chastisement 
of  our  peace  was  upon  him,  and  with  his  stripes  we  are 
healed."  Col.  i.  20,  21:  "Having  made  peace  through  the 
blood  of  his  cross,  by  him  to  reconcile  all  things  unto  him- 
self, by  him,  I  say,  whether  they  be  things  on  earth,  or  things 
in  heaven.  And  you  that  were  some  time  alienated,  and  ene- 
mies in  your  mind  by  wicked  works,  yet  now  hath  he  re- 
conciled." 

2dli/,  The  debt-bond  that  justice  had  against  us  is  torn; 
the  hand-writing  that  was  contrary  to  us  is  cancelled.  Col. 
ii.  14:  "he  nailed  it  to  his  cross,"  that  it  might  not  be  vaHd; 
the  curse  of  a  broken  law  is  abolished;  so  that  "now  there 
is  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who 
walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit." 

3dli/,  Everlasting  righteousness  is  brought  in  when  it  was 
quite  out  of  the  world :  "  When  the  Messiah  shall  be  cut  off, 
says  the  prophet  Daniel,  "he  shall  bring  in  everlasting  right- 
eousness. Christ  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh,"  or  by  the  sacri- 
fice of  his  flesh,  "  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be 
fulfilled  in  us."  So  that  he  is  become  "the  Lord  our  right- 
eousness." 

4thh/,  By  his  death  the  covenant  is  confirmed  with  many, 
Dan.  ix.  27.  Christ  confirmed  the  covenant  of  grace  with 
his  blood,  as  the  public  head  and  representative  of  all  that 
were  given  to  him  by  his  Father;  hence  his  blood  is  called 
"the  blood  of  the  covenant,  or  of  the  new  testament."  It  is 
a  confirmed  security  on  which  we  may  rest ;  confirmed,  I 
say,  by  the  Testator's  death. 

5thli/,  By  the  cutting  down  of  the  tree  of  life,  the  head  of 
the  old  serpent  that  deceived  us  is  bruised,  and  the  power  of 
death  wrested  out  of  his  hand ;  "  through  death  he  destroyed 
him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil," 

Qthly,  By  the  cutting  down  of  this  tree  of  life,  the  grave  is 
sweetened  and  perfumed. 

2.  Let  us  view  some  of  the  fruits  of  this  tree  of  Hfe,  in  his 
resurrection,  when  he  sprang  out  of  the  grave. 

1st,  The  quickening  and  raising  up  of  the  soul  that  was 
dead  in  sin,  is  a  fruit  of  the  resurrection  of  the  tree  of  life. 


XVII.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  503 

This  the  apostle  applies  to  the  resurrection,  Col.  ii.  12,  13: 
"Buried  with  him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  you  are  risen 
with  him,  through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  who 
hath  raised  him  from  the  dead.  And  you  being  dead  in 
your  sins,  hath  he  quickened  together  with  him."  There  is  a 
special  energy  in  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  by  which  we  are 
raised  up  unto  newness  of  life;  hence  the  apostle  desires  more 
and  more  to  "know  the  power  of  his  resurrection,"  Phil.  iii. 
10.  Hence  is  that  saying  of  the  church,  Hos.  vi.  2:  "After 
two  days  will  he  revive  us,  in  the  third  day  he  will  raise  us 
up,  and  we  shall  live  in  his  sight." 

'2dly,  Another  fruit  of  his  resurrection,  is  the  discharging 
of  our  debt  that  we  were  owing  to  divine  justice.  Sin  is  a 
debt;  now  Christ  paid  the  debt  in  his  death,  and  was  dis- 
charged of  it  in  his  resurrection;  hence  the  apostle  tells  us, 
that  he  "died  for  our  offences,  and  rose  again  for  our  justifi- 
cation." The  prison  of  the  grave  was  opened  by  an  order 
from  Heaven — an  angel  rolled  away  the  stone  from  the  door 
of  the  sepulchre;  which  plainly  shows,  that  the  debt  was  paid 
and  the  great  Judge  fully  satisfied.  "He  was  taken  from 
prison  and  from  judgment."  And  faith  acted  on  a  risen 
Christ,  may  challenge  the  whole  world  to  lay  any  thing  to 
its  charge:  Rom.  viii.  33:  "Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  justifieth:  who  is  he 
that  condemneth?  It  is  Christ  that  died;  yea,  rather,  that  is 
risen  again." 

^dJy,  Another  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life  in  his  resurrection,  is 
the  reviving  of  our  hopes  of  recovering  the  lost  inheritance: 
1  Pet.  i.  3,  4:  "Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord 
•Jesus  Christ,  which  according  to  his  abundant  mercy,  hath 
begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of 
.Tesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible, 
and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  Heaven 
•for  you." 

Athly,  Our  victory  over  sin  and  death  is  secured.  Every 
believer  viewing  a  living  Christ  may  say,  "O  death,  where 
is  thy  sting!"  Yea,  by  his  resurrection  our  resurrection  at 
the  last  day  is  secured. 

3.  Let  us  view  and  taste  of  the  fruits  of  his  ascension  to 
heai'en.     As, 

\st,  The  leading  captivity  captive:  Eph.  iv.  8:  "Wherefore, 
when  he  ascended  uj)  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive,"  car- 
ried the  spoils  of  sin,  Satan,  death,  and  hell,  along  with  him 
in  triumph. 

'idly.  The  conferring  of  ministerial  gifts  upon  men,  yea, 
the  very  office  of  the  ministry,  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel, 
for  the  edification  of  his  mystical  body,  Eph.  iv.  8.     Our 


604  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [sER. 

standing  here,  and  preaching  the  gospel  to  you,  and  adminis- 
tering the  sacrament,  is  a  fruit  of  Christ's  being  in  heaven. 

Sdly,  The  down-pouring  of  the  Spirit  in  a  more  plentiful 
measure  than  under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation.  Of  this 
Christ  himself  speaks,  John  xvi.  7:  "Nevertheless,  I  tell  you 
the  truth ;  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away :  for  if  I  go 
not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you;  but  if  I 
depart,  I  will  send  him  unto  you."  This  he  did  to  supply  the 
want  of  his  bodily  presence. 

Athly,  The  preparing  of  heavenly  mansions  for  us,  where 
we  may  be  with  him  for  ever,  is  a  fruit  of  the  exaltation  of 
Christ :  John  xiv.  3 :  "  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you ;  but  I 
will  come  again,  and  receive  you  unto  myself,  that  where  I 
am,  there  ye  may  be  also."  Like  a  man,  when  he  has  mar- 
ried a  wife,  provides  a  house  for  her  against  the  day  of  mar- 
riage; so  Christ,  having  purchased  a  church,  a  spouse  for 
himself,  goes  to  heaven  to  provide  her  a  dwelling;  and,  in- 
deed, it  is  a  dwelling  suitable  to  so  great  a  King,  "  a  house 
not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  Yea,  his  entry 
into  heaven  is  a  pledge  and  earnest,  an  assurance,  as  it  were, 
that  we  shall  follow  him  in  due  time;  for  he  is  entered  as  the 
forerunner  of  his  church,  Heb.  vi.  19,  not  only  for  our  benefit, 
but  in  our  stead.  The  head  being  above,  the  body  shall 
follow. 

4.  Let  us  view  and  taste  the  fruits  of  his  intercession, 
which  are  great,  glorious,  and  lovely. 

\st,  Freedom  from,  and  strength  against  temptation,  is  a 
fruit  of  his  intercession  in  heaven:  Luke  xxii.  31,  32:  "  Simon, 
Simon,  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he  may  sift  you 
as  wheat;  but  I  have  prayed,"  or  interceded,  "for  thee,  that 
thy  faith  fail  not."  He  is  privy  to  all  the  gins,  traps,  or 
snares,  that  Satan  is  preparing  for  his  friends  upon  earth; 
and  he,  by  the  power  and  prevalency  of  his  intercession, 
breaks  the  snare,  so  that  they  "escape  as  a  bird  out  of  the 
snare  of  the  fowler." 

2dly,  Boldness  and  confidence  toward  God,  and  accept- 
ance at  his  throne,  is  a  fruit  of  his  intercession:  Heb.  iv.  16: 
"  Let  us,  therefore,  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that 
we  may  obtain  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of 
need."  Heb.  x.  19 — 22.  We  durst  not  look  toward  the 
throne  of  God,  if  it  were  not  the  throne  of  the  Lamb  also. 

2dly,  Through  Christ's  intercession  we  have  a  ready  an- 
swer to  all  challenges  and  accusations  that  are  brought  in 
against  us  from  any  quarter  whatsoever.  The  law  pursues, 
justice  pursues,  conscience  pursues,  for  the  debt  of  sin;  but 
faith,  eyeing  the  intercession  of  Christ,  can  lift  up  its  head  in 
court,  and  say,  "Who  can  lay  any  thing  to  my  charge?     It 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  505 

is  God  that  justifieth:  who  is  he  that  condemneth ?  It  is 
Christ  that  died,  yea,  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is 
even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also  niaketh  interces- 
sion for  us." 

Athhj,  The  assurance  of  the  effectual  application  of  all  the 
benehts  of  his  jiurchase,  and  legacies  of  his  testament,  is  a 
fruit  of  his  intercession:  for  "seeing  he  lives  for  ever  to  make 
intercession,"  he  will  surely  take  care  that  the  purchase  of 
his  blood  be  not  lost,  and  that  the  legacies  of  his  testament 
shall  not  be  null  and  void;  now  he  is  his  own  executor,  lives 
to  see  his  latter  will  made  good.  And  what  is  his  latter 
will?  It  is  just  this:  "I  will  be  their  God:  I  will  be  merciful 
to  all  their  unrighteousness:  I  will  lead  the  blind  in  a  way 
they  know  not,"  &c. 

btliJy,  The  hearing  of  our  prayers,  the  acceptance  of  our 
persons  and  weak  services,  is  another  fruit  of  his  intercession. 
O  sirs,  our  prayers  would  never  go  farther  than  our  lips,  if 
it  were  not  for  the  intercession  of  Jesus,  Rev.  viii.  3,  4:  "And 
another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having  a  golden 
censer;  and  thei-e  was  given  unto  him  much  incense,  that  he 
should  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of  all  saints  upon  the  golden 
altar,  which  was  before  the  throne.  And  the  smoke  of  the 
incense  which  came  with  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  ascended 
up  before  God,  out  of  the  angel's  hand."  The  ascending  of 
the  incense  out  of  the  angel's  hand  before  God,  notes  the 
complacency  that  God  takes  in  the  service  and  obedience  of 
his  saints  through  Christ,  &c. 

Now,  put  all  these  together,  and  see  if  the  tree  of  life  be 
not  a  fertile  tree;  he  brings  forth  twelve  manner  of  fruits; 
that  is,  many  good  fruits,  a  certain  number  being  put  for  an 
uncertain. 

Having  given  you  an  account  of  his  twelve  manner  of 
fruits,  I  proceed, 

Secondly,  To  notice  some  of  the  "months"  in  which  lie 
yields  fruit  to  the  souls  of  his  people.  You  see  here,  that  the 
tree  of  life  yields  fruit  even/  movlh,  that  is,  at  all  times  of  the 
\'ear.  Other  trees  yield  their  Iruit  only  every  year;  but 
here  is  a  tree  that  yields  its  fruit  every  month  of  the  year ; 
there  is  not  a  moment  of  time  in  which  ripe  and  ready  fruit 
is  not  to  be  had  for  the  hand  and  mouth  of  faith.  And 
there  are  some  of  them  summer,  and  some  of  them  winter 
months. 

1.  I  say,  there  arc  some  of  them  summer-months. 

\st,  then,  There  is  the  spring-month,  or  time  of  conversion, 
or  effectual  calling;  the  tree  of  life  yields  fruit  then  to  the 
soul.  In  this  month  tlie  tree  of  life  drops  in  life  into  the 
dead  soul:  then  it  is  that  the  poor  soul  of  the  believer  begins 

VOL.  I.  43 


506  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [sER. 

first  to  drink  in  the  sap  of  the  true  olive,  and  to  taste  of  his 
fruit;  then  it  is  that  the  tree  of  Ufe  yields  the  fruit  of  a  re- 
newed nature  to  the  soul:  "A  new  heart  will  I  give  them, 
and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  them,"  the  fruit  of  the  di- 
vine image  and  stamp,  a  partaker  of  the  divine  nature. 

2d]y,  There  is  the  pleasant  summer-month  of  manifesta- 
tions and  discoveries  of  the  divine  glory  of  the  Lord's  coun- 
tenance. This  is  called  "the  time  of  the  singing  of  birds." 
"  They  shall  sing  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord ;  for  great  is  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,"  Psal.  cxxxviii.  5.  "All  we  with  open 
foce  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are 
changed  into  the  same  image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as 
by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord." 

2dly,  There  is  the  pleasant  and  sweet  summer-month  of 
access  to  God  in  duties  and  ordinances.  Then  he  opens  the 
door  to  them,  and  brings  them  into  the  chamber  of  presence : 
"He  brought  me  into  the  banquetting-house,  and  his  banner 
over  me  was  love."  "  Truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father, 
and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ."  "  My  soul  is  filled  as  with 
marrow  and  fatness." 

'ithhj,  There  is  the  pleasant  month  or  season  of  remarkable 
deliverances  that  the  Lord  works  for  his  people,  either  from 
spiritual  or  temporal  enemies.  The  believer  feeds  so  upon 
the  tree  of  life  then,  that  he  cannot  but  chirp  and  sing  with 
the  church,  Is.  xii.  2:  "Behold,  God  is  my  salvation:  I  will 
trust,  and  not  be  afraid;  for  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength 
and  my  song;  he  also  is  become  my  salvation.  Therefore 
with  joy  shall  ye  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation." 
And  Exod.  xv.  1,  2:  "Then  sang  Moses  and  the  children  of 
Israel  this  song  unto  the  Lord,  and  spake,  saying,  I  will  sing 
unto  the  Lord,  for  he  hath  triumphed  gloriously;  the  horse 
and  his  rider  hath  he  thrown  into  the  sea.  The  Lord  is  my 
strength  and  song,  and  he  is  become  my  salvation :  he  is  my 
God,  and  I  will  prepare  him  a  habitation;  my  father's  God, 
and  I  will  exalt  him." 

bthhj,  There  is  the  pleasant  month  of  the  renewed  or  lively 
actings  of  faith  upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  or  on  the  cove- 
nant and  promises.  This  is  a  pleasant  month,  in  which  the 
soul  is  filled  with  peace  and  joy ;  by  eating  the  fruit  of  the 
tree  of  life,  we  ai-e  said  to  be  "filled  with  joy  unspeakable, 
and  full  of  glory." 

Qthly,  There  is  the  month  of  a  lively  love  to  the  lovely 
Jesus.  This  is  a  pleasant  summer-month,  in  which  the  soul 
feeds  liberally  on  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life.  When  the  poor 
believer  gets  this  and  the  other  promise,  and  is  helped  to  press 
with  the  hand,  and  suck  with  the  mouth  of  faith  these  honey- 
combs of  salvation,  oh,  how  then  are  the  afiections  of  the 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  507 

soifl  drawn  out  after  the  Lord !  The  man  cries  then,  witli 
the  church,  "The  desire  of  our  soul  is  to  tliy  name,  and  to 
the  remembrance  of  thee;"  and,  with  David,  "Whom  have  I 
in  heaven  but  thee?  and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  de- 
sire besides  thee." 

2.  As  there  avcf  summer,  so  there  are  winter  months,  in 
which  tlie  tree  of  Hfe  yields  his  fruit. 

I.s7,  There  is  the  sharp-piercing  winter-month  ot  convic- 
tion, reproofs,  an<l  challenges  from  the  Lord,  when  he  chal- 
lenges for  the  abuse  of  mercies,  for  untenderness  of  walk,  for 
unkindncss  to  him,  "Is  this  thy  kindness  to  thy  friend?"  In 
this  month  the  tree  of  life  yields  the  fruit  of  repentance, 
"They  shall  look  upon  him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and 
mourn. — He  that  goeth  forth  and  wecpeth,  bearing  precious 
seed,  shall  doubtless  come  again  with  rejoicing."  It  is  in  this 
month  that  sin  is  imbittered  to  the  soul,  and  the  man  is 
brought  farther  off  the  law,  and  made  to  flee  to  the  right- 
eousness of  the  Son  of  God. 

2dli/,  There  is  the  dark  and  weary  winter-month  of  deser- 
tion, when  the  believer  goes  "mourning  without  the  sun, 
crying,  O  that  I  knew  where  I  might  find  him !  Behold,  I 
go  forward,  but  he  is  not  there;  and  backward,  but  I  cannot 
perceive  him:  on  the  left  hand  where  he  doth  work,  but  I 
cannot  behold  him:  he  hidcth  himself  on  the  right  hand,  that 
I  cannot  see  him."  Even  then  the  tree  of  life  brings  forth 
fruit  by  his  Spirit  in  his  branches;  for  hereby  they  ai'e  made 
more  tender,  more  holy,  and  more  circumspect;  hereby  they 
are  taught  what  "an  evil  and  a  bitter  thing"  sin  is,  that 
separates  between  them  and  their  God;  hereby  the  believer 
is  taught  the  way  of  living  more  by  faith  on  the  stock  in 
Christ's  hand,  than  upon  the  grace  they  hav^e  got  in  their 
own  hand. 

3f////,  There  is  the  weary  winter-month  of  the  pre  valency 
of  indwelling  corruption,  when  the  soul  is  crying,  "Iniquities 
jn-evail  against  me:  O  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall 
deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death!"  Oh!  does  the  tre6 
of  life  yield  any  manner  of  fruit  to  the  soul  then?  Ansu:  Yes, 
for  then  it  is  that  the  soul  is  filled  with  self-loathing  and  ab- 
horrence, with  .Tob,  and  taught  more  and  more  the  lesson  of 
self-denial,  and  to  ilee  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling  for  the  de- 
struction of  the  body  of  sin. 

Athh/,  There  is  the  heartless  winter-month  of  deadncss,  dul- 
ness,  and  barrenness.  This  is  another  melancholy,  weary 
month;  but  yet  in  this  month  the  tree  of  life  brings  forth  his 
fruit  in  the  soul,  and  teaches  it  that  its  life  is  not  in  itself,  but 
in  the  Lord:  "We  are  dead,  but  our  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in 


508  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [sER. 

God.  When  Christ  who  is  our  Hfe  shall  appear,  then  shall 
we  also  appear  with  him  in  glory." 

bthly,  There  is  the  stormy  month  of  inward  and  outward 
trouble,  Uke  two  seas  meeting  together,  the  soul  "afflicted, 
tossed  with  tempest;"  but  yet,  even  then,  he  is  "laying  the 
stones  with  fair  colours,  and  the  foundations  with  sapphires," 
weaning  the  soul  from  this  world,  and  "  making  it  meet  to  be 
a  partaker  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light." 

(Sthly,  There  is  the  melancholy  and  gloomy  month  of  death, 
in  which  the  shadows  of  the  evening  stretch  themselves  out; 
the  poor  soul  is  held  "  in  bondage  through  fear  of  death." 
Well,  even  in  this  month  the  tree  of  life  bears  fruit,  which  is 
an  antidote  against  the  terrors  of  death  and  the  grave :  by 
tasting  his  fruit,  the  believer  can  look  death  in  the  face,  and 
sing,  "  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  O  grave,  where  is  thy 
victory?"  he  hath  said,  "  O  death,  I  will  be  thy  plagues;  O 
grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction.  Yea,  though  I  walk  through 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil :  for  thou 
art  with  me,  thy  rod  and  thy  stafi'  they  comfort  me." 


THE  TREE  OF  LIFE,  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  AND  LEAVES 
AMONG  THE  NATIONS. 

In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either  side  of  the  river,  was  there  tlie 
tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded  her  fruit  every 
month :  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing-  of  tlie  nations. — 
Rev.  XXII,  2. 

THE  THIRD  SERMON  ON  THIS  TEXT. 

I  GAVE  you  this  general  or  comprehensive  doctrine  from 
the  words,  That  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  a  medicinal  and 
fertile  tree,  planted  by  his  Father  in  the  city  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament church,  for  the  benefit  of  tlie  starving  and  diseased 
nations  of  the  earth. 

I.  I  spoke  a  little  of  this  tree  of  life. 

II.  Of  the  situation  of  this  tree  in  the  city  of  God ;  it  is  said 
to  be  in  the  midst  of  the  street,  and  on  each  side  of  the  river. 

III.  Of  the  fertility  of  this  tree;  it  bears  ticelve  manner  of 
fruits,  and  yields  fruit  every  month.     I  come  now  to, 

IV.  The  fourth  thing  in  the  method,  which  was,  to  speak 
of  the  medicinal  qiiality  of  the  tree  of  life;  his  very  leaves  are 
for  the  healing  of  the  nations. 

Now,  if  timo  would  allow,  I  might  here  show,  1.  Whom 


XVJ.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  509 

arc  we  to  understand  by  the  nations  ?  2.  What  arc  the  dis- 
eases of  the  nations  (  3.  What  arc  these  leaves  of  the  tree, 
that  are  for  the  healing  of  tiie  nations  '>.  4.  How  does  it  ap- 
pear that  these  leaves  are  ordained  for  the  heahng  of  the 
nations?     I  can  only  glance  at  these  particulars. 

First,  Whom  are  we  to  understand  by  the  nations  ?  I  an- 
swer in  a  word,  By  the  nations  we  are  to  understand  all  that 
ever  sprung  of  Adam,  every  creature  endued  with  a  reason- 
able soul,  whether  of  Jew  or  Gentile.  "  Go,"  says  Christ, 
"  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,"  without  excep- 
tion, "  Go  and  teach  all  nations,"  «&c.  Go,  and  tell  them, 
that  I,  who  am  the  tree  of  life,  am  ordained  for  their  use, 
and  there  is  fruit  enough  in  mc,  and  life  enough  in  me,  for 
every  one  of  them.  He  is  ordained  a  Saviour  for  lost  sinners. 
Although  I  am  not  for  universal  redemption,  I  am  for  a  uni- 
versal Saviour  in  the  oflcr  of  the  gospel :  '*  God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 
But  I  conceive,  that  here,  in  a  particular  manner,  the  poor 
Gentile  nations  are  intended,  as  contradistinguished  from  the 
Jews :  I  say,  they,  or  rather  we  of  the  Gentile  nations,  are 
in  a  particular  manner  intended,  because  now,  under  the 
New  Testament  dispensation,  Christ  and  the  blessings  of  his 
gos])el  are  no  more  confined  to  the  Jews ;  no,  the  boundary 
is  broken  down,  the  veil  of  ceremonies,  and  partition-wall  of 
the  Mosaic  testimony,  is  rent  and  pulled  down;  so  that  "  life 
and  immortality  are  brought  to  light"  to  us,  as  well  as  to 
them.  The  poor  Gentiles  for  some  thousands  of  years  were 
excluded  like  aliens  and  foreigners  from  the  commonwealth 
of  Israel;  and  they,  when  hearing  of  Christ,  the  tree  of  life, 
might  be  ready  to  say,  O  can  we  have  any  benefit  by  the 
tree  of  life?  O  yes  (says  the  Lord,)  here  niy  Christ,  my 
anointed  Redeemer,  is  given  for  a  light  to  enlighten  the 
(ientiles,  and  ior  salvation  to  all  the  ends  of  the  earth;  /n's 
leaves  are.  for  th-i  Ji('a/in<r  of  I'le  vat:ons. 

Sacondhj,  NVliat  diseases  do  the  nations  labour  under,  which 
make  tiiem  need  the  healing  leaves  of  this  blessed  tree  to  be 
brought  unto  them  i  Ans\vv?r  in  general,  ever  since  the  fall 
of  Adam,  tlu;  wh'ilc  nations  of  the  earth  have  been  just  like 
a  great  hospital  of  diseased  jersons  overrun  with  a  loathsome 
leprosy.  "  The  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart 
faint:  from  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head,  there  is 
no  soundness  in  them  ;  but  wounds,  and  bruises,  and  putrefy- 
ing sores."  And  if  you  still  ask  me,  what  is  to  be  understood 
bv  the  diseases  of  the  nations?  Jhisir.  In  a  word,  it  is  just 
the  disease  of  a  deju-aved  natin-e,  venting  itself  in  all  manner 
of  sin  and  wickedness.    See  an  account  given  by  the  apostlu 

43* 


510  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [SER. 

of  the  maladies  of  the  Gentile  nations  before  the  revelation  of 
Christ,  Eph.  ii.  1—3;  1  Cor.  vi.  9—11;  Rom.  i.  21,  22,  &c., 
to  the  close  of  the  chapter.  So,  then,  you  see  from  these 
scriptures,  that  the  disease  of  the  nations  is  just  original  sin, 
venting  itself  in  all  manner  of  actual  transgressions.  O  sirs, 
sin  has  distempered  and  disordered  all  the  powers  of  our 
soul,  and  all  the  members  of  our  body ;  it  has  blinded  the 
mind,  hardened  the  heart,  stupified  the  conscience,  weakened 
the  memory,  depraved  the  affections,  turned  them  quite  away 
from  God,  scattering  them  among  the  vanities  of  time;  it  has 
separated  us  from  the  Lord,  filled  us  with  enmity,  ignorance, 
pride,  hypocrisy,  malice,  and  every  evil.  In  a  word,  it  has 
brought  death  upon  us ;  pale  death  is  upon  the  nations,  and 
every  man  sprung  of  Adam  by  nature  through  sin:  "By  one 
man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin;  and  so 
death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned. 

Thirdly,  What  are  we  to  understand  by  the  leaves  that 
are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations  ?  Answ.  The  expression 
imports,  that  every  thing  in  Christ  is  useful  and  beneficial. 
The  leaves  of  a  tree  are  reckoned  the  most  unprofitable  thing 
in  or  about  it.  Well,  but  there  is  nothing  in  or  about  Christ, 
the  tree  of  fife,  that  can  be  wanted,  even  these  things  which 
carnal  and  corrupt  reason  makes  little  or  no  account  of:  his 
person,  his  natures,  his  offices,  his  appearances,  his  birth,  life, 
death,  resurrection,  ascension,  and  intercession ;  every  thing 
in  him  or  about  him  is  useful  and  profitable  to  the  perishing 
soul,  when  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  word  and  Spirit  by  the 
eye  of  faith.  But  I  conceive,  that  by  the  leaves  of  the  tree, 
which  have  a  healing  virtue  upon  the  nations,  we  are  in  a 
particular  manner  to  understand  the  doctrines,  promises,  his- 
tories of  his  holy  word,  by  which  the  knowledge  of  Christ, 
and  faith  in  Christ,  is  wrought  among  the  nations  of  the 
earth:  Psal.  cvii.  20:  "He  sent  forth  his  word,  and  healed 
them."  The  word,  accompanied  with  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  is  "  the  power  of  God  -^.into  salvation,"  Rom.  i.  16.  By 
the  power  of  his  word  he  created  the  world,  and  gave  being 
to  man  upon  earth;  and  by  the  power  of  his  word  of  truth 
in  the  gospel,  he  "  creates  a  new  heaven,  and  a  new  earth, 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  By  the  word  of  the  gospel 
he  worms  out  and  consumes  the  devii's  kingdom  in  the  world, 
and  in  the  hearts  of  sinners 5  by  this  weapon,  which  is  "not 
carnal,  but  mighty  through  God,  he  casts  down  strong-holds 
and  high  imaginations,  that  exalt  themselves  against  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  brings  every  thought  into  captivity 
to  the  obedience  of  Christ."  By  the  preaching  of  the  ever- 
lasting gospel,  in  the  ministry  of  the  apostles,  the  nations 
were  healed  of  their  idolatries,  superstitions,  errors,  and  other 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  511 

abominations;  as  we  see  in  Ephcsus,  where  they  were  wholly 
addicted  to  idolatry,  worshipping  the  goddess  Diana,  Acts 
xix.  27. 

Thus,  you  see  what  are  these  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life  that 
are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations,  even  the  truths  of  the  glo- 
rious and  everlasting  gospel,  scattered  among  the  nations  by 
the  ministry  of  the  word. 

Fourthly,  How  does  it  appear  that  this  tree,  and  the  leaves 
of  it,  are  lor  the  healing  of  the  nations  ? 

Answ.  1.  It  appears  from  scripture  prophecy.  Jacob  upon 
his  death-bed  foretold,  that  the  gathering  of  the  nations  should 
be  unto  the  blessed  Shiloh.  So,  likewise,  in  Is.  xi.  10,  we 
have  a  prophecy  to  the  same  purpose:  "And  in  that  day 
there  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  which  shall  stand  for  an  ensign 
of  the  people;  to  it  shall- the  Gentiles  seek,  and  his  rest  shall 
be  glorious.  It  was  pro[)hesied  that  the  gospel-trumpet  should 
be  blown,  not  only  in  the  land  of  Judah,  but  in  the  other  na- 
tions under  the  New  Testament:  Is.  xxvii.  13:  "And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  great  trumpet  shall  be 
blown,  and  they  shall  come  which  were  ready  to  perish  in 
the  land  of  Assyria,  and  the  outcasts  in  the  land  of  Egypt, 
and  shall  worship  the  Lord  in  the  holy  mount  at  Jerusalem." 
What  else  is  this  but  the  scattering  of  the  healing  leaves  of 
gospel-truth?!  among  the  nations? 

2.  It  appears  from  scripture-promises,  particularly  the  pro- 
nnises  made  to  Abraham:  "In  thee,"  that  is,  "in  thy  seed," 
namely,  in  Christ,  "  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be 
blessed."  Psal.  Ixxii.  17:  "His  name  shall  endure  I'or  ever: 
his  name  shall  be  continued  as  long  as  the  sun  :  and  men  shall 
be  blessed  in  him;  all  nations  shall  call  him  blessed."  It  was 
promised  that  he  should  be  a  "  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles, 
and  his  salvation  unto  all  the  ends  of  the  earth." 

3.  It  appears  from  the  commission  given  to  the  apostles  of 
Christ,  after  his  resurrection,  Matth.  xxviii.  19:  "Go  ye,  and 
teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Mark  xvi.  15:  "Go 
ye  hito  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture." S),  Acts  i.  H:  "Ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me,  both 
in  .lerusalem,  and  in  all  Judoa,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the 
uttermost  part  of  the  earth." 

4.  It  appears  from  the  obedience  that  the  apostles  of  Christ 
yielded  to  this  commission.  They  acted  according  to  the 
instruction  they  recuMved  from  their  great  Lord.  It  is  truo, 
indeed,  the  apostles  for  awhile  won;  in  the  dark  n^spectirig 
the  extent  of  the  gos])el-oircr  to  tlu;  Gentiles,  until  Peter's  vi- 
sion of  the  beasts,  clean  and  unclean;  but  aft»'r  that  they 
preached  the  gospel,  without  any  distinction,  to  Jew  and  Gon- 


512  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [SER. 

tile,  offering  Christ,  and  preaching  his  healing  salutary  truths, 
to  every  man  and  woman,  without  any  difference  of  "  barba- 
rian, Scythian,  bond  or  free." 

5.  It  is  evident,  from  the  actual  healing  of  many  among 
the  Gentile  nations,  by  the  leaves  of  this  blessed  tree.  Rev. 
vii.  4,  we  read  of  "  a  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand 
scaled  (or  healed)  among  the  tribes  of  Israel;"  but,  verse  9, 
among  the  rest  of  the  nations,  "  a  great  multitude,  which  no 
man  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people, 
and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb, 
clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands;  crying, 
with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  Salvation  to  our  God  which  sitteth 
upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever." — 
Now,  from  all  these  it  is  abundantly  clear,  that  the  leaves  of 
the  tree  of  life  are  ordained  and  designed  for  the  healhig  of 
the  nations. 

V.  The  fifth  thing  in  the  method  is  the  appHcatiov.  And 
\\\e  first  use  shall  be  in  a  few  inferences  from  the  whole. 

L  Then,  from  what  has  been  said  about  this  tree  of  life, 
we  may  see  that  Paradise  is  again  opened  and  regained  for 
us  by  the  second  Adam,  to  great  advantage.  You  know, 
immediately  upon  the  fall  of  Adam  he  was  turned  out  of  Pa- 
radise, and  "  Cherubims,  with  a  flaming  sword,  turned  every 
way,  to  keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life,"  Gen.  iii.  But  here, 
in  my  text,  Paradise  is  opened,  the  tree  of  life  is  declared  ac- 
cessible, his  fruit  being  ordained  for  the  feeding,  and  his  leaves 
for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  In  a  word,  "  life  and  immorta- 
lity are  brought  to  light  through  Christ"  to  lost  sinners,  who 
were  shut  out  and  banished  from  the  presence  of  God.  And 
if  you  should  ask  me,  How  comes  this  about?  the  answer  is, 
That  Christ,  as  the  second  Adam,  by  his  blood  quenched  the 
flaming  sword  of  justice,  the  flames  of  God's  anger  are 
quenched  through  the  satisfying  blood  of  Jesus,  and,  there-* 
upon  (lod  casts  open  the  gates  of  Paradise,  he  opens  a  "new 
and  a  living  way"  to  glory. 

2.  See  what  a  glorious  and  excellent  society  the  church  of 
God  is,  even  the  church  militant,  which  is  but  a  faint  emblem 
of  what  the  church  triumphant  will  be.  But  I  say,  even  the 
church  militant  is  a  happy  place;  why,  you  see  here  that  she 
is  the  garden  of  God,  there  grows  the  tree  of  life,  with  his 
twelve  jnanner  of  fruits,  yielding  fruit  everymovth ;  there  the 
tree  of  life  shakes  and  drops  his  fruit;  there  his  leaves  are  to 
be  found  for  the  healing  of  the  nations;  there  flows  "the  pure 
river  of  water  of  life,  which  makes  glad  the  city  of  God."  It 
is  said  of  the  earthly  Paradise,  Gen.  ii.  10,  that  "a  river  went 
out  of  Eden  to  water  the  garden,  and  parted  into  four  streams." 
Well,  here  is  a  far  better  river,  even  "  the  water  of  life/'  and 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  513 

tlic  various  streams  of  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
tlien,  in  the  description  of  the  earthly  Paradise,  we  are  told 
that  ^old  was  there,  and  tliat  the  i:;oJd  was  good,  and  there 
was  bdellium,  and  the  o/n/x-stonc.  This  is  much  more  true 
of  the  church  of  God:  there  is  gold  tried  in  t/ie  fire,  gold  far 
bettor  than  the  gold  of  Ophir.  O,  what  a  happy  and  privi- 
leged place  is  tlie  church  of  God!  "Glorious  things  are 
spoken  of  thee,  O  city  of  God.  Beautiful  for  situation,  the 
joy  of  the  whole  earth  is  mount  Zion:  out  of  her  the  jjerfec- 
tion  of  beauty,  God,  hath  shincd;  he  is  known  in  her  palaces 
for  a  refuge." 

3.  Sec,  hence,  what  a  glorious,  excellent,  suflicient,  and 
suitable  Saviour  Christ  is;  he  is  the  tree  of  life,  the  fountain 
of  life,  in  whom  all  our  well-springs  are?  "As  the  Father 
hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son,  as  Mediator, 
to  have  life  in  himself"  He  has  twelve  manner  of  fruits, 
suited  to  the  various  necessities  of  lost  sinners,  ready  for  use 
at  all  times,  and  in  all  cases :  "  In  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness 
of  the  Godhead  bodily:"  and  whatever  be  our  soul-diseases, 
there  is  a  suitable  remedy  for  us  in  him :  "  his  leaves  are  for 
the  healing  of  the  nations."  So  that,  I  say,  Christ  is  a  suita- 
ble and  sufficient  Saviour:  "such  a  high  Priest  became  us," 
he  is  excellently  calculated  to  our  necessity:  whatever  hurt 
or  prejudice  we  sustained  by  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit, 
there  is  now  a  suitable  antidote  provided  in  this  blessed  tree 
of  life. 

4.  See  what  excellent  persons  believers  are.  Why,  they 
are  the  branches  and  twigs  of  the  tree  of  life:  "I  am  the 
vine,  ye  are  the  branches:"  and  all  the  branches  derive  their 
excellency,  moisture,  and  fruit  from  the  root  upon  which  they 
grow.  O,  happy  they,  who,  by  the  Spirit  and  faith,  are  cut 
off' from  the  root  of  the  first  Adam,  and  ingrafted  into  him, 
joined  to  the  Lord,  and  one  Spirit  with  him !  Hence  believers 
are  called  "  trees  of  righteousness,  the  planting  of  the  Lord, 
that  he  might  be  glfjrilicd." 

5.  See,  hence,  the  excellency  of  the  gospel,  which  makes 
a  discovery  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  brings  his  fruit  and  leaves 
to  the  nations  of  the  earth.  O  blessed  are  the  ])eople  that 
know  this  joytlil  sound  by  the  gospel,  the  "  mystery  which  was 
hid  from  ages  and  generations"  is  revealed.  What  a  happi- 
ness is  it  that  our  lot  is  cast  in  a  day  and  time  of  the  world, 
in  which  the  paradise  of  God  is  opened,  and  the  tree  of  life 
discovered  by  the  gospel  to  the  j^oor  Gentiles,  who,  for  so 
many  ages  and  generations,  were  "  aliens  to  the  common- 
wealth of  Israel,  and  strangers  to  the  covenants  of  promise." 

C.  See,  from  what  has  been  said,  the  necessity  and  excel- 
lency of  the  grace  of  faith.     Why,  the  tree  of  life,  though  it 


514  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [sER. 

be  growing  in  the  midst  of  our  streets,  yet  cannot  be  discerned 
without  faith.  Faith  is  the  eye  of  the  soul  that  looks  to  him, 
and  discerns  him ;  faith  is  the  mouth  of  the  soul  that  eats  fruit, 
it  is  the  hand  of  the  soul  that  takes  of  his  healing  leaves,  and 
applies  him  for  curing  the  diseases  of  the  soul.  In  a  word, 
without  faith  we  can  reap  no  benefit  by  Christ.  O,  sirs,  pray 
for  the  faith  of  God's  operation,  for  that  faith  which  is  wrought 
by  the  word  and  Spirit  of  God. 

7.  See,  hence,  the  necessity  of  the  Spirit,  in  order  to  the 
application  of  Christ;  for  the  river  waters  the  whole  city,  and 
conveys  the  fruits  of  the  tree  of  life;  "he  shall  testify  of  me, 
he  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you."  O, 
pray  much  for  the  Spirit,  plead  the  promise,  "  I  will  pour  wa- 
ter upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground : 
I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing  upon 
thine  offspring." 

8.  See,  hence,  how  inexcusable  unbelief  is,  and  how  justly 
they  perish,  who  remain  in  unbelief  within  the  bosom  of  the 
visible  church  where  Christ  is  preached.  Why,  they  have 
the  remedy  at  hand,  suited  to  their  soul's  necessity,  and  yet 
despise  it :  the  way  to  the  tree  of  life  is  opened,  yea,  the  tree 
of  life  is  on  each  side  of  the  tiver,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
street,  as  it  were,  reaching  out  his  feeding  fruit  and  healing 
leaves  unto  them,  pursuing  them  with  the  offers  of  his  grace 
and  love;  and  yet  "they  will  not  come  unto  him  for  life." 
O,  sirs,  consider  it  for  the  Lord's  sake:  "How  shall  we 
escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  a  salvation?" 

The  second  use  of  this  doctrine  shall  be  by  way  of  trial 
and  examination.  Sirs,  you  have  been  in  the  streets  and 
broad  ways  of  the  city  of  God,  of  the  New  Testament  church, 
where  the  tree  of  life  grows  and  flourishes ;  I  mean,  you  have 
been  attending  upon  the  ordinances  of  divine  appointment, 
where  Christ  is  to  be  met  with;  and,  therefore,  I  ask,  What 
knowledge  or  acquaintance  have  you  with  the  tree  of  life  1 
More  particularly, 

1.  Allow  me  to  ask,  Has  the  hfe  of  the  tree  of  life  ever  en- 
tered into  thy  soul?  The  Hfe  of  Jesus  is  the  life  of  the  be- 
liever: "I  live:  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  And  if 
you  have  any  thing  of  the  life  of  the  tree  of  life  in  you,  you 
will  never  content  yourselves  with  an  empty  profession,  un- 
less you  be  fruitful  like  the  tree  of  life ;  there  are  no  barren 
branches  growing  upon  this  tree  of  life;  no,  no,  your  fruit 
will  be  unto  holiness,  you  will  breathe  after  the  holiness  of 
the  Head,  likeness  to  him  in  all  his  imitable  perfections.  The 
little  holiness  that  is  among  professors  at  this  day,  is  a  sad 
evidence,  that  there  are  but  few  of  us  that  were  ever  ingrafted 
into  this  blessed  tree  of  life.     If  you  have  life  from  the  tree 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  515 

of  life,  you  will  be  careful  to  maintain  that  life  you  have  got 
in  and  from  him.  Nature  has  a  liking  to  every  thing  that 
tends  to  preserve  life;  so  will  it  be  with  you,  you  will  delight 
in  the  lively  oracles  and  ordinances;  "one  day  in  his  courts 
will  be  better  than  a  thousand ;"  sin,  which  is  hurtful  to  your 
life,  will  be  a  heavy  burden,  you  will  avoid  it  as  prejudicial 
to  your  life. 

"2.  I  ask  you  for  trial,  Have  you  been  overshadowed  with 
the  spreading  branches  of  this  tree  of  life?  for,  as  you  heard, 
the  tree  of  life  extends  its  branches  to  every  corner  of  the 
city.  Now,  can  you  say,  with  the  spouse.  Cant.  ii.  3,  "  I  sat 
down  under  his  shadow  with  great  delight?"  When  thy  soul 
was  like  to  be  scorched  with  the  fire  of  God's  wrath,  with 
the  fire  of  affliction,  or  with  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan,  or  the 
fire  of  an  awakened  conscience,  what  was  it  that  afforded 
thee  ease  and  relief?  were  thine  eyes  opened  to  behold  the 
tree  of  life,  and  wast  thou  determined  by  faith  to  shelter  thy 
perishing  soul  under  the  shadow  of  his  obedience  unto  the 
death,  under  the  shadow  of  his  intercession,  under  the  sha- 
dow of  his  faithfulness  engaged  in  the  word  of  promise  ? 
Didst  thou  take  up  Christ,  the  tree  of  life,  "  as  a  hiding-place 
from  the  storm,  and  a  covert  from  the  tempest?"  and  did  thy 
soul  flee  for  refuge  unto  him,  renouncing  all  other  refuges  as 
lying  refuges,  saying,  "O  this  is  my  rest,  here  will  I  dwell: 
in  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength,"  and  here 
will  I  shelter. 

3.  I  ask.  Whether  any  of  the  streams  of  the  river,  which 
run  under  and  among  the  branches  of  this  tree  of  life,  have 
flowed  in  upon  thy  soul  ?  My  meaning  is,  Has  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  entered  into  thy  soul?  "I  will  put  my  spirit  within 
them,"  saith  the  Lord.  And  if  so,  the  Spirit  will  be  in  you 
as  "  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life."  The 
Spirit  of  Jesus  in  the  soul,  is  like  a  living  well,  having  a  spring 
at  the  bottom  whereby  it  is  supplied  with  water,  and  this 
living  spring  within  tlicc  will  be  bullering  up  some  good  thing 
or  other;  for  "a  good  man  out  of  the  good  treasure  of  his 
heart,  bringeth  fortli  good  things."  Hence,  David,  Psal.  xlv, 
1,  says,  "  My  heart  indites,  oi-  boils,  a  good  matter;"  and 
then  it  follows,  "  My  tongue  is  as  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer." 
The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  within  thee  will  be  casting  up  good 
things  of  Christ;  so  that  you  will  be  ready  to  say,  "  My  me- 
ditation of  him  shall  be  sweet;"  some  actings  of  faith,  love, 
repentance,  hope,  and  the  like:  and  these  will  boil  u|»  into 
good  words  and  actions;  so  that  your  tongue  will  plead  his 
cause,  and  lend  in  a  word  for  the  Lord,  and  your  hands  will 
be  ready  to  work  for  him,  and  your  feet  to  run  his  errands: 


516  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [sER. 

"  I  will  run  the  way  of  thy  commandments,  when  thou  shalt 
enlarge  my  heart."     Psal.  cxix.  32. 

4.  I  ask,  What  think  ye  of  the  fruits  of  the  tree  of  life  ? 
for,  as  you  heard,  he  hears  twelve  manner  of  fruit,  and  yields 

fruit  every  month.  Can  you  say,  with  the  spouse,  that  you 
not  only  "  sat  down  under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,  btit 
his  fruit  was  sweet  to  your  taste  1 "  and  so  sweet,  that  you 
could  not  but  cry  out  to  your  fellow  Christians,  and  say,  "  O 
taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good :  Come  and  hear,  all  ye 
that  fear  God,  and  I  will  declare  what  he  hath  done  for  my 
soul?"  There  is  such  a  sweetness  in  the  fruits  of  his  incar- 
nation, obedience,  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension,  that, 
when  it  is  tasted  by  the  mouth  of  faith,  it  goes  down  sweetly 
through  all  the  powers  of  the  soul,  like  new  wine,  and  "makes 
the  lips  of  them  that  are  asleep  to  speak."  You,  who  go  to 
a  communion  table,  to  word,  sacraments,  and  prayer,  and 
yet  never  taste  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  Hfe,  you  are  just  like 
the  Egyptian  mummies,  which  are  just  the  bodies  of  the  dead 
embalmed,  which  they  would  keep  for  four  or  five  hundred 
years  beside  them:  they  bi'ought  these  embalmed  bodies  of 
their  ancestors  to  their  table,  set  them  upon  their  chairs,  when 
at  meat.  These  are  a  lively  emblem  of  some  professors  of 
religion;  they  sit  at  the  table  like  others,  they  keep  their  seat, 
but  they  never  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life  by  faith ;  and 
"  except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his 
blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you."  O,  sirs,  will  you  tell  me,  is 
Christ  your  daily  food?  Is  his  'flesh  good  cheer?  Is  his 
blood  like  cooling  water  to  refresh  you  ?  Is  thy  daily  exer- 
cise to  pluck  and  eat  the  fruits  of  his  death,  resurrection,  and 
intercession  ? 

5.  What  healing  or  medicinal  virtue  have  you  found  in  the 
leaves  of  the  tree,  which  are  for  the  hr^aling  of  the  nations? 
I  told  you,  that  by  the  leaves  of  the  tree  of  hfe,  I  understand 
his  heal  ng  word;  "He  sent  forth  his  word,  and  healed 
them ;"  because,  as  the  fruits  of  a  tree  lie  among  the  leaves, 
so  Christ,  and  all  the  fruits  of  his  obedience  unto  death,  and 
of  his  resurrection  and  ascension,  are  wrapped  up  in  his  word 
of  grace  and  truth  in  this  gospel.  Now,  then,  I  ask.  What 
leaves  have  you  gathered  and  applied  on  this  or  other  occa- 
sions? Can  you  say,  "He  sent  forth  his  word,  and  healed 
me?"  such  a  word  came  home  with  power  upon  my  soul, 
which  was  like  health  and  marrow  to  my  bones.  I  was  dead 
and  dull,  and  lifeless,  but  he  sent  forth  such  a  word  and 
quickened  me.  I  was  wrapped  about  with  darkness,  but  he 
sent  forth  his  word,  and  "the  entrance  of  his  word  gave  light 
unto  me."     I  was  bewildered  in  point  of  duty,  but  his  word 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  517 

came  and  directed  me,  so  that  it  was  like  a  pillar  of  cloud 
and  fire,  to  tell  mc  liow  to  direct  my  steps ;  he  caused  me  to 
"hear  a  voice  behind  me,  saying,  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye 
in  it."  I  was  straitened  in  spirit,  so  that  I  could  not  hear, 
read,  pray,  meditate,  or  communicate;  but  O  he  sent  forth 
such  a  leaf,  such  a  word,  and  then  "  my  soul  was  enlarged  to 
run  the  way  of  his  commandments."  My  heart  was  like  to 
sink  with  sorrow  and  heaviness,  but  he  sent  forth  his  word 
and  exhilarated  me;  "God  hath  spoken  in  his  holiness;  I 
will  rejoice."  Thus,  I  say,  see  what  healing  virtue  you  have 
found  coming  in  by  the  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life  into  thy  soul. 
6.  When  you  get  leave  by  faith  to  feed  upon  his  fruit,  and 
to  apply  his  leaves,  you  will  just  think  yourselves  in  Paradise, 
yea,  in  a  better  Paradise  than  Adam  was  in,  when  in  the  gar- 
den of  Eden.  O  it  will  be  the  very  pleasure  of  your  life,  and 
the  joy  of  your  heart,  to  be  viewing  the  pleasant  tree  of  life, 
and  to  be  rejoicing,  now  and  then  plucking  of  his  fruit  in  the 
s//re/*  or  ordinances  of  his  appointment:  we  are  "filled  with 
joy  and  peace  in  believing. — VVhom  having  not  seen,  we  love ; 
in  whom,  though  now  we  see  him  not,  yet  believingi  we  re- 
joice with  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glory."  David  found 
such  pleasure  in  viewing  this  tree  of  life  by  faith,  that  it 
was  the  onethifig  that  he  "  desired,  to  behold  the  beauty  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple;  yea,  one  day  in  his  courts 
was  to  him  better  than  a  thousand  :  he  chose  rather  to  be  a 
door-keeper  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  than  to  dwell  in  the 
tents  of  wickedness." 

The  third  use  of  this  doctrine  shall  be  o(  Exhortation. 
First,  To  all  in  general.  O  sirs,  will  you  come  to  the  tree 
of  life,  for  the  gates  of  Paradise  are  opened  again.  "  Ho, 
every  one  that  thirstelh,  come,  and  he  that  hath  no  iponey, 
let  him  come;  and  whosoever  will,  let  him  come,  and  take  of 
the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life  freely."  O  dead  sinners,  will  you 
come  to  Christ;  for  he  is  the  tree  of  life :  and  this  is  God's  re- 
cord to  you,  "  that  he  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life:  and  this 
life  is  in  his  Son."  O  starving  sinners,  come  and  eat  freely 
and  liberallv  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life,  for  he  bears  twelve 
mafimr  of  fruits,  and  yields  his  fruit  every  month ;  he  has  fruit 
enough  and  to  spare.  O  diseased  sinners,  that  are  pining 
away  in  your  iniquities,  come  to  the  tree  of  life  and  be  healed, 
for  his  leaves  are  for  the  healinar  of  the  ?iations.  O  sinners,  who 
are  scorched  and  burnt  up  with  the  heat  of  divine  wrath,  or 
with  the  fire  of  an  awakened  conscience,  come  and  shelter 
yourselves  under  the  spreading  boughs  of  the  tree  of  life ;  sit 
down  under  his  shadow ;  for  he  is  "a  shadow  from  the  heat, 
and  a  hiding-place  from  the  storm." 

Motive  1.  Consider  what  life  is  to  be  had  by  coming  to  this 
VOL.  1.  44 


518  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [SER. 

tree  of  life ;  a  life  of  justification,  sanctification,  consolation, 
and  of  eternal  glory ;  a  divine  life,  a  royal  life,  a  heavenly 
life,  a  growing  life,  an  immortal  life ;  all  which  I  spoke  of  in 
the  doctrinal  part. 

Mot.  2.  Consider  what  an  excellent  defence  thou  shalt  find 
under  the  shadow  of  this  tree.  Here  thou  shalt  find  a  de- 
fence, (1.)  Against  the  wrath  of  an  angry  God,  who  is  a  co7i- 
sumingjire.  Our  Jesus  "  saves  from  the  wrath  to  come." — 
God  declares  fury  is  not  in  him  against  any  soul  that  will 
come  under  the  shadow  of  his  righteousness.  (2.)  Here  thou 
wilt  find  shelter  against  the  rage  of  Satan.  The  devil  must 
take  away  the  life  of  the  tree  of  life,  he  must  cut  him  down 
again,  and  pluck  off  his  leaves,  before  he  can  win  at  the  soul 
that  is  under  his  shadow.  (3.)  From  the  fury  of  men  ;  he 
says,  John  xvi.  33,  "  In  me  ye  shall  have  peace.  In  the  world 
ye  shall  have  tribulation:  but  be  of  good  cheer,  I  Jiave  over- 
come the  world." 

Mot.  3.  Consider  the  excellent  qualities  of  the  fruit  of  the 
tree  of  life.  (1.)  It  is  pleasant  fruit,  sweet  to  the  taste.  Cant, 
ii.  3.  None  of  the  trees  of  Paiadise  yielded  fruit  like  that 
which  grows  in  the  midst  of  the  New  Testament  Paradise. 
(2.)  It  is  profitable  fruit;  it  " chcereth  the  heart  of  God  and 
man."  God  smelt  a  sweet  savour  in  his  death,  and  "he  is 
vs-ell  pleased  for  his  righteousness'  sake :"  and  it  cheers  the 
heart  of  the  believer  who  cats  of  it,  puts  more  gladness  in  his 
heart,  than  the  wicked  can  have  in  the  greatest  abundance 
of  their  corn  and  wine.  (3.)  It  is  plentiful  fruit.  Come  and 
eat  thy  fill,  even  to  satiety;  nothing  will  be  missed,  the  tree 
is  loaded.  (4.)  There  is  variety  of  fruits  in  this  tree.  Some 
fruit  trees  bear  plenty  of  one  kind  of  fruit ;  but  here  is  the 
excellency  of  this  tree,  that  it  has  tuehe  maimer  of  fruits, 
fruits  of  all  sorts,  adapted  to  the  necessity  of  the  soul.  (5.) 
The  fruits  of  the  tree  of  life  are  permanent  and  perennial,  al- 
ways continuing;  for  it  brings  forth  fruit  every  mo?ilh,  every 
season.  (6.)  It  is  nourishing  fruit.  By  the  fruit  of  this  tree, 
the  soul  is  made  to  grow,  and  "  go  from  strength  to  strength, 
until  it  appear  before  the  I^ord  in  Zion." 

Mot.  4.  Take  a  view  of  the  leaves  of  the  tree,  and  let  this 
invite  you  to  come  to  it  in  a  way.  of  believing.  They  are  for 
the  healing  of  the  nations.  What  is  thy  disease,  O  sinner? 
Be  it  what  it  will,  thou  shalt  find  a  leaf  of  this  tree  for  thy 
healing.  (1.)  Art  thou  a  blind  sinner?  Well,  here  is  a  leaf 
of  the  tree  suited  to  thy  disease,  Psal.  cxlvi.  8:  "The  Lord 
openeth  the  eyes  of  the  blind."  Rev.  iii.  18:  "I  counsel  thee 
to  buy  of  me  eye-salve,  that  thou  mayest  see."  (2.)  Art  thou 
deaf,  that  thou  canst  not  hear  the  voice  of  God  in  his  word  or 
rod  ?  Well,  l>ere  is  a  leaf  of  the  tree  of  life  for  healing  thy 


XVI.]         AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  619 

disease,  Is.  xxxv.  5:  "  The  ears  of  the  deaf  shall  be  unstopped." 
John  v.  25:  ^*  The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead 
shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God;  and  they  that  hear 
shall  live."  (3.)  Art  thou  a  lame  sinner,  who  cannot  walk 
in  the  Lord's  way  ?  Here  is  a  leaf  for  thee  ;  Is.  xxxv.  6 : 
"Then  shall  the  lame  man  leap  as  a  hart:"  then,  namely, 
when  the  gospel  shall  be  preached  among  the  nations  for  their 
healing,  (4.)  Art  thou  a  dumb  sinner,  that  thou  canst  not 
speak  a  word  in  the  matters  of  God,  cannot  pray,  nor  praise? 
Well,  here  is  a  leaf  for  thy  disease.  Is.  xxxv.  G  :  "  The  tongue 
of  the  dumb  shall  sing."  Art  thou  a  hard-hearted  sinner?  is 
this  thy  disease  that  thou  fnidest  thy  heart  like  an  adamant 
in  thy  breast  1  Well,  there  is  a  leaf  for  thee,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26: 
"  A  new  heart  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put 
within  you  ;  and  I  vi'ill  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your 
flesh,  and  1  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh."  Hast  thou  a  foul 
polluted  conscience  in  thy  breast,  that  is  defiled  with  the 
guilt  of  sin?  Well,  here  is  a  leaf  for  thee,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25: 
"  I  will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean: 
from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols  will  I  cleanse 
you."  Zech.  xiii.  1:  "In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  fountain 
opened  to  the  house  of  David,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Je- 
rusalem, for  sin,  and  for  uncleanness."  1  John  i.  7 :  "  The 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin,"  Is 
prevailing  corruption,  atheism,  unbelief,  enmity,  thy  disease? 
Well,  here  is  a  leaf  for  thee,  Mic.  vii.  19:  "1  will  subdue  your 
iniquities."  Rom.  vi.  14:  "  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over 
you  ;  for  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace."  Is  thy 
soul,  like  the  mountains  of  Gilboa,  dry,  withered  like  the 
ground  for  want  of  rain  ?  Here  is  a  leaf  for  thee.  Is.  xliv.  3: 
"I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon 
the  dry  ground."  Art  thou  troubled  with  a  restlessness  of 
spirit,  that  thou  canst  fnid  no  rest  in  any  thing  ?  Here  is 
a  leaf  for  thee.  Is.  xi.  10:  "  To  him  shall  the  Gentiles  seek, 
and  his  rest  shall  be  glorious."  Mattli.  xi.  28:  "Come  unto 
me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest."  Art  thou  troubled  with  a  fainting  of  thy  spirit  in 
the  Lord's  way  1  Well,  here  is  a  leaf  for  thee.  Is.  xl  29:  "  He 
giveth  power  to  the  faint;  and  to  them  that  have  no  might, 
he  increaseth  strength."  Thus  you  see  that  in  the  tree  of 
life  there  is  a  leaf  for  every  disease. 

J\}ot.5.  Consider,  that  as  the  tree  of  life  is  calculated  to  thy 
necessity,  so  it  is  ordained  for  thy  use,  and  for  the  use  of  every 
sinner  that  will  make  use  of  it  by  faith,  John  iii.  14 — 10.  He 
is  given  to  us,  Is.  ix.  G:  "  Unto  us  a  son  is  given."  Whatever 
he  is  as  Mediator,  that  he  is  to  us.  Is  he  a  saviour  ?  it  is  to 
them  that  are  lost.     Is  he  a  prophet?  It  is  to  teach  the  igno- 


520  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [SER. 

rant.  Is  he  a  priest  1  a  priest  is  ordained  for  men.  Is  he  a 
king?  it  is  that  he  may  conquer  and  captivate,  rule  and  go- 
vern us.  Is  he  a  phyfeician?  it  is  that  he  may  heal  the  dis- 
eased. Is  he  a  shepherd  1  it  is  that  he  may  feed  us  in  his 
pasture.  Is  he  a  door?  it  is  that  we  may  enter  by  him  unto 
God.  Is  he  a  foundation?  it  is  that  we  may  build  upon  him. 
Is  he  meat?  it  is  that  we  may  feed  on  him.  Is  he  drink?  it 
is  for  the  poor  soul  that  is  in  want  of  salvation,  as  a  thirsty 
man  is  in  want  of  water.  Thus,  whatever  he  is  as  Mediator, 
that  he  is  to  us :  "  he  is  made  of  God  unto  us  wisdom,  righte- 
ousness, sanctification  and  redemption." 

Mot.  6.  Consider,  that  this  tree  is  accessible ;  for  he  is  in 
the  midst  of  the  street.  And  though  highly  exalted,  and  lifted 
up  above  the  heavens,  yet  his  boughs  stoop  and  bend  down 
to  the  very  ground,  that  the  hand  of  faith  may  reach  his 
fruits  and  leaves,  Rom.  x.  6 — 8,  Yea,  not  only  does  he  bend 
his  boughs,  to  make  his  fruit  and  his  leaves  accessible ;  but 
he  shakes  and  drops  his  fruit  to  you  in  "the  valley  of  vision," 
and  makes  it  to  fall  about  our  tent-doors,  just  as  he  did  the 
manna  about  the  tents  of  Israel.  O  then  put  forth  the  hand 
of  faith  and  gather. 

Mot.  7.  You  are  not  only  invited,  but  commanded  to  eat 
the  fruit,  and  apply  the  leaves  of  the  tree  by  faith.  This  is 
the  very  work  of  God  which  he  requires  of  you,  "This  is  his 
commandment,  that  we  should  believe  on  the  name  of  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ."  There  is  a  call,  that  every  one  that  hears 
of  Christ  should  make  use  of  him;  and  if  you  do  not  comply, 
you  disobey  the  great  God,  in  the  greatest  command  that  ever 
he  issued  out  to  men ;  it  is  not  left  optional ;  no,  concluded 
you  are  under  a  law  to  take  the  fruits  of  this  tree. 

Mot.  8.  You  will  die  except  you  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree 
of  hfe:  John  viii.  24:  "If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye 
shall  die  in  your  sins,"  and  so  perish  for  ever :  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  not  is  condemned  already."  Stand  to  your  hazard, 
then.  But  if  you  believe,  ye  shall  be  saved :  "  Whosoever  be- 
liveth  in  him,  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  Hfe." 
The  fruits  and  leaves  of  this  tree  of  life  are  an  antidote 
against  the  hurt  we  sustained  by  our  first  parents  eating  of 
the  forbidden  fruit,  whereby  they  and  all  their  posterity  were 
ruined. 

Thus,  1  have  endeavoured  to  open  the  way  to  the  tree  of 
life.  What  more  shall  I  say  ?  I  have  endeavoured,  even  in 
the  motives,  to  answer  the  objections  of  unbelief.  I  shall 
conclude  this  exhortation,  by  offering  a  word  by  way  of  ad- 
vice. If  you  would  reap  the  saving  benefit  of  the  tree  of 
life, 

1.  Be  convinced  of  the  absolute  need  you  stand  in  oX  Christ, 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  521 

and  his  saving  fruits.  And  for  this  end,  think  seriously  how 
you  are  dead,  and  killed,  and  slain,  by  eating  the  forbidden 
fruit  in  your  first  parents;  and  how,  for  the  breach  of  the 
first  covenant,  you  are  shut  out  of  the  presence  of  God. 
What  a  heavy  heart  had  Adam  when  he  was  banished  out 
of  the  earthly  Paradise,  and  the  flaming  sword  brandished 
in  liis  view  l  O  what  would  lie  have  given  to  have  had  ac- 
cess to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life !  Now,  this  is  thy  case,  O  sin- 
ner ;  thou  art  an  exile,  the  sword  of  justice  is  flaming  over 
thy  head. 

2.  Be  convinced  that  life  is  to  be  had  by  making  use  of 
Christ,  the  tree  of  life,  by  eating  of  his  fruit,  and  applying  of 
his  leaves.  And,  to  convince  you  of  it,  you  have  the  record 
of  God  for  it,  the  witness  of  a  Trinity :  "  This  life  is  in  his 
Son  ;  arid  he  that  hath  the  Son,  hath  life." 

3.  Be  well  convinced  of  your  warrant  to  make  use  of  him. 
And,  for  this  end,  think  on  the  command  of  believing,  and 
the  offers,  calls,  and  invitations  of  the  word,  and  the  promises 
of  welcome. 

4.  Clasp  the  arms  of  your  souls  about  the  tree  of  life,  and 
resolve  to  hang  about  him  for  your  very  life,  saying,  "If  I 
pcri^^h,  I  perish."  But,  may  you  say,  I  am  faraway  from  the 
tree  of  life,  1  cannot  get  him  clasped,  or  his  fruit  plucked; 
therefore  I  give  you, 

5.  A  fifth  advice.  Will  you  look  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  he 
will  drop  salvation  into  thy  soul  in  looking  to  him :  Is.  xlv. 
22 :  "  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved. — Tiiey  looked  unto 
him,  and  wore  lightened."     But,  say  you,  I  cannot  see. 

(».  If  you  cannot  look,  will  you  cry  to  the  tree  of  life,  and 
seek  him,  for,  "their  souls  shall  live  that  seek  the  Lord.  This 
poor  man  cried,  and  the  Lord  heard  him."  Bartimeus  cried, 
and  he  heard  him  ;  the  poor  woman  cried,  "  Lord,  help  me," 
and  he  heard  her. 

7.  If  you  cannot  cry,  will  you  long  for  a  tasting  of  his  fruit, 
for  a  healing  leaf,  for  some  communications  of  Christ  to  your 
soul ;  "  for  he  satisfieth  the  longing  soul,  and  filleth  the  hungry 
soul  with  goodness. 

8.  I  long,  and  am  not  satisfied,  .l/ifnv.  "  Vc  have  need  of 
patience;"  wait  and  long,  and  long  and  wait,  on  the  Lord; 
"  for  the  Lord  is  a  God  of  judgment;  blessed  are  all  they  that 
wait  for  him :  he  is  good  unto  them  that  wait  for  him,  to  the 
soul  that  seekcth  him."  Wait  on  him  continually ;  in  the  end 
ye  shall  not  be  ashamed. 

A  second  word  of  exhortation,  is  to  you  who  are  believers, 
who  have  by  faith  really  applied  and  made  use  of  the  tree 
of  life. 

L  O  rejoice,  and  be  glad  in  the  Lord,  that  vou  have  rc- 

44* 


522  THE  TREE  OF  LIFE  SHAKING  HIS  FRUITS  [SER. 

gained  Paradise  again,  and  that  you  have  not  been  slain  by 
the  cherubim  wilh  the  flaming  sword ;  yea  that,  having 
tasted  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  got  under  his  shadow,  you  are 
beyond  the  reach  of  death,  and  justice,  and  the  curse.  You 
see  it  follows  my  text,  "  And  there  shall  be  no  more  curse :" 
no  cursing  law-penalty  any  more  to  them  that  are  come  to 
Christ  the  tree  of  life :  "  There  is  no  condemnation  to  them 
which  are  in  Christ  Jesus :"  no,  no ;  "  Christ  hath  redeemed 
us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us." 
And  therefore  "  rejoice  in  the  Lord :  and  again,  I  say,  re- 
joice." 

2.  Abide  under  the  shadow,  and  make  your  nest  among 
the  branches  of  this  blessed  tree.  O  study  the  spouse ;  she 
"sat  down  under  his  shadow."  You  know  the  birds  nestle 
and  build  among  the  branches,  thither  they  flee  for  safety : 
Psal.  civ.  16,  17,  the  birds  are  said  to  "  make  their  nests 
among  the  cedars;  and  as  for  the  stork,  the  fir  trees  are  her 
house."  So  let  all  the  birds  of  Paradise  come  and  make  their 
nests,  their  house,  and  dwelling  in  the  tree  of  life :  "  To  him 
shall  the  Gentiles  seek,  and  his  rest  shall  be  glorious.  Return 
unto  thy  rest,  O  my  soul,  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt  bountifully 
with  thee,"  says  David,  Psal.  cxvi.  7. 

3.  Live  upon  the  fruit  of  the  tree;  live  upon  the  fruit  of  his 
obedience,  death,  resurrection,  ascension,  and  intercession  ;  be 
ever  plucking  the  other  apple  off  the  iree  of  life.  "  The  life 
which  I  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
God,"  saith  Paul.  By  faith  we  "  eat  the  flesh,  and  drink  the 
blood  of  the  Son  of  man."  Be  continually  making  use  of 
Christ,  for  you  will  always  be  needing  him;  every  moment 
be  "  building  up  yourselves  in  your  most  holy  faith  ;"  be  con- 
tinually "drawing  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation." 

4.  Whenever  you  find  yourselves  hurt,  or  your  health  im- 
paired by  corruption,  temptation,  presently  apply  the  leaves 
of  the  tree  of  life  for  healing;,  the  healing  word,  and  Christ  in 
it  to  thy  soul:  and  do  it  without  delay,  for  delays  are  danger- 
ous ;  it  is  best  to  take  the  remedy  at  the  beginning  of  a  dis- 
ease. "  When  the  enemy  shall  come  in  like  a  flood,  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  shall  lift  up  his  standard  against  him." 

5.  Be  often  making  use  of  the  river  of  the  water  of  life, 
which  runs  under  the  boughs  of  this  tree ;  cry  much  for  the 
influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  lay  your  souls  open  to  the  blow- 
ings of  this  wind,  to  the  flowings  of  this  pure  river  of  water  of 
life,  that  so,  under  the  shadow  of  this  tree,  you  may  be  "  like 
trees  planted  by  the  rivers  of  water,  bringing  forth  fruit  in 
season  :  for  they  that  dwell  under  his  shadow  shall  revive  as 
the  corn,  grow  as  the  vine,  and  their  scent  shall  be  as  the 

'wine  of  Lebanon." 


1 


XVI.]  AND  LEAVES  AMONG  THE  NATIONS.  523 

6.  O  invite  others  to  come  to  the  tree,  and  say,  0  taste  and 
see  that  his  fruit  is  good,  pleasant,  profitable,  and  plenteous.  O 
study  to  commend  Christ,  with  the  spouse,  "  My  beloved  is 
■white  and  ruddy,  the  chiefest  among  ten  thousand."  Tell 
the  hungry  what  excellent  fruit  is  here  ;  tell  the  weary  what 
glorious  rest  is  here;  tell  the  diseased  soul  what  healing  leaves 
are  here ;  tell  the  guilty  what  an  excellent  righteousness  is 
here. 

7.  Let  your  resentment  run  against  those  who  would  hew 
down  the  tree  of  life.  O  stand  up  in  his  quarrel.  Atiempts 
have  been  made,  even  by  some  in  our  own  day  and  land, 
"  to  cast  him  down  from  his  excellency  :"  but,  sure  I  am,  if 
you  ever  tasted  of  his  fruit,  or  were  healed  by  his  leaves, 
you  will  do  what  you  can  to  resent  his  quarrel,  and  to  main- 
tain his  glory  and  excellency,  and  to  vindicate  his  honour 
against  all  the  attacks  that  arc  made  upon  it. 

8.  Lastly,  Let  all  the  birds  of  Paradise  sing  the  praises  of 
God,  who  planted  this  tree  of  life  for  us,  and  who  has  opened 
up  a  new  and  living  way  to  the  heavenly  Paradise,  where 
we  shall  sing  among  the  branches  of  this  tree  for  ever.  Mean 
time,  O  lisp  out  that  song,  Eph.  i.  3:  "Blessed  be  (lie  God 
and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us 
with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus." 
O  sing  the  praises  of  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and  of 
the  Lamb  ;  sing  that  song  of  the  redeemed.  Rev.  v^  12,  13  : 
"  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  receive  power,  and 
riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and 
blessing.  And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the 
earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and 
all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I,  saying,  Blessing,  and  honour, 
and  glory,  and  power  he  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever."  And  let 
every  soul  say  amen  to  this  blessed  song. 

N  B.  Throiieli  the  importunity  of  somo  who  lioard  IIir  throe  fiiropoinff  Rprmons,  the 
anihor  nllnwod  iho  notes  of  them  to  g"  lo  the  piihlic.  thou-jh  not  so  full  as  he  could  have 
dcbirud,  particularly  that  delivered  upon  the  Subbath. 


524 


8ER]UO]\   XVII. 

THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.* 
For  the  law  shall  go  out  of  Zlon. — Isa.  ii.  3. 

THE  FIRST  SERMON  ON  THIS  TEXT. 

From  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  and  downwards,  we 
have  a  prophecy  concerning  the  glorious  kingdom  of  grace, 
to  be  erected  by  the  Messiah,  under  the  New  Testament  dis- 
pensation. Where  two  or  three  things  may  be  noticed. 
(1.)  By  what  name  the  prophet  speaks  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment church;  he  calls  it  "the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house." 
This  is  that  mountain  upon  which  the  Lord  promises  to  "  make 
unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the 
lees,"  Is.  XXV.  6.  Under  the  Old  Testament,  the  mountain  of 
the  house  of  the  Lord  was  restricted  to  Jerusalem,  the  church 
of  God  was  mostly  pent  up  within  the  narrow  bouhdaries 
of  Jerusalem  and  Judea  ;  but  under  the  New  Testament,  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  is  to  be  found,  wherever  God 
is  worshipped,  the  gospel  preached,  and  the  mystery  of  sal- 
vation through  a  Redeemer  opened.  (2.)  We  have  an  ac- 
count of  the  in-gathering  of  the  Gentile  nations,  into  the 
bosom  of  the  church  under  the  New  Testament ;  "  all  na- 
tions shall  flow  unto  it."  The  kingdom  of  Christ  shall  no 
longer  be  confined  to  the  nation  of  the  Jews,  the  natural 
posterity  of  Abraham  ;  no,  the  partition-wall  shall  be  broken 
down,  and  "  from  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  songs  shall 
be  heard,  even  glory  to  the  righteous."  This  flowing  in  of 
the  nations  into  the  bosom  of  the  church,  points  out  both  the 
great  multitude  of  converts,  and  their  cheerful  submission  to 
the  obedience  of  Christ ;  they  should  be  innumerable  like  the 
drops  of  w^ater  in  a  river :  and  as  the  water  of  a  river  flows 
into  the  sea,  so  should  the  gathering  of  the  nations  be  unto  the 
blessed  Shiloh  ;  they  shall  come  in  like  troops  of  volunteers 
under  the  banner  of  Christ :  "  Thy  people  shall  be  willing 
in  the  day  of  thy  power,"  or  in  the  day  of  thy  armies,  Psal. 
ex.  3.  (3.)  We  have  the  encouragement  which  the  New 
Testament  converts  give  to  their  friends  and  neighbours  to 
come    along   with   them,  and  partake  of  the  blessings  of 

•  Three  discourses  preached  at  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
atlnveresk,  August  9,  10,  11,  1729. 


XVn.]    THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.    525 

Christianity,  and  share  of  the  advantages  of  the  Messiah's 
administration  ;  "  many  people  shall  go  and  say,  Come  ye, 
and  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  to  the  house 
of  the  God  of  Jacob,"  &.c.  They  that  know  Christ,  and 
who  have  obtained  grace  and  salvation  through  him,  are 
fond  that  others  should  share  with  them  ;  saying  with  the 
woman  of  Samaria  to  her  fellow-citizens,  "  Come,  see  a  man 
which  told  me  all  tilings  that  ever  I  did :  is  not  this  the 
Christ  ?"  They  would  have  all  the  world  the  better  of  him, 
could  they  get  their  desire. 

Now  follows  an  account  of  the  great  mean  or  instrument 
by  which  all  this  should  be  cllecled,  how  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  under  the  New  Testament  should  be  erected,  The  law 
shall  go  out  of  Zion,  afid  the  ivord  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem. 
The  last  part  of  the  verse  is  exegetic  or  explicatory  of  the 
first,  the  word  of  the  Lord  that  goes  out  of  Jerusalem  being 
the  same  thing  with  the  law  that  goes  out  of  Zion  :  and  it  is 
this  I  am  to  insist  upon  at  present.     Where  notice, 

1.  The  designation  given  to  the  gospel ;  it  is  expressed 
here  under  the  notion  of  a  law.  It  is  generally  agreed  among 
all  orthodox  interpreters,  that  by  the  laio  here  is  to  be  under- 
stood the  gospel.  And  it  is  not  without  good  reason  that  they 
make  this  to  be  the  meaning ;  for  it  is  not  a  law  coming 
out  of  Sinai,  but  out  of  Zion :  it  is  a  law  which  is  the  great 
instrument  of  gathering  the  nations  in  to  the  bosom  of  the 
church :  All  nations  shall  flow  vnto  it,  for  the  law  shall  go 
out  of  Zion.  And  this  is  not  effected  by  the  law  of  com- 
mandments, but  by  the  gospel  only.  Indeed,  the  law  of  com- 
mandments is  the  instrument  of  conviction,  and  "  was  added 
because  of  transgression  ;"  but  it  is  the  gospel  that  is  the 
great  instrument  of  conversion,  Rom.  x.  17  :  "  Faith  cometh 
by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God,  even  the  gospel 
of  our  salvation."  This  is  the  rod  of  Christ's  strength,  which 
he  sends  out  of  Zion,  and  by  swaying  of  which  he  brings  in 
armies  of  volunteers,  like  "  the  drops  of  dew  from  the  womb 
of  the  morning."  Neither  is  this  the  only  place  where  the 
gospel  is  called  by  the  name  of  a  laxc ;  we  find  Paul,  the 
great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  using  the  same  form  of  speech, 
Kom.  iii.  27  :  "Where  is  boasting?  It  is  excluded.  By  what 
law?  of  works?  Nay  ;  but  by  the  law  of  faith."  Of  which 
more  afterward,  if  the  Lord  will. 

2.  In  the  words  we  may  notice  the  royal  seat  from  whence 
this  law  is  issued ;  it  comes  forth  from  Ziov.  Zion  was  the 
usual  name  by  which  the  Old  Testament  church  was  called  : 
"  The  Lord  hath  chosen  Zion:  he  hath  desired  it  for  his  ha- 
bitation. This  is  my  rest  for  ever :  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I 
have  desired  it."    "  Out  of  Zion,  the  perfection  of  beauty. 


526  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

God  hath  shined."  And  then  the  church  was  called  Zion, 
from  the  mount  upon  which  the  temple  was  built :  thither 
the  tribes  of  Israel  went  up  to  worship  the  God  of  Israel, 
w^ho  dwelt  between  the  cherubims.  And  we  find  this  name 
of  Zion  transferred  from  the  Old  to  the  New  Testament 
church,  Heb.  xii.  22:  "Ye  are  come  unto  mount  Zion,  the 
city  of  the  living  God."  The  reason  of  which  is,  because  the 
New  Testament  church  was  ingrafted,  as  it  were,  into  the  root 
of  the  Old  Testament  church  :  all  the  Old  Testament  econo- 
my being  nothing  else  but  a  preparative  to  the  glorious  dis- 
plays of  the  grace,  mercy,  and  love  of  God,  which  were  to 
be  made  to  a  lost  world,  upon  the  coming  of  the  great  Mes- 
siah :  and  adorable  Providence  so  ordered  it,  that  at  Zion,  or 
Jerusalem,  where  the  Old  Testament  church  expired  upon 
the  resurrection  of  Christ  from  the  dead,  there  the  gospel- 
Zion,  or  the  New  Testament  church,  was  first  founded,  with 
the  solemnity  of  the  down-pouring  of  the  Spirit  in  a  visible 
manner  upon  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  the  conversion  of 
the  three  thousand  by  Peter's  sermon.  Acts  ii.,  where  people 
of  diiferent  nations  were  gathered,  such  as  "  Parthians, 
Medes,  Elamites,  dwellers  in  Mesopotamia,  and  Judea,  and 
Cappadocia,  in  Pontus,  and  Asia,  Phrygia,  Pamphylia,  Egypt, 
Lybia,Cyrene,  strangers  of  Rome,  Jews  and  proselytes,  Cretes 
and  Arabians  ;"  I  say  people  gathered  out  of  all  these  nations 
to  Zion  or  Jerusalem  were  the  hearers  of  the  first  gospel  ser- 
mon ;  and  their  hearts  being  touched  with  the  efficacy  of  it, 
no  doubt  they  would  immediately  spread  and  propagate  it 
upon  their  return  to  their  several  countries  :  and  thus  the  law 
went  out  of  Zion,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem. 
Farther,  I  find  in  scripture  an  opposition  stated  between 
mount  Sinai  and  mount  Zion,  Gal.  iv.  24,  and  Heb.  xii.  22. 
Mount  Sinai,  where  the  law  of  commandments  was  delivered, 
was  a  place  of  terrible  blackness  and  darkness,  and  tempest; 
but  mount  Zion,  whence  the  gospel  law  is  issued,  is  a  place 
of  joy,  comfort,  and  light,  a  vision  of  peace.  Upon  mount 
Sinai,  God  appeared  in  his  terrible  majesty ;  but  from  mount 
Zion,  he  appears  as  a  God  of  peace,  grace,  and  love.  Mount 
Sinai  and  its  law-covenant  "  gendereth  unto  bondage  ;  but 
mount  Zion  or  Jerusalem,  which  is  from  above,  is  free,  and 
her  children  are  the  children  of  the  free  woman."  God 
came  down  upon  mount  Sinai  only  for  a  season,  and  then  ut- 
terly forsook  it ;  but  mount  Zion,  spiritually  considered,  is 
his  fixed  residence.  Here  still  Vll  stay.  In  a  word,  "  the  law 
of  works,"  Cometh  forth  from  Sinai ;  but  "  the  law  of  faith," 
the  law  of  grace  and  love,  cometh  forth  out  of  Zion. 

3.  We  have  the  egress  of  this  law  ft-om  Zion  ;  M  goeth  forth, 
like  a  proclamation  issued  out  by  royal  authority  to  his  sub- 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  527 

jects,  that  none  may  pretend  ignorance ;  it  goes  forth  like  the 
waters  of  (he  sanciuary,  which  issued  out  from  under  the 
threshold  of  the  temple,  and  ran  into  the  desert  of  the  Gentile 
nations,  making  every  thing  to  live  whither  it  came. 

Observ.  "  That  the  gospel,  which  is  the  law  of  sovereign 
grace,  is  issued  out  from  Zion,  or  published  for  the  behoof  of 
lost  sinners,  who  are  sinking  under  the  curse'  and  condemna- 
tion of  the  law  of  works.      The  law  shall  go  out  of  Zion." 

In  discoursing  on  this  text  and  doctrine,  I  shall  endeavour 
to  observe  the  order  and  method  following: — 

I.  I  shall  offer  some  general  thoughts  respecting  the  gospel, 
here  called  by  the  name  of  a  law. 

II.  Give  the  reasons  of  this  designation,  or  show  why  the 
gospel  is  called  a  law. 

III.  Notice  some  of  these  gospel  laws  of  sovereign  grace 
issuing  out  of  Zion. 

IV.  Give  some  of  the  excellent  qualities  of  this  law. 

V.  Inquire  into  the  differences  between  the  law  coming  out 
of  Zion,  and  the  law  coming  out  of  Sinai. 

VI.  Wind  up  all  in  some  practical  improvement  of  the 
whole. 

I.  The  Jirst  thing  is,  to  give  some  account  of  the  gospel,  here 
Called  a  law  coming;  out  of  Zion.  All  I  shall  sav  about  it  at 
present  is  only  to  tell  you, 

1.  That  the  word  gospel  properly  signifies  any  good  speech, 
or  joyful  message  :  and  fitly  is  it  applied  to  the  gospel,  because 
it  brings  the  most  joyfiil  message  to  lost  sinners  that  ever  was 
heard.  Behold,  said  the  an<:;els  to  the  shepherds,  "  we  bring 
you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  people. — 
For  unto  you  is  born  this  day,  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour, 
which  is  Christ  the  Lord."  On  the  same  account  also  it  is 
called  "the  joyful  sound,"  Psal.  Ixxxix.  J5,  1(5:  "O  blessed 
are  the  people  that  know  tliis  joyful  sound:  they  shall  walk, 
()  Lord,  in  the  li;^ht  of  thy  countenance.  In  thy  name  shall 
they  rejoice  all  the  day  :  and  in  thy  righteousness  shall  they 
be  exal((ul."  The  gospel  brings  a  sound  of  liberty  to  cap- 
tives, of  pardon  to  condemned  criminals,  of  peace  to  rebels,  a 
sound  of  life  to  the  dead,  and  salvation  to  them  that  lie  on  the 
borders  of  hell  and  condemnation. 

2.  Vou  would  know,  that  the  gospel,  strictly  taken,  is  a 
word  of  j)roini>e.  The  first  gospel  that  ever  was  preached  to 
our  first  [)arents,  when  a  disuial  cloud  of  wrath  was  hanging 
over  their  h(>a(ls  in  Paradise  after  the  fall,  was  in  a  promise, 
Gen.  iii.  15:  ''The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  head 
of  the  scr|>cnt."     The   gospel  preached  to  Abraham,  what 


528  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [sER. 

was  it  but  a  promise  of  Christ  ?  "  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  be  blessed,"  Gal.  iii.  8.  And  I  think  it  ob- 
servable, that  the  same  thing  which  the  apostle  calls  the^os- 
pel,  ver.  8,  he  calls  the  promise,  and  the  covenant,  ver.  17 — 19. 
So  that  the  gospel,  strictly  taken,  is  a  word  of  promise:  so 
Hcb.  iv.  1,  2,  compared, — what  the  apostle  calls  "a  promise 
of  entering  into  God's  rest"  in  the  1st  verse,  he  calls  the  gos- 
pel in  the  2d  verse.  And  a  God  of  love  and  grace  dispenses 
his  grace  in  a  promise,  for  our  encouragement  to  take  hold  of 
it  in  a  way  of  believing ;  for  there  is  nothing  in  which  the 
faithfulness  of  God  is  so  much  engaged  as  in  a  promise,  the 
very  design  of  which  is  to  be  believed. 

3.  We  are  carefully  to  distinguish  between  the  gospel,  and 
the  dispensation  of  the  gospel ;  for  although  the  gospel,  strictly 
taken,  be  a  word  of  promise,  yet  there  are  many  other  things 
that  belong  to  the  gospel  dispensation.  For  instance,  the 
whole  law  of  God,  considered  both  as  a  covenant  and  as  a  rule, 
falls  in  under  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel;  the  law,  as  a 
covenant,  is  a  school-master  to  lead  us  to  Christ,  by  con- 
vincing us  of  sin  and  misery  ;  the  law,  as  a  rule,  comes  in  to 
show  us  what  is  good,  and  what  the  Lord  our  God  requires 
of  us,  not  for  justification,  but  in  point  of  love  and  gratitude, 
even  "  to  do  justly,  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  with 
our  God  ;"  and  every  man  that  really  by  faith  closes  with  the 
promise,  or  law  of  grace,  will  infallibly  approve  of  the  law  of 
commandments,  as  holy,  just,  and  good:  and  thus  it  is  for  a 
light  to  his  feet,  and  a  lamp  to  his  paths.  All  gospel  institu- 
tions, such  as  the  word,  sacraments,  and  prayer,  and  other 
means  of  God's  appointment,  belong  to  the  dispensation  of  the 
gospel,  being  as  so  many  golden  pipes,  by  which  the  golden 
oil  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  promise  is  conveyed  to  the  city 
of  God.  All  the  histories,  prophecies,  and  types  of  the  word, 
what  are  they  but  an  opening  and  explication  of  the  promise? 
Every  thing  in  the  word,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  it, 
is,  some  way  or  other,  subservient  to  the  exhibition  or  appli- 
cation of  the  promise  to  us. 

4.  Since  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh,  and  the  erection 
of  a  New  Testament  church,  the  gospel  is  much  more  clearly 
preached  than  it  was  under  the  old  dispensation.  Under  the 
Old  Testament,  the  glorious  mysteries  of  redeeming  love  lay 
under  a  veil  of  dark  prophecies,  types,  ceremonies,  and  the 
like :  but  now  "  life  and  immortality  is  brought  to  light ;"  the 
mystery  which  was  hid  from  ages  and  generations,  is  made 
manifest  to  the  saints ;  the  fountains  of  the  great  depth  of  the 
love,  wisdom,  and  knowledge  of  God  in  Christ,  are  broken  up, 
and  set  forth  in  the  purest  light.  Thus  much  for  the  Jirst 
thing,  which  was,  to  give  you  a  general  view  of  the  gospel. 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  529 

II.  The  second  thing  was,  to  inquire  why  the  gospel  is  called 
a  lazv.      The  linv  shall  go  out  of  Zion. 

1.  Then,  the  gospel  may  he  Cdllcd  ti'law,  by  way  of  accon^i- 
modalioii,  or  condciscension  to  the  weakness  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion, who  had  the  word  law  in  such  veneration,  that  they  could 
receive  no  doctrine  hut  what  went  under  that  name  and  notion. 
And  this  is  a  reason  ijiven  hy  some  excellent  interpreters, 
why  the  apostle  Paul  calls  the  gospel  the  law  of  faiih,  Rom. 
iii.  27.  He  became  all  things  to  all  men,  that  he  might  gain 
some;  to  the  Jews  he  spoke  as  a  Jew.  So  here,  he  speaks 
to  them  in  their  own  diaTect,  when  he  calls  the  gospel  the  law 
of  faith.  As  if  he  had  said.  You  will  needs  be  justitied  by 
the  law,  why,  saith  he,  you  cannot  be  justified  by  the  law  of 
workvS  ;  but  here  i«  a  law  by  which  you  may  be  justitied,  even 
by  the  law  of  faith,  "  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God."  We 
tind  Christ  accommodating  himself  much  after  the  same  man- 
ner to  the  Jews,  John  vi.  28.  There  a  company  of  legalists 
came  to  Christ,  who  had  no  other  notion  of  the  way  to  salva- 
tion but  by  working  or  doing,  and  they  say  to  him,  "What 
sliall  we  do,  that  we  might  work  the  works  of  God  f"  Christ 
answers  them  in  their  own  dialect,  ver.  20  :  "  This  is  the  work 
of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent."  Work- 
ing and  believing  stand  op[)osite  to  one  another  in  the  business 
of  a  sinner's  salvation,  as  you  see,  Rom.  iv.  .5  ;  and  yet  Christ, 
to  accommodate  himself  to  these  Jews,  calls  faith  a  xvork, 
though  it  excludes  itself  and  all  works  besides  in  the  business 
of  salvation.  So,  here,  the  apostle  calls  the  gospel  a  laiu,  in 
condescension  to  the  Jews;  though,  as  you  heard,  it  is  a  law, 
that  requires  no  works  to  be  done  by  us;  for  it  is  not  the  law 
oi  iwrks,  but  the  Uiw  o( faith. 

2.  The  2:os|)cl  may  be  called  a  lazv,  because  it  is  the  will  of 
a  Sovereign,  intimated  to  those  wh.o  depend  on  him  for  their 
beinu,  and  well-being,  and  who  lie  entirely  at  his  merc3\  A 
law  must  bear  the  stamp  of  sovereign  authority  on  it:  and  in 
this  sense  the  gospel  is  fitly  called  a  law,  because  it  carries 
the  stamp  of  the  authority  of  Heaven;  not  only  the  law  of 
commandments,  but  the  law  of  faith,  or  the  gospel,  is  issued 
forth  with  a  Thus  saith  the  Lord.  And  if  the  gospel  be  not 
received  and  believed  upon  this  ground,  namely,  that  of  the 
divine  tislimony,  it  is  not  a  laith  of  the  right  stamp;  for  the 
lani;uage  of  faith  is,  "Speak,  Lord,  for  thyser\'ant  heareth:"' 
it  receives  the  whole  will  of  God,  and  that  not  as  the  word  of 
man,  but  as  it  is  indeed  the  word  of  the  living  God. 

3.  The  gospel  may  be  called  a  law,  because  of  its  obligato- 
riness both  u|)on  (iod  and  man  ;  it  has  a  mighty  force  to  bind 
and  oblige  all  concerned.  What  more  binding  to  God  than 
his  own  promise?     It  is  to  him  as  the  laws  of  the  Modes  and 

VOL.  I.  '15 


530  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [sER. 

Persians,  which  he  will  not  come  and  go  upon ;  no,  his  pro- 
mise (which  is  the  law  of  faith)  is  not  yea  and  nay,  but  it  is 
always  yea  and  amen:  and  this  is  the  great  comfort  of  be- 
lievers, that  he  will  not  go  back  with  his  word ;  no,  "  The 
Strength  of  Israel  will  not  lie,  nor  repent."  And  (hen,  as  this 
law  of  faith  is  binding  upon  God  the  Lawgiver,  so  it  is  bind- 
ing upon  us,  to  whom  it  is  given  ;  for  though  it  enjoins  no  duty 
preceptively,  yet  it  requires  faith  objectively  considered;  that 
is,  it  is  the  object  of  faith,  and  the  matter  of  faith,  the  fuel 
of  faith,  and  it  requires  or  commands  faith  in  us,  just  as  meat 
and  drink  require  a  hungry  and  thirsty  man  to  eat  and  drink, 
when  they  are  set  before  him.  What  can  be  a  better  invita- 
tion to  eat,  than  to  have  meat  set  before  us,  with  a  hearty 
welcome  to  the  e;uests?  So  what  can  be  a  stronger  obliga- 
tion upon  us  to  believe,  than  to  have  Christ  and  his  whole 
fulness  set  before  us,  in  a  full,  free,  unhampered  call,  oIRt, 
and  promise. 

4.  The  gospel  is  called  a  /arc,  because  of  the  public  inti- 
mation of  it  to  a  lost  world.  You  know  laws  of  sovereigns 
are  commonly  proclaimed  by  heralds,  from  the  market-cross, 
with  sound  of  trumpet,  that  none  may  pretend  ignorance : 
so  the  gospel  is  published  by  heralds,  I  mean,  ministers  of  the 
gospel,  who  are  ordered  to  proclaim  it  from  the  (ops  of  the 
high  places,  and  in  the  entry  of  the  gates,  and  places  of  pub- 
lic concourse;  yea,  our  commission  bears  us  to  intimate  it  to 
men,  and  the  sons  of  men,  to  preach  (his  gospel  (o  every  crea- 
ture, that  none  may  perish  through  ignorance  of  (he  way  of 
salva(ion. 

5.  The  gospel  is  tidy  called  a  la-d\  because  it  is  the  mea- 
sure and  standard  of  faith;  and  therefore  fitly  called  bv  the 
apostle  in  the  place  just  now  cited,  Rom.  iii.  27,  the  hno  of 

failh.  The  whole  of  our  religion  is  comprised  in  two  things, 
expressed  in  the  3d  question  of  our  Lesser  Catechism,  name- 
ly, what  we  are  to  believe,  and  what  we  are  to  do.  As  for 
the  last,  namely:  What  duty  God  requires  of  man  ;  it  is  sum- 
marily comprehended  in  the  law  of  the  ten  commandments, 
that  is  the  standard  and  measure  of  duty;  and  there  is  nothing 
sin  but  what  the  law  forbids,  and  nothing  duty  but  what  the 
law  requires.  But  as  for  what  we  are  to  believe  concerning 
God,  to  the  salvation  of  our  souls,  the  gospel  only  is  the  stand- 
ard of  that.  Our  faith  is  to  be  bounded  by  the  gospel,  as  our 
practice  is  by  the  law ;  so  that  we  are  not  to  receive  for  doc- 
trine the  dictates  or  notions  of  men.  True  faith  will  receive 
nothing,  it  will  believe  nothing  but  just  what  God  says  in  the 
gospel;  it  will  take  and  entertain  every  word  of  God  and  no 
more ;  it  is  the  measure  of  faith,  and  the  true  boundary  of 
faith ;  and  therefore  fitly  called  ihe  law  of  failh. 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FKOM   MOUNT  ZION.  531 

6.  The  gospel  may  bs  called  the  law  of  faith ,  because  of 
the  invincible  power  and  force  that  it  lays  a  sinner  under  to 
receive  and  believe  it,  when  accompanied  with  the  energy 
of  the  Spirit.  I  remember  that  this  same  apostle  frequently 
calls  indwelling  sin  a  laic,  Rom.  vii.  23 :  "  I  fmd  a  law  in  my 
members,  warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,"  And  Rom. 
viii.  2 :  '•  The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life,  in  Christ  Jesus,  hath 
made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death."  Sin  is  called 
a  law,  because  of  the  power  that  it  has  over  the  man,  to  lead 
liim  captive  to  its  service :  so,  for  the  same  reason,  the  gospel 
may  be  called  the  laxo  of  fuilh,  because,  when  accompanied 
with  the  ellicacy  of  tiie  Spirit,  "  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation;  for  therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed 
from  faith  to  faith."  It  is  "  mighty  through  God,  to  the  pull- 
ing down  of  strong  holds,  casting  down  imaginations,  and 
every  high  thing  that  exaltcth  itself  against  the  knowledge  of 
Christ,  and  brings  every  thought  into  captivity  to  his  obedi- 
ence." O  that  the  gospel  may  be  indeed  the  law  of  faith  to 
many  in  this  respect,  that  it  may  be  the  power  of  God  to  the 
salvation  of  their  souls. 

7.  I  think  it  may  be  called  a  law,  in  respect  of  the  royal 
throne  from  which  it  issues  forth.  The  law  of  command- 
ments comes  from  God's  throne  absolutely  considered ;  but 
the  law  of  faith  goes  out  from  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb, 
that  is,  from  a  throne  of  grace :  hence  we  read  of  the  "  pure 
river  of  water  of  life  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God,  and 
of  the  Lamb  :"  which  may  be  understood  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  gospel,  which  is  frequently  in  scripture  compared  to  water. 
It  is  from  this  throne  that  all  the  laws  of  grace  in  the  gospel 
are  emitted.     And  then, 

8.  Because  the  promise,  wdiich  is  the  soul  of  the  gospel, 
runs  in  the  style  of  adorahle  sovereignty,  even  of  sovereign 
grace  :  "  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people. 
I  will  be  merciful  to  their  unrighteousness,"  &c.  And  when 
this  law  of  grace  is  received  by  faith,  the  soul  just  says,  O 
Lord,  thy  will  be  done,  and  it  shall  be  done  because  it  is  thy 
will.     And  this  leads  me  to, 

III.  The  third  thing  in  the  method,  which  was,  to  take  no- 
tice of  these  Uacs  or  edicts  of  sovereign  grace  issued  forth  from 
Zion,  for  the  benefit  of  sinners  perishing  under  the  sentence  of 
death,  through  the  breach  and  violation  of  the  law  of  zcorlcs.  We 
that  are  ministers  are  the  heralds  of  the  great  King,  wbosc 
name  is,  "  The  Lord  God  merciful  and  gracious:"  and  are 
by  our  oflice  not  only  to  stand  up(m  mount  Sinai,  and  publish 
the  law  of  works,  with  the  curses  that  it  thunders  against 
every  one  that  continues  not  in  all  things  that  are  written  there- 
in to  do  them  ;  but,  in  a  special  manner,  we  are  obliged  to 
stand  on  mount  Zion  and  Gerizim,  to  "  preach  the  gospel  of 


532  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

peace,  and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things ;"  and  we  dare 
not  for  our  souls  conceal  his  faithfulness  and  loving-kindness 
from  the  great  congregation  of  Adam's  family.  And  there- 
fore I,  as  one  of  the  meanest  heralds  of  the  great  King,  whose 
throne  is  high  and  lifted  up,  do,  in  his  name  and  authority, 
publish  from  this  high  place  of  the  city  of  God,  some  of  these 
laws  of  sovereign  grace,  enacted  at  a  throne  of  grace,  beseech- 
ing and  entreating  every  man  and  woman  hearing  me,  to 
take  the  benefit  of  the  great  gospel  law.  Whatever  thy  case 
be,  O  sinner,  though  ever  so  desperate  ii;  thine  own  eye^,  yet 
thou  wilt  find  an  act  of  grace  in  the  court  of  mercy  suiting 
thy  condition.     As, 

1.  Let  us  suppose  thew^orst  that  can  be,  that  thou  arttr?7A- 
oul  God  in  the  world ;  which  is  the  case  of  every  man  and  wo- 
man by  nature  since  the  fall  of  Adam  ;  we  have  lost  our  God, 
the  greatest  and  most  comprehensive  loss  a  creature  can  sus- 
tain. Weil,  I  bring  you  glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  that  God, 
having  found  a  ransom,  and  smelt  a  sweet  savour  in  the  death 
of  his  eternal  Son,  issues  forth  a  law  of  grace  from  mount 
Zion,  saying,  "I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  peo- 
ple ;"  and  with  this  law  of  grace  he  ushered  in  the  moral  law 
at  mount  Sinai,  Exod.  xx.  2  :  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,"  &c. ; 
which  is  the  sum  and  substance  of  the  covenant  of  grace. 
This  law  or  act  of  grace  is  laid  as  the  foundation  of  obedience 
to  all  the  commandments  of  the  moral  law;  yea,  by  the  first 
commandment,  every  man  and  woman  in  the  camp  of  Israel 
was  bound  to  lay  hold  on  it,  and  to  know  and  acknowledge 
the  only  true  God  as  their  God,  and  to  worship  and  glorify 
him  accordingly.  O  sirs,  answer  the  design  of  this  edict  of 
grace,  and  believe  that  it  is  as  God  says,  upon  the  ground  of 
his  own  promise  in  Christ.  See  the  echo  of  the  soul  to  this 
law  of  grace,  Psal.  xvi.  2 :  "  O  my  soul,  thou  hast  said  unto 
the  Lord,  Thou  art  my  Lord."  Zech.  xiii.  9:  "  I  will  say.  It 
is  my  people ;  and  they  shall  say,  The  Lord  is  my  God."  But 
of  this  I  have  spoken  more  largely  in  a  separate  discourse. 

2.  Poor  sinner,  art  thou  lying  under  a  burden  of  sin  and 
guilt,  which  is  like  to  sink  thee  down  to  the  lowest  hell  ? 
Well,  here  is  a  law  of  faith  for  thee  in  that  case  to  plead 
upon  before  a  throne  of  grace,  Is.  xliii.  25:  "I,  even  I,  am 
he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions  for  mine  own  sake, 
and  will  not  remember  thy  sins."  To  the  same  purpose  is 
that  act  of  sovereign  grace,  Heb.  viii.  12:  "1  will  be  mer- 
ciful to  their  unrighteousness,  and  their  sins  and  their  ini- 
quities will  I  remember  no  more."  Now,  let  faith  plead 
this  law  or  act  of  grace  in  prayer,  for  a  free  discharge  of 
the  debt  of  sin  you  are  lying  under  to  the  law  and  justice 
of  God;  and  if  you  do,  you  may  lift  up  your  head  from  under 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH   FROM    MOUNT  ZION.  533 

the  burden  of  guilt,  and  cry,  "  Who  can  lay  any  thing  to  my 
charge  1" 

3.  Art  thou  molested  with  the  workings  of  indwelling  sin 
and  corruption?  Well,  here  is  a  law  passed  for  thy  relief 
against  that  enemy;  it  is  enacted  by  sovereign  grace,  and 
registered  in  the  court-book  of  the  grace  of  God,  Rom.  vi.  14: 
"Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you;  because  ye  are  not 
under  the  law,  but  under  grace."  See  another  law  to  the 
same  purpose,  Mic.  vii.  10:  "I  will  subdue  their  iniquities." 
Whenever  iniquity  is  prevailing,  or  indwelling  corruption  like 
to  get  the  upper  hand  of  thee,  go  to  the  court  of  grace,  and 
present  this  act  or  law  of  grace  to  God,  and  tell  him.  Lord, 
hast  thou  not  enacted  and  ordained,  that  "sin  shall  not  have 
dominion?"  hast  thou  not  doomed  this  bosom-enemy  to  de- 
struction? Such  a  corruption,  such  a  lust,  such  an  idol  is 
usurping  dominion  over  me;  hast  thou  not  said  it  shall  be 
otherwise?  Lord,  put  thine  own  law  in  execution,  and  so  it 
shall  be,  because  sovereign  grace  has  said  it. 

4.  Art  thou  assaulted  with  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan?  is  that 
roaring  lion  coming  upon  thee  with  open  mouth  to  devour 
thee?  Well,  poor  soul,  here  is  a  law  of  faith  in  thy  favour, 
"  The  God  of  peace  shall  tread  Satan  under  thy  feet  shortly; 
his  grace  shall  be  sulKcient  for  thee,  and  /i/s  strength  perfect- 
ed in  thy  weakness,"  Take  the  benefit  of  this  act  of  grace, 
and  let  faith  carry  it  to  the  court  of  grace,  where  it  was  pass- 
ed, saying,  "  Lord,  I  am  oppressed,  undertake  for  me;"  I  know 
not  what  to  do:  wilt  not  thou  who  hast  spoiled  principalities 
nnd  powers,  and  who  hast  doomed  Satan  (o  destruction  and 
came  to  destroy  his  works,  wilt  not  thou  either  {vcc  me  from 
the  molestation  of  Satan,  or  give  me  strength  to  stand  my 
ground?  But, 

5.  Art  thou  perplexed  with  the  fears  of  apostacy,  that  the 
little  measure  of  grace  thou  hast  will  never  carry  thee  through, 
but  that  thoushalt  fall  away,  to  the  reproach  of  religion  ?  Up 
tlie  heart,  O  poor  trembling  soul,  there  is  a  law,  an  act  passed 
in  tlie  court  of  grace,  that ''he  who  hath  begun  the  good 
work  in  thee,  will  carry  it  on  to  the  day  of  .Fcsus  Christ :"  and 
that  "  though  thou  fall,  thou  shalt  arise;  for  the  I^ord  up- 
hoMolh  thee  with  his  hand  :"  it  is  enacted,  that  "  thou  shalt 
ho!<l  on  thy  way,  and  wax  stronger  and  stronger,"  till  thou 
"  return  and  come  (o  Zion  with  songs,  and  everlasting  joy 
upon  thv  head."  And,  therefore,  let  faith  be  set  at  work 
upon  these  acts,  to  plead  their  forth-coming  at  the  hand  of 
him  that  passed  them. 

().  Art  thou  afiaid  of  days  of  tribulation  aiirl  persecution 
for  the  cause  of  religion,  or  days  of  personal  trial  ?  Well, 
lake  courage,  there  is  a  law  of  faith  passed  in  the  pourt  of 

45* 


534  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [sER. 

grace,  that  though  "in  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation," 
yet  "  in  me  ye  shall  have  peace :"  it  is  enacted,  that  his  pre- 
sence shall  be  with  thee  in  tire  and  water,  Is.  xliii,  2  :  "  When 
thou  passest  through  the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee ;  and 
through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee ;  when  thou 
walkest  through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burnt ;  neither 
shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee:"  it  is  enacted,  that  "  thy 
light  atllictions,  which  are  but  for  a  moment,  shall  work  for 
thee  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  ;  while 
thou  lookest  not  at  the  things  that  are  seen,  which  are  tem- 
poral, but  at  the  things  that  are  not  seen,  which  are  eternal :" 
it  is  enacted,  that  "  though  many  be  the  afflictions  of  the 
righteous,  yet  the  Lord  will  deliver  him  out  of  them  all." 
Now,  let  faith  be  set  at  work  to  improve  these  acts  or  laws  of 
grace,  for  the  King  that  has  enacted  them  will  see  to  make 
them  good. 

7.  Art  thou  under  pinching  wants,  either  as  to  soul  or  body? 
Well,  there  are  acts  or  laws  passed  in  the  court  of  grace  for 
t!iy  supply.  As  to  bodily  wants,  it  is  enacted,  that  at  least 
"  bread  and  w%ater  shall  be  sure,"  and  that  no  good  thing  shall 
be  wanting,  that  is  for  his  glory  and  thy  good.  As  for  soul- 
wants,  it  is  enacted,  that  "out  of  Christ's  fulness  thou  shalt 
receive  grace  for  grace  ;"  that  "when  the  poor  and  needy  seek 
water,  and  there  is  none,  and  their  tongue  faileth  for  thirst,  I 
the  Lord  will  hear  them,  I  the  God  of  Israel  will  not  forsake 
them."  And  thei-efore  let  faith  fix  upon  this  law  of  faith,  and 
f-ay,  "  My  God  will  supply  all  my  need,  according  to  his  riches 
in  glory,  by  Christ  Jesus." 

8.  Art  thou  in  a  strait  as  to  sin  or  duty,  that  thou  knowest 
not  to  what  hand  to  turn?  Well,  in  this  case  it  is  enacted, 
that  "Ihou  shalt  hear  a  voice  behind  thee,  saying.  This  is  the 
way,  walk  ye  in  it:  that  he  will  lead  the  blind  in  ways  they 
know  not ;  that  he  will  lead  them  in  paths  that  they  have  not 
known;  that  he  will  make  darkness  light  before  them,  and 
crooked  things  straight."  And,  therefore,  let  faith  fix  upon 
the  honour  and  faithfulness  of  him  that  passed  such  an  act, 
and  say,  with  David,  "Thou  wilt  guide  me  with  thy  counsel, 
and  afterward  receive  me  to  glory,"  Psal.  Ixxiii.  24. 

9.  Art  thou  complaining  of  the  want  of  the  rain  of  the 
Spirit,  by  the  withholding  of  which  thy  soul  is  like  the  moun- 
tains of  Gilboa?  Thei'e  is  a  law  passed  in  the  court  of  grace,. 
Is.  xliv.  3:  "  I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and 
floods  upon  the  dry  ground:  I  will  pour  my  Sjilrit  upon  thy 
seed,  and  my  blessing  upon  thine  offspring."  "Ezek.  xxxvi. 
27:  "I  will  put  my  Spirit  w^ithin  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk 
in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  judgments,  and  do  them." 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  535 

Hos.  vi.  3:  "  I  will  come  to  them  as  the  rain,  as  the  latter  and 
former  rain  unto  the  earth." 

10.  Art  thou  complaining  that  thy  heart  is  hard  like  a  piece 
of  the  nether  mill-stone;  that  thou  canst  not  get  it  melted  or 
softened,  either  by  word  or  rod,  promise  or  threatening?  Well, 
there  is  a  law  passed  with  relation  to  the  stony  heart,  that 
the  Lord  himself  will  take  a  course  with  it,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  20: 
"  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I 
put  within  you,  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of 
your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh."  And,  there- 
fore, take  that  act  to  the  court  of  grace,  and  put  the  King  to 
his  word,  and  believe  it,  that  he  who  has  said  it,  will  do  it; 
that  he  who  has  spoken  it,  will  also  bring  it  to  pass. 

11.  Art  thou  within  views  of  death  and  eternity,  and  afraid 
to  look  the  King  of  terrors  in  the  face?  Well,  there  is  a  law^ 
of  sovereign  grace  passed,  which  thou  mayst  carry  in  the 
hand  of  faith,  before  which  the  terrors  of  death  do  vanish, 
Hos.  xiii.  14:  "I  will  ransom  them  from  the  power  of  the 
grave :  I  will  redeem  them  from  death ;  O  death,  I  will  be  thy 
plagues;  O  grave,  1  will  be  thy  destruction;  repentance  shall 
be  hid  from  mine  eyes."  K  is  enacted,  that  "  thy  God  will 
never  leave  thee,  nor  forsa"  thee;  thai  he  will  be  thy  God 
for  ever,  and  thy  guide  even  unto  death." 

Thus,  1  have  endeavoured,  according  to  the  measure  of 
grace  given  me,  to  publish  some  of  the  laws  or  acts  of  grace 
coming  out  of  Zion ;  for  the  Lord's  sake,  take  the  benetit  of 
them  in  the  way  of  believing.  Perhaps  you  may  say,  O  these 
are  benelicial  laws  indeed  to  them  to  whom  they  pertain  ; 
but, alas!  I  cannot  think  they  |)citain  to  me.  I  answer.  These 
laws  of  grace  pertain  to  the  wliole  visible  church;  that  every 
one  that  hears  the  joyful  soiuid  of  them,  may  take  the  benefit 
of  thcnj  by  faith.  If  ye  will  not  believe  me,  I  hope  you  will 
believe  the  Spirit  of  God,s[)eaking  by  the  apostle  Paul,  Jlom. 
ix.  4;  where,  s|)eaking  of  the  .Old  Testament  or  Jewish  church, 
he  says,  "  To  whom  pertaineth  the  adoption,  and  the  glory, 
and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the  service 
of  God,  and  the  promises."  Now,  I  ask,  Is  the  privilege  of 
the  Now  Testament  church  retrenched,  or  made  narrower 
than  the  privilege  of  the  Jewish  church?  No,  by  no  means; 
it  is  rather  enlarged.  Did  the  covenant  and  the  promise  per- 
tain to  tlicm  .'  And  do  th(;y  not  aj)|)ertain  to  us  also?  Yea, 
the  apostle,  Ileb.  iv.  1,  tells  us  j)lainly,  that  they  are  left  to 
us  as  the  latter-will  of- our  glorious  Redeemer;  and  therefore 
we  are  to  take  care  that  we  do  not  lose  the  benefit  of  it 
through  our  unbelief:  "Let  us  fear,  lest  a  promise  being  left 
us  of  enteiing  into  his  rest,  any  of  you  should  come  short  of 
it."     And  the  apostle  Peter,  speaking  to  a  company  of  men 


536  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

whose  hands  had  lately  been  dipped  in  the  Redeemer's  blood, 
to  encourage  them  to  believe,  he  expressly  tells  them,  Acts 
ii.  39,  "  The  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your  children,  and  to 
all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall 
call."  Therefore,  I  say,  do  not  put  away  these  laws  from 
you,  as  things  you  have  no  concern  in ;  for  "  to  you  is  the 
word  of  this  salvation  sent:"  and,  in  the  name  of  God,  1  cer- 
tify and  warn  every  man  and  woman  hearing  me,  that  if  you 
do  not  take  hold  of  the  law  of  grace  by  faith,  the  law  of 
works  and  its  curse  will  take  hold  of  you;  yea,  it  has  seized 
upon  you  already,  the  fire  is  already  kindled  in  his  anger  ;  for 
"he  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned  already,  and  the  wrath 
of  God  abideth  on  him."  When  you  refuse  to  take  the  be- 
nefit of  the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  I  mean,  of  the  gospel  of 
the  grace  of  God  by  faith,  you  offer  the  most  signal  affront 
to  the  great  God ;  you  make  him  a  liar,  and  upon  the  matter 
say,  that  his  laws  of  grace,  his  promises,  are  not  to  be  trusted. 
And  is  it  to  be  imagined,  that  such  horrid  blasphemy  can  go 
unpunished  1  For  the  Lord's  sake  then,  take  heed  what  you 
are  doing. 

I  should  now  proceed  to  the  fomfh  thing  proposed,  and  give 
you  some  of  the  excellent  qualities  of  the  law  of  faith,  but 
shall  go  no  farther  at  present. 


THE  LAW  OF  FAII  H  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION. 

The  law  shall  g-o  out  of  Zion. — Isa.  ii.  3. 

THE  SECOND  SERMON  ON  THIS  TEXT. 

The  doctrine  I  noticed  from  the  words  was.  That  the  gos- 
pel is  a  law  of  grace,  issued  out  from  Zion,  for  the  benefit  of 
lost  sifiners,  lying  under  the  sentence  of  death  for  the  breach  and 
violatiofi  of  the  law  of  works. 

The  law  of  works  is  issued  out  from  Sinai,  but  it  must  be 
a  law  of  grace  that  comes  out  of  Zion,  these  two  mountains 
being  commonly  opposed  one  to  another  in  scripture,  as  the 
apostle  Paul  clears.  Gal.  iv.  and  Heb.  xii.  Mount  Sinai  is 
represented  as  a  theatre  of  wrath,  wrapped  about  with  black- 
ness, and  darkness,  and  tempest ;  but  mount  Zion,  as  a  thea- 
tre of  grace,  love  and  mercy,  displayed  towards  lost  sinners, 
through  "  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better  things 
than  the  blood  of  Abel."  At  mount  Sinai  is  heard  the  voice 
of  thunder  and  vengeance  against  "  every  one  that  continu- 
eth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law 
to  do  them ;"  but  at  mount  Zion  is  heard  the  joyful  sound  of 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  537 

life,  light,  liberty,  peace,  pardon,  and  salvation  to  the  sinner, 
who  v^'as  in  danger  of  being  consumed  with  the  tlanies  of 
divine  wrath.  So  that  it  cannot  be  tbe  law  of  works,  or  tlie 
law  commanding  works  of  riglileousness  to  be  done  by  us, 
but  tiie  law  of  grace,  the  law  of  faith,  or  gospel,  which  is 
here  to  be  understood  by  the  projihet,  when  lie  says,  tliat  the 
lazo  shall  go  out  of  Zio?i ;  and  the  prophet  here,  in  the  last 
clause  of  the  verse,  gives  a  commentary  upon  his  own  words, 
lest  his  meaning  should  be  mistaken,  "  and  the  word  of  the 
Lord  from  Jerusalem."  The  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  and 
the  word  of  the  Lord  issuing  from  Jerusalem,  are  one  and 
the  same  thing.  Now,  what  was  the  word  of  the  Lord  that 
issued  from  Jerusalem,  but  the  glorious  gospel,  which,  ac- 
cording to  Christ's  command  given  to  his  disciples,  began 
first  to  be  preached  at  Jerusalem  after  his  resurrection,  and 
from  thence  ran  forth  to  Judca,  Samaria,  and  the  uttermost 
jiarts  of  the  earth,  by  which  the  prophecy  of  Joel  was  ful- 
filled, that  the  waters  of  the  sanctuary  should  run  down  into 
the  valley  of  Shittim  ? 

The  method  in  which  I  proposed  to  prosecute  the  doctrine 
was,  , 

I.  To  show  what  the  gospel  is,  which  is  here  expressed 
under  the  notion  of  a  late. 

II.  To  inquire  into  the  reason  of  this  denomination. 

III.  To  notice  some  of  these  royal  laws  or  acts  of  grace 
which  go  out  of  Zion. 

IV.  To  give  some  of  the  qualities  or  properties  of  this  new 
gospel  law. 

V.  To  inquire  into  the  difl'erences  between  the  law  of 
works  coming  forth  from  Sinai,  and  the  law  of  grace  going 
out  of  Zion. 

VI.  To  appl)'. 

I  spoke  on  the  first  two  of  these  yesterda}^  and  entered 
also  upon  the  third.  I  was  endeavouring,  as  one  of  God's 
heralds,  to  proclaim  some  of  these  laws  of  grace  which  come 
out  of  Zion,  that  sinners  might  lake  the  benefit  of  them  by 
faith,  and  plead  them  in  the  court  of  grace. 

Art  thou  going  under  a  burden  of  guilt,  wliich  is  like  to 
sink  thee  down  to  hell?  Well,  there  is  a  law  of  grace  for 
thee.  Is.  xliii.  25  :  The  charge  runs  very  high  against  Lsrael 
in  the  i)rcceding  verse;  "Thou  hast  made  me  to  serve  with 
thy  sins,  thou  liast  wearied  me  with  thine  iniquities."  One 
would  think,  that  immediately  the  sentence  of  the  law  of 
works  would  follow,  therefore  thou  shalt  die  for  ever,  there- 
fore I  will  weary  thee  through  eternity,  with  the  arrows  of 
vindictive  wrath,  drinking  up  thy  spirits:  but  sovereign  grace 
takes  the  start  of  justice,  issuing  out  an  act  of  iiuUnnnity, 
"  1,  even  I  am  he  tiiat  blolteth  out  thine  iniquities."     Art  thou 


538  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [sER. 

molested  with  the  workings  of  indwelling  sin?  There  is  a 
law  of  grace  issued  out  of  Zion  suiting  thy  case,  Rom.  vi. 
14.  Art  thou  assaulted  with  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan  ?  Well, 
here  is  an  act  of  grace  for  thy  relief,  Rom.  xvi.  20  :  "  The 
Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of  temptation  :" 
or  if  the  temptation  be  continued,  there  is  an  act  of  grace 
for  thy  support  and  through-bearing,  2  Cor.  xii.  9.  Art  thou 
black  and  polluted  like  hell ;  ashamed  to  look  God  in  the  face 
through  a  sense  of  thy  pollution  and  defilement  1  There  is 
an  act  passed  in  the  court  that  looks  favourably  upon  thy  case, 
Ezek.  xxxvi.  25:  "1  will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and 
ye  shall  be  clean;"  and,  Psal.  Ixviii.  13:  "Though  ye  have 
lien  among  the  pots,  yet  shall  ye  be  as  the  wings  of  a  dove 
covered  with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold." 
Art  thou  now  and  then  affrighted  at  the  sight  of  the  pale 
countenance  of  the  king  of  terrors,  so  as  to  fall  a  trembling 
at  the  thoughts  of  thy  dissolution  ?  Well,  even  in  this  case 
there  is  an  act  of  grace  to  secure  thee  against  danger,  Hos. 
xiii.  14.  Art  thou  afraid  of  a  sentence  of  condemnation, 
when  thou  comest  before  the  tribunal?  There  is  an  act  or 
law  of  grace  that  secures  thee  against  this,  Rom.  viii.  1: 
"  There  is  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Je- 
sus." Thus,  you  see  that  there  are  laws  of  grace  issued  out 
of  Zion  answering  every  case.  What  shall  I  say  more? 
By  this  law  of  grace  God  has  bound  himself  to  be  "  our 
God,"  and  that  "  we  shall  be  his  people,"  that  "  he  will  never 
leave  us  nor  forsake  us,"  that  "  he  will  heal  our  backslidings, 
love  us  freely,  and  receive  us  graciously."  In  a  word,  all 
the  promises  of  the  covenant  are  acts  of  grace,  or  gracious 
interlocutors  issued  from  a  throne  of  grace,  for  the  benefit 
of  lost  sinners. 

But  may  the  sinner  say.  These  indeed  are  glorious  and 
surprising  laws  ;  but  alas  !  I  have  no  interest  in  them,  I  dare 
not  claim  the  benefit  of  these  acts,  for  I  am  a  sinner,  I  am 
far  oft".  I  answer.  Acts  of  grace  are  only  calculated  for  sin- 
ners ;  a  righteous  man  doth  not  stand  in  need  of  an  act  of 
grace,  but  of  an  act  of  justice  in  his  favour.  If  thou  wert 
as  righteous  as  Adam  was  before  he  fell,  thou  mightest  claim 
life,  and  all  things  belonging  to  it,  as  a  debt ;  but  thou  art  a 
sinner,  who  has  lost  all  claim  and  title  to  life  by  the  law  of 
works ;  and  the  law  of  grace  is  fitted  and  calculated  by  In- 
finite Wisdom  for  such  only.  And  whereas  you  say,  you  are 
far  off;  know  for  your  encouragement,  that  grace  speaks 
"  peace  to  them  that  are  far  off,  and  to  them  that  are  near," 
Is.  Ivii.  19 :  and  Acts  ii.  39 :  "  The  promise  is  unto  you,  and 
to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off:  To  you  is  this 
woi'd  of  salvation  sent."  This  law  of  grace  is  preached  to 
every  creature,  that  every  creature  that  hears  it  may  take 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZIO.V.  539 

the  benefit  of  it,  and  come  in  to  God  through  Christ  by  vir- 
tue of  it.     I  proceed  now  to, 

IV.  The  fourth  thinf?  proposed,  which  was,  to  give  yoii 
some  of  the  excellent  qualities  and  properties  of  this  laxv  of  grace 
coming  out  of  Zion.  O  sirs,  it  is  the  most  excellent  law  for 
a  lost  sinner  that  ever  was.  The  excellency  of  it  will  ap- 
pear in  the  following  particulars,  which  may  be  improved  as 
so  many  motives  to  excite  and  engage  sinners  to  take  the 
benefit  of  it. 

1.  Then,  It  is  a  life-giving  law  to  them  that  are  legally  and 
spiritually  dead.  Since  the  fall  of  Adam  the  law  of  com- 
mandments never  gave  life  to  any  of  his  posterity  ;  no,  the 
law  of  works  is  weak  through  the  corruption  of  nature,  to 
do  any  thing  for  fallen  man.  Instead  of  giving  life,  it  claps 
on  the  sentence  of  death  upon  us  for  every  and  the  least  sin- 
ful thought,  word,  or  action.  The  apostle  plainly  insinuates 
that  neither  life,  righteousness,  nor  any  good,  can  come  to  a 
sinner  by  any  commanding  law  whatever,  Gal.  iii.  21  :  "If 
there  had  been  a  law  given  which  could  have  given  life,^ 
verily  righteousness  should  have  been  by  the  law."  But,  sirs, 
I  bring  you  glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  may  make  the 
heart  of  a  sinner  to  flutter  in  iiis  breast ;  although  the  law 
coming  out  of  Sinai,  or  the  law  of  commandments,  cannot  give 
life  or  righteousness,  yet  here  is  a  law  of  grace  coming  out 
of  Zion,  that  gives  both  ;  and  if  thou  wilt  but  give  this  law  a 
fair  liearing,  life  will  come  in  with  it  to  thy  dead  soul.  Is.  Iv. 
3 :  "  IIcai%  and  your  soul  shall  live,  and  I  will  make  an  ever- 
lasting covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David." 
And  what  is  it  that  the  lost  sinner  is  to  hear  1  You  see  how 
earnest  the  Lord  is  for  sinners  to  listen,  three  times  in  a 
breath  he  calls  them,  ver.  2, 3,  to  arrest  their  attention,  Hear- 
kc7i  i/iligenlli/,  and  then  a  second  i'lwe,  Inclific  your  ear,  and  a 
third  time  it  is  repeated,  with  a  promise  of  life,  if  they  will 
give  him  a  hearing,  "Hear, and  your  soul  shall  live."  Well, 
surely  something  of  moment  is  to  be  said  after  all  this  solemni- 
ty, ver.  4,  you  have  an  act  of  sovereign  grace,  making  a  grant 
of  Christ  to  lost  sinners,  and  it  is  (besides  all  the  former  solem- 
nities) ushered  in  with  a  Behold,  as  a  note  of  attention  and 
admiration,  "  Behold  I  have  given  him  for  a  witness  to  the 
people,  for  a  leader  and  commander  to  the  people."  There 
is  the  law  of  grace  coming  out  of  Zion,  and  "  whoever  be- 
lieves it,  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  O  let 
the  lost  sinner  entertain  and  welcome  it,  for  "  it  is  a  faithful 
saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation."  See  the  lawgiving 
life  proclaimed  by  the  apostle  John,  under  the  notion  of  the 
record  of  God,  1  John  v.  11 :  "  This  is  the  record,  that  God 


640  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [sER. 

hath  given  to  us  eternal  life  ;  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  O 
sirs,  set  to  the  seal  that  God  is  true,  apply  this  grant  of  eter- 
nal life  through  Christ  to  your  own  souls  in  particular,  hold 
God  at  his  word,  for  he  will  not  go  back ;  "  his  gifts  are 
without  repentance." 

But  O,  may  you  say,  that  God  has  given  eternal  life  to  the 
elect,  and  to  believers,  I  believe  to  be  a  truth ;  but  he  has 
not  given  eternal  life  to  the  like  of  me,  for  I  am  none  of  these. 
I  answer.  Many  a  one  shall  go  to  hell  who  set  to  their  seal 
to  this  as  a  truth,  that  God  has  given  eternal  life  to  the  elect, 
and  to  believers ;  and  therefore  that  cannot  be  the  thing  in- 
tended by  the  Spirit  of  God  in  that  record :  no,  the  meaning 
must  be,  that  God  has  in  his  indctinite  promise,  by  an  act  of 
sovereign  grace,  made  a  grant  of  eternal  life  to  sinners,  lost 
and  undone  sinners  of  Adam's  family ;  and  this  is  issued  out 
of  Zion,  that  every  one  may  take  the  benefit  of  it,  by  setting 
to  the  seal  that  God  is  true  and  faithful,  not  to  others  only, 
but  true  to  his  own  soul  in  particular ;  that  he  has  given  or 
granted  eternal  life  to  me  in  and  through. his  Son  Jesus 
Christ,  in  whose  hand  eternal  life  lies,  ready  to  be  given  out 
to  every  one  that  takes  hold  of  it,  by  virtue  of  the  law  of 
grace,  or  covenant  of  grace  and  promise.  O  sirs,  take  the 
benefit  of  this  grant  of  sovereign  grace,  since  no  less  than 
your  life,  yea,  the  eternal  life  of  your  souls  lies  at  the  stake  : 
"  Skin  for  skin,  yea,  all  that  a  man  hath  will  he  give  for  his 
life."  And  if  the  life  of  the  body  be  so  valuable,  that  a  man 
will  risk  all  that  he  has  in  a  world  to  preserve  it,  how  much 
more  valuable  is  the  life  of  the  immortal  soul  ?  O  think, 
and  think  again,  upon  that  awful  word  of  Christ,  "  What  is 
a  man  profited,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose 
his  own  soul?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
soul?"  Matth.  xvi.  20.  For  the  Lord's  sake,  then,  take  the 
benefit  of  this  law,  giving  life  to  your  poor  souls,  which  must 
inevitably  perish  through  eternity  if  you  do  not. 

2.  This  law  coming  out  of  Zion  is  a  law  of /ore.  The  gos- 
pel is  just  the  warm  breath  of  a  God  of  love.  Love  is  the 
imperial  attribute  of  his  nature;  and  to  make  way  for  its 
manifestation,  in  consistency  with  the  honour  of  justice,  God 
spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  gave  him  to  the  death  for  us  all: 
O  "  herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved 
us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  The 
gospel  is  the  proclamation  of  this  love  of  God,  in  giving  Christ 
and  all  things  freely  with  him:  John  iii.  16:  "God  so  loved 
the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life."  Every  word  of  the  gospel  smells  rank  of  the  love  of 
God  to  lost  sinners.    Here  we  may  see  his  wings  of  love  spread 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  541 

out  to  cover  and  hide  them  from  avenging  wrath  and  justice, 
the  arms  of  love  stretched  out  to  emt)race  them,  the  hand  of 
love  held  out  to  help  ihem,  the  eyes  of  love  beholding  them 
with  iiilinite  compassion,  the  bowels  of  love  sending  out  a 
sound  after  them,  crying,  "Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  why  will  yc 
die?  As  1  live,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wick- 
ed, but  rather  that  they  turn  unto  me  and  live." 

3.  The  law  coming  out  of  Zion  is  a  ri^hlcous  law,  or  a  law 
of  righteousness  to  the  guiH y  sinnc:r,  who  is  far  from  righteous- 
ness. Sirs,  you  and  I  are  fond  enough  by  nature  to  seek  right- 
eousness by  the  law  of  works,  though  it  be  a  thing  utterly 
impracticable  for  any  sinner,  that  has  but  once  broken  a  com- 
mand of  that  law,  to  attain  it.  We  read,  indeed,  that  the 
Jews  attempted  it ;  "  they  went  about  to  establish  a  righteous- 
ness by  the  law,  and  would  not  submit  unto  the  righteousness 
of  God."  Well,  but  did  they  make  it  out?  No:  see  what 
the  a[)ostle  says,  Rom.  ix.  31,32:  "Israel,  which  followed 
after  the  law  of  righteousness,  hath  not  attained  to  the  law 
of  righteousness.  Wherefore?  H(;cause  they  sought  it,  not  by 
faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law;  a?id  by  tiie 
works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  li\'ing  be  justilied."  But,  sirs, 
though  you  can  never  attain  righteousness  by  the  law  of 
works,  yet  here  is  a  law  by  which  righteousness  may  be  at- 
tained ;  yea,  a  righteousness  which  will  answer  the  law  of 
works  in  all  the  con)niands,  demands,  and  penalties  of  it: 
Rom.  viii.  3,  4:  "What  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was 
weak  through  the  flesh,  Cod  sending  his  own  Son,  in  the  like- 
ness of  sinful  llesh,  and  for  sin  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh  : 
that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fuKilled  in  us,  who 
walk  not  after  the  flcsh  but  after  the  Spirit."  The  gospel, 
which  is  the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  reveals  the  righteousness 
of  Christ,  for  the  sake  of  which  God  is  well  pleased,  because 
it  mugitiftes  the  law  of  works,  and  makes  it  honourable.  It  not 
only  reveals  this  righteousness,  but  brings  it  near  to  the  sin- 
ner, who  is  far  from  having  any  righteousness  of  his  own  : 
Is.  xlvi.  12,  13:  "  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  stout-hearted,  that  arc 
far  from  righteousness:  I  bring  near  mv  right(;ousness."  Sirs, 
the  devil,  and  an  unbelieving  heart,  will  persuade  you,  that 
Christ,  and  his  righteousness  are  quite  out  of  your  reach,  and 
that  it  is  needless,  for  you  (o  look  after  it;  Christ  is  in  hea- 
ven, and  how  shall  I  be  the  better  of  him?  Rut,  for  the  sake 
of  your  immortal  souls,  beware  of  this  way  of  thinking,  for  it 
brings  in  a  secret  des[)air  into  the  heart,  that  makes  men 
hang  down  their  hands,  and  turns  them  cjuite  careless  and  in* 
dilli-'rent  about  Christ,' his  righteousness,  and  salvation.  Sec 
what  the  apostle  says  to  you  and  me,  Rom.  x.  0 — 8.  He  had 
told,  ver.  5,  what  the  law  of  works  says:  "The  man  which 

VOL.  I.  4G 


§42  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

doth  those  things,  shall  live  by  them;"  but  then  he  tells  what 
the  gospel  says,  which  he  calls  "  the  righteousness  of  faith, 
because  tlierein  the  righteousness  of  God  is  revealed  from  faith 
to  faith,"  from  the  faith  of  God  revealing,  to  the  faitli  of  man 
receiving.  Well,  what  says  the  gospel,  or  the  law  giving 
righteousness?  It  "  speakelh  on  this  wise,  Say  not  in  thine 
heart,  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven  1  (that  is,  to  bring  Christ 
down  from  above)  or,  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deep?  (that 
is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  from  the  dead.)  But  what  saith  it? 
The  word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart: 
that  is,  the  word  of  faith,  which  we  preach."  What  can  be 
nearer  to  a  man,  than  the  word  that  is  in  his  mouth,  or  the 
thought  that  is  in  his  heart?  Yet  so  near  does  Christ,  and 
his  righteousness,  and  salvation,  come  to  every  man  that  hears 
the  gospel ;  for  if  when  we  are  speaking  of  it,  or  thinking  of 
it,  our  souls  would  but  believe  it,  Christ  and  his  righteousness 
become  our  own  for  ever.  And,  therefore,  you  that  would 
have  a  righteousness  to  answer  the  charge  of  the  law  of 
works,  a  righteousness  that  will  bear  you  through  when  you 
come  to  the  tribunal  of  God,  O  take  hold  of  the  law  of  faith 
coming  out  of  Zion  ;  "for  therein  is  revealed  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  ;"  Christ  is  therein  given  and  offered  as  "the  Lord 
our  righteousness.  He  was  made  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no 
sin  ;  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him." 
4.  The  law  which  comes  out  of  Zion,  as  you  heard,  is  an 
i7idemnifying  law,  Heb.  viii.  12;  Is.  xliii.  25.  The  very  name 
of  him  whose  law  it  is,  is  "The  Lord,  merciful,  and  gracious, 
pardoning  iniquity,  transgression,  and  sin;"  that  is,  all  sorts  of 
sins,  great  and  small ;  and  whatever  be  their  luunber  or  qua- 
lity, it  is  his  glory  and  prerogative  to  forgive.  It  is  true,  "  he 
will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty,"  without  a  satisfaction  to 
justice;  but  the  satisfaction  is  made,  the  ransom  is  found,  and 
he  is  just  in  pardoning  as  well  as  condemning;  he  is  just 
in  pardoning  the  sinner  that  believes,  as  well  as  just  in 
condemning  the  sinner  that  believes  not.  Yea,  for  your  en- 
couragement to  take  the  benefit  of  God's  indemnity  that 
comes  out  of  Zion,  I  tell  you  that  the  justice  of  God  is  more 
glorified  in  pardoning  the  sinner  through  Christ,  than  in  pun- 
ishing and  exacting  the  debt  from  the  sinner  in  his  own  per- 
son :  for  when  justice  falls  upon  the  sinner,  and  exacts  the 
debt  of  him,  it  will  be  taking  satisfaction  of  the  criminal  for 
ever,  and  yet  will  never  be  satisfied;  but  when  he  assoils  a 
sinner  through  the  blood  of  Jesus,  as  mercy  is  magnified,  so 
justice  is  satisfied  to  the  full.  Hence  is  that  of  the  apostle, 
Rom.  iii.  25,  26 :  "  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propi- 
tiation, through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness 
for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the  forbear- 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FOaTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  543 

ance  of  God  ;  to-  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time  his  righteousness : 
that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  bcHeveth 
in  Jesus." 

5.  The  law  coming  out  of  Zion  is  a  law  of  peace,  or  a  law 
enacting  peace,  and  proclaiming  peace  to  the  sinner,  who 
has  been  waging  war  against  heaven:  "I  create  the  fruit  of 
the  hps;  peace,  peace  to  him  that  is  far  off,  and  to  him  that 
is  near."  Indeed,  an  al)solute  God  appearing  from  a  tribunal 
of  justice,  proclaims  red  war  against  every  sinner,  every 
transgressor  of  his  law ;  "  he  is  angry  with  the  wicked  every 
day,"  yea,  so  angry  that  he  declares  "  there  is  no  peace  to 
the  wicked;  he  will  wound  the  head  of  his  enemies,  and  the 
hairy  scalp  of  him  that  goes  on  in  his  trespasses."  But  the 
same  God  appearing  from  mount  Zion,  from  a  mercy-seat 
sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  Jesus,  proclaims  peace  to  the 
greatest  sinner  on  this  side  of  hell;  he  holds  out  the  sceptre 
of  peace  to  them,  inviting  them  to  touch  it,  and  "  take  hold 
of  his  strength,  that  they  may  make  peace  with  him,  and 
they  shall  have  peace  with  him."  See  a  word  to  this  pur- 
pose, 2  Cor.  v.  19,  20:  "God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the 
world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses  unto  them  ; 
and  halh  committed  unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation.  Now, 
then,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  be- 
seech you  by  us:  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  recon- 
ciled to  God."  O  then,  rebels,  take  the  benefit  of  the  law 
coming  out  of  Zion  ;  and  he  who  "  ascended  up  on  high,  and 
led  captivity  captive,  and  received  gifts  for  men,  even  for  the 
rebellious,"  will  give  grace  even  unto  you:  "Let  the  wicked 
forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his  thoughts;" 
and  let  him  turn  by  faith  to  a  God  in  Christ,  "and  he  will 
have  mercy  upon  him,  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundant- 
ly pardon." 

6.  This  law  coming  out  of  Zion  is  a  law  of  liberUj  to  the 
sinner,  who  is  a  lawful  captive  to  the  law  and  justice  of  CJod, 
and  under  bondage  to  sin  and  Satan;  Christ  having  satisfied 
justice,  grace  steps  up  to  the  tlironc,  and  issues  out  her  war- 
rant for  sinners  to  go  free.  By  this  law  coming  out  of  Zion, 
it  is  enacted,  that  the  sinner  should  come  forth,  and  he  that 
sits  in  darkness  is  allowed  to  show  himself  as  a  freeman  in  the 
eyes  of  the  whole  world.  I  say,  this  law  is  a  law  of  lil)crty, 
not  to  sin,  but  of  liberly  from  sin,  from  the  guilt,  lilth,  and 
power  of  it.  "  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you,"  is  one 
of  the  royal  statutes  of  the  court  of  grace.  O  "  prisoners, 
come  forth,"  accept  of  liberty,  upon  the  law  issuing  out  of 
Zion,  How  deservedly  shall  you  lie  in  chains  through  eternity 
with  the  devils,  if  you  do  not ! 

7.  The  law  coming  oat  of  Ziot),  Is  an  easy  law,  no  hard 


544  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER- 

task  imposed  on  you  as  the  condition  of  life.  It  does  not,  as 
the  law  of  works,  require  you  to  do  and  live ;  it  does  not 
require  you  to  spin  a  righteousness  out  of  your  own  bowels, 
but  to  receive  a  righteousness  wrought  out  by  a  Surety, 
and  made  ready  to  your  hand  ;  it  does  not  require  you  to 
purchase  salvation  to  yourselves,  but  to  receive  a  salvation 
already  purchased  by  Christ;  it  does  not  bind  you  to  obey  the 
law,  in  order  to  obtain  a  title  to  life,  but  it  presents  you  with 
a  title  to  life,  through  him  who  is  the  righteous  Heir,  even 
Jesus  Christ.  Here  then  is  a  law  that  needs  not  be  grievous, 
a  yoke  that  is  easy,  a  burden  that  is  light  indeed;  yea,  this 
law  of  faith  makes  the  law  of  works  easy  and  light,  be- 
cause it  affords  righteousness  to  fulfil  it  as  a  covenant,  and 
strength  to  obey  it  as  a  rule.  So  that,  I  say,  it  is  an  easy  law 
that  comes  out  of  Zion,  it  is  a  law  of  rest  to  the  weary ; 
"  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  are  weary,  and  heavy  laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest :"  and  whenever  a  poor  soul  by  faith 
takes  the  benefit  of  this  law  of  grace,  immediately  he  enters 
into  rest,  Heb.  iv.  3. 

8.  This  law  corning  out  of  Zion  is  a  ditytiifyifig  and  enno- 
hling  law ;  whoever  takes  the  benefit  of  it,  that  moment  he 
becomes  "  a  son  of  God,  an  heir  of  God,  and  a  joint-heir  with 
Jesus  Christ ;  he  has  a  name  given  him  better  than  of  sons 
and  daughters,  even  an  everlasting  name  that  shall  never  be 
cut  off."  You,  and  I,  as  we  are  descendants  from  the  first 
Adam,  are  base-born  heirs  of  hell,  children  of  wrath  and  con- 
demnation ;  but  here  is  a  law,  which,  if  improved  and  re- 
ceived by  faith,  does,  by  an  act  of  grace,  translate  you  out 
of  the  family  of  hell  into  the  family  of  heaven.  "  To  as  many 
^s  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons 
of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  his  name."  O  then 
take  the  benefit  of  the  law  of  grace. 

9.  It  is  a  law  of  adorable  sovereignty.  Never  did  the  sove- 
reignty and  royal  majesty  of  Heaven  shine  with  such  a  lustre 
and  beauty  in  the  law  issued  from  Sinai,  as  it  does  in  this  law 
of  grace,  which  comes  out  of  Zion.  Indeed,  the  sovereignty 
of  justice,  equity,  and  holiness,  shined  and  doth  shine  in  the 
commandments  of  that  law  which  was  published  at  mount 
Sinai ;  but  in  this  law  which  comes  out  of  Zion,  the  sove- 
reignty of  grace,  love,  and  mercy  shines,  and  the  justice,  ho- 
liness, power,  and  wisdom,  and  other  attributes  of  the  divine 
nature,  which  were  displayed  in  the  law  of  works,  appear  as 
so  many  pillars  supporting  the  fabric  of  grace,  and  the  acts  of 
grace  which  are  published  in  the  gospel. 

10.  This  law  coming  out  of  Zion  is  a  sure,  firm,  and  irre- 
pealahle  law,  which  can  never  be  disannulled ;  it  is  "of  grace 
that  it  may  be  sure  to  all  the  seed  ;"  it  is  surer  than  the  laws 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  545 

of  the  Modes  and  Persians,  surer  than  any  bond  or  charter 
that  ever  was  framed  by  the  wisdom  of  man.  The  worm  and 
moth  will  eat  all  your  charters  to  your  earthly  inheritances; 
but  the  gospel  covenant,  which  is  the  lawof  grace,  is  a  char- 
ter, that  cannot  change  forever;  it  is  "  estal)li.shed  in  the  very 
heavens ;  yea,  heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  one  jot 
or  tittle  of  it  shall  never  fall  to  the  ground.  The  mountains 
shall  dci)art,  and  the  hills  be  removed,  but  my  kindness  shall 
not  de[)art  from  thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my  peace 
be  removed,  saith  the  Lord,  that  hath  mercy  on  thee." 

11.  The  law  coming  out  of  Zion  is  a  law  that  lies  open  to 
every  man  that  hears  or  reads  it;  I  mean,  every  man  has  li- 
berty to  take  the  benefit  of  it.  You  know  every  man  in  Bri- 
tain has  the  benefit  of  the  laws  of  the  kingdom,  or  of  the  acts 
of  parliament,  or  proclamations  of  the  King.  Acts  xix.  38,  says 
the  town-clerk  of  Ephesus  to  the  people  that  were  risen  in  a 
mob  at  the  instigation  of  Demetrius,  "If  Demetrius  "and  the 
craftsmen  which  aie  with  him,  h^ve  a  matter  against  any 
man,  the  law  is  open  :"  so  say  I,  as  the  laws  of  the  kingdom 
are  open  to  rich  or  poor,  to  claim  the  benefit  of  them  in  the 
proper  courts  of  the  kingdom;  so  the  law  of  grace,  the  cove- 
nant of  promi-e,  is  oj)en  to  all  that  live  within  the  visible 
church,  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  "  O  blessed  are  the  people 
that  know  this  joyful  sound,"  so  as  to  take  the  advantage  of 
it;  "the  ])romise  is  unto  you,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off" 
We  that  are  ministers  intimate  and  proclaim  the  gospel,  the 
law  of  grace,  that  every  creature  may  take  the  benefit  of  it; 
that  which  was  once  s[)oken  in  the  ear,  or  sounded  in  secret  into 
the  ears  of  the  disciples,  do  we  now  proclaim,  as  "  upon  the 
house-tops,  or  in  the  high  places  of  Zion  :  Unto  you,  O  men, 
do  we  call,  and  our  voice  is  to  the  sons  of  men.  0!  Let  us 
fear,  lest  a  promise  being  left  us,  any  of  us  should  seem  to 
come  short  of  it."    So  much  for  the  foioih  thing. 

V.  'The  flflh  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  inquire  i/ilo  Ihe  dif- 
ference and  agreement  belzceen  the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  and 
lite  luzv  coming  out  of  Sinai ;  or,  in  other  words,  bcliiecn  the  lazv 
and  the  gospel. 

1.  Then,  The  law  of  commandments  coming  out  of  Sinai  is 
a  thing  known  (though  not  in  its  uttermost  latitude  and  extent) 
by  the  light  of  nature;  as  is  clear,  Horn.  ii.  14,  15,  where  the 
a|)0slle  tells  us,  that  "  the  Gentiles  which  had  not  the  law,  do 
l)V  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  these  having  not 
the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves:  which  show  the  work  of 
the  law  written  in  their  hearts,"  &,c.  The  writings  of  Seneca 
Plato,  Confucius,  and  other  heathen  moralists,  are  incontest- 
able evidences  of  the  (ruth  of  this.  Put  now  the  gospel,  or  the 
law  of  grace,  which  comes  out  of  Zion,  is  a  thing  only  known 

40* 


546  TEIE  LAW  OF  TAITH  [SER. 

by  supernatural  revelation  from  on  high.  Search  all  the  vo- 
lumes of  the  heathen  philosophers,  from  one  end  to  the  other, 
you  shall  never  find  in  them  the  least  hint  of  an  incarnate 
Deity,  or  of  the  glorious  mystery  of  salvation  through  a  cru- 
cified Christ.  Indeed,  they  discovered  God  as  a  creating  God, 
and  as  a  governing  God,  as  a  commanding  and  threatening 
God ;  but  they  never  discovered  him  as  a  promising  God  in 
Christ ;  no,  no,  this  is  only  owing  to  the  discovery  that  God 
has  made  of  himself  in  the  gospel.  Yea,  the  mystery  of  sal- 
vation through  Christ  is  so  much  out  of  the  ken  of  natural 
reason,  that  even  after  it  is  revealed  externally  in  the  dispen- 
sation of  the  word,  yet  such  is  the  ignorance  and  depravation 
of  nature,  and  the  strong  bent  that  it  has  toward  the  law, 
that  it  cannot  know,  and  cannot  receive  it,  till  a  beam  of  su- 
pernatural light  shine  into  the  heart :  hence  Christ  tells  his 
disciples,  "  Unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  but  to  others  it  is  not  given."  The  light 
of  natural  reason  is  so  far  from  receiving  the  gospel  revelation, 
that  it  spurns  at  it,  and  opposes  it  with  might  and  main:  "  How 
can  this  man  give  us  his  llesh  to  eat?"  said  the  Jews  to  Christ. 
The  gospel  preached  by  Paul,  was  "  a  stumbling-block  to  the 
Jews,  foolishness  and  vain  babbling  to  the  Greeks  and  wise 
Athenians."  Hence  comes  the  difiiculty  of  believing  in  Christ 
to  the  saving  of  the  soul.  Tlie  strong  bias  and  current  of  na- 
ture must  be  altered,  and  reason  (which  sits  king  in  the  soul) 
deposed  from  its  sovereignty,  and  lie  down  as  a  servant  at 
the  feet  of  sovereign  grace  reigning  through  the  imputed  right- 
eousness of  the  Son  of  God:  and  you  know  the  change  of  go- 
vernment and  administration  in  a  kingdom  is  not  efiected  com- 
monly ^without  a  mighty  struggle  between  parties  contending 
for  the  sovereignty ;  hence  comes  the  "  confused  noise  of  the 
warrior,  and  garments  rolled  in  blood  :"  self-reason,  self-wilt, 
self-righteousnfcss,  and  self-confidence,  study  to  maintain  their 
claim  to  the  government  of  the  heart  against  grace ;  and  this 
makes  "  as  it  were  the  company  of  two  armies,"  between 
whom  the  war  is  continued,  till  death  sound  the  retreat. 

2.  The  office  of  the  law  of  works  coming  out  of  Sinai  is  to 
discover  sin  and  guilt;  "it  was  added  because  of  transgres- 
sions," says  the  apostle.  '•  By  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of 
sin,  and  sin  by  the  commandment  appears^  to  be  exceeding 
sinful ;"  and  at  the  bar  of  the  law,  "  the  whole  world  is  found 
guilty  before  God ;  no  flesh  living  can  be  justified,"  if  God  deal 
with  us  according  to  the  terms  and  tenour  of  the  law.  But 
now  the  office  and  province  of  the  gospel  coming  outof  Zion 
is  to  discover  Christ,  as  "  the  Lord  our  righteousness,  and  the 
end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  everyone  that  believeth." 
The  gospel  tells  us,  that  "  Christ  has  finished  transgression. 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  547 

and  made  an  end  of  sin,  brought  in  an  everlasting  righteous- 
ness ;" — that  "  lie  was  made  sin  lor  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that 
we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of"  Cod  in  him."  The 
gos[iel  shows  how  the  righteousness  of  the  law  may  be  ful- 
filled in  us,  namely,  by  God's  imputation  and  faith's  accepta- 
tion of  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed  for  this  end  in  the 
gospel. 

3.  The  law  of  works  is  a  cursing  and  condemning  word  to 
the  guilty  sinner,  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continuetli  not 
in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them;"  it  cries  "  Wo,  wo,  wo,  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth;" 
nothing  but  clouds  of  wrath  and  vengeance  are  to  be  seen  by 
a  guilty  sinner  when  he  looks  toward  Sinai ;  "  indignation  and 
wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish  unto  every  soul  of  man  that 
doeth  evil."  But  now  the  gospel  is  a  word  of  blessing;  it  pre- 
sents Christ  the  blessed  seed  of  Abraham,  and  cries,  "  Men 
shall  be  blessed  in  him,  and  all  generations  shall  call  him  bless- 
ed." The  law  is  a  word  of  wrath,  but  the  gospel  comes  with 
the  olive  branch  of  peace;  the  law  displays  the  rod  flag  of 
war,  but  the  gospel  casts  out  the  white  flag  of  reconcilation, 
saying,  "  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  him- 
self," sending  out  a  word  of  reconciliation;  and,  "O  how 
beautiful  arc  the  feet  of  them  that  preach  the  gospel  of  peace, 
and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things!" 

4.  The  law  coming  out  of  Sinai  is  a  slaying  and  killing 
word  to  the  .sinner.  Paul  had  the  experience  of  this  at  his 
first  conversion;  it  was  a  keen  arrow  dipped  in  law-vengeance, 
that  struck  him  to  the  ground  in  his  way  going  to  Damascus, 
and  made  him  cry,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  dot" 
Hence  it  is  that  he  tiius  expresses  himself,  Rom.  vii.  9,  10:  "I 
was  alive  without  the  law  once:  but  when  the  commandment 
came,  sin  revived,  and  I  died.  And  the  commandment,  which 
was  ordained  to  life,  I  found  to  be  unto  death."  But  now 
the  gos[)el,  or  the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  is  a  word  of  life  ; 
the  first  sound  of  the  gospel,  when  it  reaches  the  heart,  is  like 
life  from  the  dead  to  the  poor  soul  that  was  lying  in  the  re- 
gions and  shadow  of  death  ;  by  it  we  are  "begotten  unto  a 
lively  hone  of  eternal  life,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible, 
and  unddiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away."  It  is  with  a  view- 
to  the  preaching  and  publication  of  the  c;ospel  in  the  power 
of  it,  that  Christ  says,  John  v.  25  :  '•  the  hour  is  coming,  and 
now  is,  wh(Mi  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God; 
and  they  that  hear  shall  live  :"  hence  the  gosjiel  is  "  the  power 
of  God  unto  saUation,"  it  contains  "the  words  of  eternal  life." 
"  Go,"  says  the  I^ord  to  the  apostles,  when  he  is  dismissing 
them  from  the  prison,  into  which  they  were  shut  up  by  the 
persecuting  Jews,  "  Go,  stand  and  preach  in  the  temple  to  (lie 


548  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  SER.] 

people,  all  the  words  of  this  life;"  that  is,  go  preach  the  gospel, 
publish  my  law  of  grace  to  lost  sinners,  notwithstanding  all 
the  malice  and  power  of  your  enemies.  Acts  v.  20. 

5.  The  law  of  works  coming  out  of  Sinai,  is  a  word  of 
bondage ;  but  the  gospel  comine;  forth  from  Zion,  is  a  word 
of  freedom  and  liberty.  This  the  apostle  illustrates  at  great 
length.  Gal.  iv.  from  ver.  22,  and  downward,  where  he  corn- 
pares  those  who  are  under  the  law  to  Hagar  and  Ishmael 
her  son  ;  those  who  are  of  the  gospel,  or  children  of  the  pro- 
mise, to  Sarah  and  her  son  Isaac,  ver.  24 :  "  Which  things 
are  an  allegory ;  for  these  are  the  two  covenants,  the  one 
from  the  mount  Sinai,  which  genderelh  to  bondage,  which  is 
Agar."  And,  ver.  25,  26 :  "  This  Agar  is  mount  Sinai  in 
Arabia,  and  answereth  to  Jerusalem  which  now  is,  and 
is  in  bondage  with  her  children.  But  Jerusalem  which  is 
above,  is  free,  which  is  the  mother  of  us  all."  And,  ver. 
28 :  "  Now  we,  brethren,  as  Isaac  was,  are  the  children  of 
promise."  And,  ver.  30 :  "  Cast  out  the  bond-woman  and 
her  son ;  for  the  son  of  the  bond-woman  shall  not  be  heir 
with  the  son  of  the  free-woman."  From  all  which  it  appears, 
that  the  law  is  a  word  of  bondage,  and  they  that  cleave  to  it 
are  in  bondage  to  sin,  to  Satan,  to  the  curse  and  wrath  of 
God ;  but  the  gospel  is  a  word  of  liberty,  and  they  who  do 
by  faith  receive  and  entertain  the  joyful  sound  of  it,  are  not 
the  children  of  the  bond- woman,  but  of  tlie  free  ;  being  freed 
from  the  law  as  a  covenant,  freed  from  its  curse,  from  the 
dominion  of  sin,  and  the  power  of  Satan,  and  advanced  into 
the  glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  It  is  very  re- 
markable, that  Ishmael,  the  son  of  the  bond-woman,  is  cast 
out  of  the  family,  even  after  he  had  done  many  things  in 
obedience  to  his  father  Abraham  ;  all  his  services  he  had 
done  in  the  family  would  not  give  him  a  title  to  the  inherit- 
ance ;  no,  notwithstanding  all  he  had  done,  he  is  disinhe- 
rited :  just  so  is  it  with  the  legalist,  who  keeps  and  obeys 
the  law  in  a  servile  way,  with  a  view  to  entitle  himself  to  the 
inheritance,  or  to  deliver  himself  from  hell  and  wrath  by  his 
obedience  ;  all  his  service  stands  for  nothing,  at  last  he  is 
cast  out  with  the  son  of  the  bond- woman.  But  as  Isaac,  be- 
ing a  child  of  promise,  was,  by  virtue  of  the  promise,  entitled 
to  Abraham's  estate,  before  ever  he  was  capable  to  do  his 
father  any  service  ;  just  so  is  it  with  believers ;  they  re- 
nounce all  claim  to  the  inheritance  of  eternal  life  by  the  law, 
or  the  works  of  it,  and  serve  themselves  heirs  to  the  inherit- 
ance by  virtue  of  the  promise,,  which  is  yea  and  amen  in  Christ. 
Thus,  I  say,  the  law  genderelh  to  bondage,  but  the  gospel  to 
liberty  and  freedom. 

6,  Whatever  the  law  gives  to  anvof  Adam's  race,  it  gives 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  541) 

in  a  way  of  debt,  whether  it  be  life  or  death.  If  a  man 
keeps  the  law  perfectly,  he  shall  have  life  as  his  reward,  and 
as  a  debt  due  to  him  in  a  pactilion;il  way;  if  he  break  the 
law,  lie  shall  have  death,  as  a  debt  due  for  his  rebellion 
against  Heaven  ;  hence  "  the  wages  of  sin  is  death :"  Rom. 
iv.  4:  "To  him  that worketh,  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of 
grace,  but  of  debt."  But  now  whatever  the  gospel,  or  the 
law  coming  out  of  Zion,  gives  to  any,  it  gives  in  a  way  of 
grace  or  free  gilt ;  hence  we  are  told,  that  "  the  gift  of  God 
is  eternal  life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord;"  and  this  is  as- 
serted u])on  the  record  of  a  Trinity,  '*  that  he  hath  given  unto 
us  (namely  of  his  own  sovereign  grace)  eternal  life,  and  this 
life  is  in  his  Son.  It  is  "  not  by  works  of  risj;hteousnes,  which 
we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  that  he  saves  us." 
By  the  law  of  works  justice  reigns  either  to  eternal  life,  or  to 
eternal  death,  as  the  law  is  kept  or  broken  ;  but  by  the  law  of 
faith,  or  the  gospel,  "  grace  reigns  through  righteousness  unto 
eternal  life,  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord." 

7.  The  law  of  works  is  calculated  for  the  justification  of  a 
righteous  man,  like  Adam  in  a  state  of  perfect  integrity,  and 
it  speaks  peace  to  none  but  such ;  but  the  gospel,  or  law 
coming  out  of  Zion,  is  calculated  for  the  justification  of  the 
fallen,  ruined,  and  bankrupt  sinner*  it  shows  a  way  how  God 
justifies  the  ungodly,  liom.  iv.  5:  "To  him  that  worketh  not, 
but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly."  None  but 
they  who  own  themselves  ungodly  and  unrighteous,  can  enjoy 
the  privilege  of  justification  by  the  gospel ;  for  "  Christ  came 
not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance." 

8.  The  law  of  works,  through  the  depravation  of  nature, 
irritates  and  strengthens  corruption;  Rom.  vii.  5  :  "  The  mo- 
tions of  sins  which  are  by  the  law,  work  in  our  members  to 
bring  forth  fruit  unto  death."  And,  ver.  8:  "Sin  taking 
occasion  by  the  commandment,  wrought  in  me  all  manner  of 
concupiscence."  And,  ver.  11  :  "Sin  taking  occasion  by  the 
commandment,  deceived  me,  and  by  it  slew  me."  From 
which  it  appears,  that  the  law,  considered  abstractly,  instead 
of  being  the  death  of  sin,  is  the  strength  of  it.  Whenever 
the  commandment  of  the  law  is  broken,  the  curse  takes 
place,  of  which  this  is  a  particular  branch,  that  such  a  man 
shall  be  given  up  to  the  power  of  sin,  that  he  may  be  ca- 
pable to  do  nothing  but  sin,  and  sin  on  till  he  has  ripened 
liimsclf  for  hell  and  wrath;  "My  people  would  not  hearken 
to  mv  voices  and  Israel  would  none  of  mc.  So  I  gave  them 
up  to  their  own  heails'  lust;  and  they  walked  in  their  own 
counsels."  It  is  the  voice  of  the  law,  and  the  most  terrible 
voice  that  it  utters  on  this  side  of  hell.  Such  a  man  is  "joined 
to  his  idols,  let  him  alone;  he  builds  altars  to  sin,  and  altars 
shall  be  unto  him  (o  sin."     Thus,  the  law  of  works,  instead 


550  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

of  weakening  sin  in  the  soul,  gives  up  the  sinner  to  the  power 
of  sin,  that  he  may  go  on  without  any  restraint,  till  the  final 
sentence  of  the  law  be  executed  with  a  vengeance.  And 
then  corrupt  nature  is  so  impetuous,  that  the  more  it  is 
hemmed  in  by  the  law,  the  more  does  it  swell  and  rage,  till 
it  has  broken  down  and  broken  through  all  the  boundaries 
the  law  set  against  it.  Thus,  I  say,  the  law  of  works  ab- 
stractly considered,  through  the  depravation  of  nature,  irri- 
tates and  fortifies  corruption.  But  now  the  gospel,  or  law 
coming  out  of  Zion,  enters  into  the  heart,  and,  through  the 
power  of  the  eternal  Spirit,  wastes,  weakens,  and  kills  it  in 
the  vei-y  source  and  fountain  ;  for  "  we  through  the  Spirit  do 
mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body."  And  how  do  we  receive  the 
Spirit '(  "  Not  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  hearing  of 
faith."  I  own  indeed,  that  the  law  which  urges  obedience 
and  doing,  may  have  so  much  influence  upon  those  who  are 
under  it,  as  to  smooth  and  polish  their  outward  conversation  ; 
but  yet  it  leaves  the  heart  and  will  obstinate  against  its  spi- 
ritual commands ;  the  iron  sinew  is  never  bowed  by  any 
power  that  the  law  hath,  corruption  keeps  the  throne  in  the 
heart:  but  gospel  grace  enters  the  strong  holds  of  iniquity, 
casts  down  the  high  imaginations  that  advance  themselves 
against  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  brings  every  thought  to 
his  obedience.  Moses,  we  read,  entered  the  border  and  out- 
skirts of  Canaan,  such  as  the  country  of  Sihon  king  of  the 
x\morites,  and  Og  king  of  Bashan,  but  never  pieixed  into  the 
heart  of  the  country  to  subdue  the  Canaanites ;  this  was  left 
for  Joshua,  a  type  of  our  Jesus:  just  so  is  it  here,  the  most 
the  law  can  do  to  them  that  are  under  it,  is  only  to  restrain 
sin  in  the  conversation,  to  reform  the  life ;  it  may  bring  a 
man  to  serve  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter,  while  sin  still  keeps 
the  throne  in  the  heart ;  hence  either  pride  or  hypocrisy,  or 
raging  despair,  remains  with  the  legalist ;  it  is  only  the  gos- 
pel, or  the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  that  is  "  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation." 

9.  The  law  of  works  coming  out  of  Sinai  is  a  word  of 
precept,  or  a  commanding  word;  but  the  law  coming  out  of 
Zion  is  a  promising  word.  By  the  gospel  God  shows  what 
he  is  to  do  for  us  and  to  us  of  his  sovereign  grace  ;  by  the 
law  he  shows  what  we  are  to  do  for  him  in  point  of  duty: 
"  He  hath  showed  thee,  O  man,  what  is  good  ;  and  what  doth 
the  Lord  require  of  thee,  but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy, 
and  to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God?"  By  the  gospel  God 
shows  what  we  may  expect  from  him;  and  by  the  law  he 
shows  what  he  expects  from  us,  in  a  way  of  duty  and  grati- 
tude. The  gospel  is  the  boundary  of  faith  or  things  to  be 
believed  ;  the  law  is  the  boundary  of  practice,  or  things  to 
be  done  by  us.     In  a  word,  all  precepts  whatever  belong  to 


XVH.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  551 

the  law ;  but  all  promises,  offers,  and  revelations  of  grace, 
belong  to  the  gospel. 

10.  The  law  ot"  works  enjoins  duty,  but  gives  no  strength 
to  discharge  it ;  the  law  does  not  furnish  the  bankrupt  with 
any  new  stock  with  which  to  fall  a  trading,  but  supposes  us 
to  have  the  stock  and  strength  that  God  gave  us  at  our  cre- 
ation ;  it  abates  nothing,  remits  nothing  of  its  demands  upon 
the  account  of  our  weakness,  but  requires  as  much  service 
of  the  sick  and  weak  sinner  as  if  he  were  sound  and  strong  ; 
it  admits  of  no  composition  or  allowance  to  the  insolvent 
debtor.  But  now  the  law  coming  out  of  Zion  considers  the 
sinner  as  bankrupt ;  and  therefore  presents  him  with  an  evcr- 
lasl'mg  righteousness,  with  which  to  answer  the  law  as  a  co- 
venant :  it  considers  him  as  wholly  impotent  for  any  duty  ; 
and  therefore  leads  him  out  of  himself  to  Christ,  as  the 
"  strength  of  the  poor  and  needy ;  il  gives  power  to  the  faint, 
and  increases  strength  to  them  that  have  no  might;"  it 
teaches  the  soul  to  say,  Though  I  be  not  sufficient  to  think  a 
good  thought,  or  to  do  any  duty  of  the  law,  yet  "  I  can  do 
all  things  through  Christ  strengthening  me."  The  gospel  law 
coming  out  of  Zion  considers  the  man  as  poor;  and  there- 
fore presents  him  with  "gold  tried  in  the  fire, to  enrich  him:" 
it  considers  him  as  naked ;  and  therefore  presents  him  with 
-u^hite  raiment :  as  blind  ;  and  provides  him  with  eye-salve,  that 
he  may  see:  it  considers  him  as  starving  for  want ;  and  there- 
fore invites  him  to  "  eat  that  which  is  good,  and  to  delight 
himself  in  the  abundance  of  fatness  :"  as  bewildered  ;  and 
therefore  shows  him  "  the  new  and  living  way"  to  glory, 
crying,  "  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it."  Thus,  I  have 
showed  some  of  the  principal  differences  between  the  law 
and  the  gospel. 

I  shall  conchuie  the  doctrinal  part  of  this  discourse,  by 
pointing  out,  in  a  few  words,  the  harmony  and  agreement  be- 
tween them  ;  for  although  there  be  all  these  ditlc)rcnccs  be- 
tween the  law  and  the  gospel,  yet  there  is  no  feud  between 
them.  They  sweetly  stand  together  in  their  ])ro])cr  jilace ; 
the  law  is  not  against  the  gospel,  nor  the  gospel  against  the 
law ;  no,  there  is  a  pleasant  harmony,  which  will  appear,  if 
we  consider,  that  by  the  gospel,  the  law  reaches  its  end, 
"  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one 
that  belicveth."  In  the  gospel  we  sec  the  law  fuhillcd  as  a 
covenant,  and  settled  as  a  rule  of  obedience.  I  say,  it  is  ful- 
filled as  a  covenant  by  the  righteousness  rcivealed  in  the  gos- 
pel ;  yea,  not  only  fiilfilled,  but  "  magnified  and  made  ho- 
nourable," a  new  and  superadded  glory  rellected  upon  it,  by 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  his  being  "  made  under  the  law,  to 
redeem  us  who  were  under  the  law."     And  then  by  the  gos- 


552  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

pel  it  is  also  settled  as  a  rule  of  obedience,  Rom.  iii.  31 :  "Do 
we  make  void  the  law  through  faith  1  God  forbid :  yea,  we 
establish  the  law."  The  gospel  brings  to  light  new  motives 
and  arguments  to  obedience,  which  the  law  itself,  abstractly 
considered,  could  never  afford ;  namely,  arguments  drawn 
from  the  consideration  of  redeeming  grace  and  love,  which 
have  a  more  constraining  power  to  obedience  with  an  inge- 
nuous spirit,  than  all  the  curecs  and  penalties  that  the  law 
denounces  against  those  who  do  not  continue  in  obedience 
to  it. 

Again  ;  the  harmony  of  the  law  and  gospel  appears  in  this, 
that  the  law  paves  the  way  (o  the  entertainment  of  gospel- 
grace  ;  for  it  is  a  school-master  to  lead  us  unto  Christ,  that 
we  may  be  justified  by  faith."  The  law  is  a  lance  in  the 
hand  of  the  chirurgeon  to  open  the  ulcer  of  sin  and  corrup- 
tion within  us ;  the  gospel,  as  a  medicinal  balsam,  drains  and 
gradually  heals  it,  when  applied  in  a  way  of  believing :  the 
law  is  a  plough  to  till  up  the  fallow-ground  of  the  heart  of 
man ;  the  gospel  is  the  good  seed  cast  into  the  furrow^s, 
which  being  impregnated  by  the  dew  of  heaven,  makes  it 
spring  up  to  everlasting  life:  the  law  is  a  hammer  to  break 
the  rock  in  pieces;  the  gospel  dissolves  it  with  the  warm 
fire  of  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Thus,  the  law  is  subservient  to  the  great  design  of 
the  gospel. 

Again;  what  the  law  teaches  preceptively,  the  gospel 
teaches  effectivel}' ;  the  law  enjoins  the  duty,  the  gospel  fur- 
nishes with  grace  to  obey  it ;  there  is  no  duty  the  law  re- 
quires, but  there  is  suitable  furnittue  in  the  gospel-promise 
to  discharge  it.  Does  the  law  require  us  to  knuzc  the  Lord, 
which  is  (he  first  precept  in  the  moral  law?  Well,  here  is 
suitable  grace  provided  in  the  gospel,  "  I  will  give  them  a 
heart  to  know  me,  that  1  am  the  Lord."  Does  the  law  re- 
quire us  to  "  trust  in  him  at  all  times  T'  Well,  (he  gospel-pro- 
mise is  suited  to  this,  "  They  shall  trust  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,"  Zeph.  iii.  12.  Does  it  require  of  us  to  "  love  the  Lord 
our  God  with  all  the  heart,  soul,  strength,  and  mind  V  Here 
is  gospel-grace  to  effect  it,  "  I  will  circumcise  their  hearts  to 
love  the  Lord  their  God."  Does  it  crave  obedience,  saying, 
"Walk  before  me,  and  be  thou  perfect?'  Well,  the  grace 
of  the  gospel  says,  "  I  will  put  my  spirit  within  you,  and 
cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my 
judgments,  and  do  them."  Does  the  law  enjoin  us  to  "  sanc- 
tify the  Lord  in  our  hearts,  and  make  him  our  fear  and  our 
dread  ?"  the  grace  of  the  promise  exactly  suits  that ;  "  I  will 
put  my  fear  in  their  hearts,  and  they  shall  not  depart  from 
me."     Does  the  law  require  us  to  "  call  on  the  name  of  the 


XVII.]  Issuing  forth  from  mount  zion.  553 

Lord,  to  worship  and  serve  him  ?"  The  gospel  promises,  that 
the  "spirit  of  grace  and  supplication  shall  be  poured  out, /o  help 
our  inlirmitics,  atid  to  teach  us  to  pray,  and  praise,"  and  per- 
form other  acts  of  worship.  Does  the  law  enjoin  us  to  repent, 
and  turn  from  the  evil  of  our  ways  1  The  gospel  promises  the 
heart  of  Jlesh,  in  place  of  the  heart  of  stone:  and  tells  us,  that 
"  God  sent  his  Son  to  bless  us,  in  turning  away  every  one  of 
us  from  our  iniquities."  Thus,  you  see  that  what  the  law 
teaches  precej)tivcly,  the  gospel  teaches  eflectively. 

Again  ;  I  might  tell  you  that  ihc  harmony  between  the  law 
and  the  gospel  appears  in  this,  that  the  law  discovers  the  sin- 
ner's duty,  and  the  gospel  discovers  the  object  of  duty;  the 
law  enjoins  faith,  the  gospel  lifts  up  Christ  the  object  of  faith  : 
"  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so  is 
the  Son  of  man  lifted  up,"  namely,  upon  the  gospel-pole; 
"  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have 
eternal  life."  The  law  enjoins  the  sinner  to  love  God  with 
all  the  heart;  but  it  is  the  gospel  only  that  presents  God  in 
such  a  view,  as  to  become  an  object  of  love  to  a  guilty  sin- 
ner, namely,  as  he  is  a  reconciled  God  and  Father  in  Christ; 
for  viewing  God  absolutely,  as  he  is  presented  in  the  glass  of 
the  holy  law,  he  is  an  object  of  terror  instead  of  love.  The 
law  enjoins  us  to  turn  from  sin,  under  the  pain  of  eternal 
wrath  and  vengeance;  the  gospel  shows  the  sinner  a  refuge 
to  which  he  is  to  turn  :  "  Turn  ye  to  your  strong  hold,  ye  pri- 
soners of  hope."  The  law  enjoins  mourning  for  sin,  "Rend 
your  hearts  and  not  your  garments;"  the  gos[)el  presents  a 
crucified  Christ,  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  bruised  for 
our  iniquities,  whom,  when  the  sinner  views  by  faith,  he 
"  mourns,  as  one  doth  for  an  only  son,  and  is  in  bitterness,  its 
one  is  in  bitterness  for  a  first  born."  The  law  requires  us 
to  worship  the  Lord  our  God  ;  the  gospel  discovers  both  the 
obj(!ct  and  the  way  of  worship;  I  say  the  gospel  discovers  the 
object  of  worship;  namely,  a  God  in  Christ,  and  the  way  io 
the  holiest  opened  bv  the  blood  of  Jesus. 

To  conclude,  the  law  by  its  terror  sweeps  away  (he  refuge 
of  lies;  the  gospel  discovers  a  new  foundation  of  hope  and 
help,  saying,  "Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation,  a  stone, 
a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner  stone,  a  sure  foundation  :  and 
he  that  believeth  on  him,  shall  not  be  confounded."  The  law 
saps  the  foundation  of  sand,  and  overturns  the  tower  that  the 
sinner  \^  as  building  in  order  to  reach  heaven  by  it ;  the  gospel 
discovers  the  rock  of  ages,  iq)on  which  the  sinner  may  build 
his  house,  against  which  the  tiates  of  hell  shall  never  j)revail. 
The  law-,  when  viewed  spiritually,  drives  the  sintier  out  of 
himself,  by  discovering  his  emptiness,  poverty  and  misery; 
the  gospel  draws  and  invites  him  out  of  himself,  by  discovcr- 

voL.  I.  47 


554  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

ing  the  all-fulness  of  a  Redeemer  to  supply  his  wants,  though 
ever  so  great.  The  law  lets  the  man  see  that  he  has  no 
money  nor  price ;  the  gospel  shows  that  though  he  has  no 
money  nor  price,  yet  he  may  come  and  buy  gold  tried  in  the 
fire,  white  raiment,  and  eye-salve.  The  law  lets  the  sinner 
see  that  he  is  shut  up  in  a  pit,  wherein  there  is  no  water;  the 
gospel  shows  how  the  sinner,  by  the  blood  of  God's  covenant 
may  come  forth  out  of  the  pit,  and  opens  a  fountain  of  livipg 
water,  where  he  may  draw  and  drink  with  joy.  The  law  leads 
us  to  Christ  for  righteousness;  the  gospel  sends  us  to  the  law 
as  a  rule  of  obedience,  as  a  light  to  our  feet,  and  a  lamp  to 
our  paths.  Thus,  the  whole  life  and  work  of  a  Christian  is  a 
continual  traffic  from  the  law  to  the  gospel,  and  from  the 
gospel,  back  again  to  the  law  as  a  rule.  So  much,  then,  shall 
serve  for  clearing  the  harmony  and  agreement  betwixt  the 
law  and  the  gospel. 

VI.  The  sixth  and  last  thing  proposed,  was  the  application 
of  the  whole.  And  the  Jlrst  use  shall  be  by  way  of  caution, 
to  prevent  the  abuse  of  this  doctrine. 

Although,  as  you  have  heard,  there  be  such  a  law  of  grace 
issued  out  of  Zion  for  the  salvation  of  lost  sinners;  yet  let 
none  from  this  conclude,  or  infer  that  the  law  of  command- 
ments coming  out  of  Sinai  is  to  be  laid  aside  as  a  thing  use- 
less under  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel.  There  are  two  ex- 
tremes corrupt  nature  is  read}^  to  carry  people  into,  who 
hear  the  word  preached :  they  are  ready  either  to  turn  in  to 
the  Antichristian  or  Antinomian  camp.  I  say,  some  are 
ready  to  turn  in  to  the  Antichristian  camp,  by  setting  up  the 
law,  and  the  works  of  it,  in  the  room  of  Christ  and  his  ever- 
lasting righteousness;  and  this  is  the  extreme  that  all  legal- 
ists run  into,  whose  hearts  are  not  sufficiently  loosed  from  the 
-law  as  a  covenant.  But  then  there  are  others,  who,  having 
some  notional  knowledge  of  the  doctrine  of  grace,  of  the  law 
coming  out  of  Zion,  in  their  heads,  and  being  strangers  to  any 
heart  acquaintance  with  it,  begin  to  imagine,  that  the  moral 
law,  or  the  law  of  commandments,  is  a  useless  thing  under 
the  gospel,  and  that  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference  whether 
they  obey  it  or  not ;  and  thus  "  turn  the  grace  of  our  God  into 
lasciviousness."  I  may  have  occasion  afterward  to  guard  you 
against  the  first  of  these  extremes ;  at  present  I  would  offer 
something  to  keep  you  from  the  Antinomian  extreme  of  cast- 
ing away  the  law  coming  out  of  Sinai  as  a  thing  useless  and 
unprofitable  under  the  gospel.  And  this  I  shall  endeavour  to 
do,  by  telling  you  of  several  excellent  uses  that  the  law  serves 
for,  even  under  the  gospel.  I  shall  not  enlarge  upon  them, 
some  of  them  having  been  just  now  touched  upon,  in  clear- 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  555 

ing  the  diflerences  and  harmony  between  the  law  and  the  gos- 
pel. Know,  then,  that  divines  tell  us  of  two  main  ends  for 
which  the  hiw  was  promulgated  from  mount  Sinai:  the  one 
was  poHtical,  the  other  theological. 

1.  There  was  a  political  use  of  it,  which  the  apostle  seems 
to  point  ac.  1  Tim.  8,  I) :  "  We  know  that  the  law  is  good,  if 
a  man  use  it  lawfully;  knowing  this,  that  the  law  is  not  made 
for  a  righteous  man,  but  for  the  lawless  and  disobedient, 
for  the  ungodly  and  for  sinners,  for  unholy  and  profane,  for 
murderers  of  fathers  and  murderers  of  mothers,  for  manslay- 
ers,"  &c.;  that  is,  it  was  made  for  them,  if  not  for  their  rule 
that  it  should  be  their  punishment. 

2.  The  second  use  of  it  is  theological  or  divine.  This  theo- 
logical or  divine  use  and  end  of  the  law  is  twofold.  Ist, 
In  those  who  are  not  yet  justified.  2(Ui/,  In  those  that  are 
justified, 

1st,  I  say,  in  those  who  are  to  be  justified,  but  are  not  yet 
in  a  state  of  justification.  And  the  use  of  it,  with  respect  to 
them,  is  to  discover  sin,  or  humble  them  for  it,  that  so  they 
"  through  the  law  may  die  to  the  law"  as  a  covenant,  and  so 
betake  themselves  to  Christ,  who  js  "  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth." 

2dly,  In  those  that  are  justified,  the  holy  law  serves,  (1.) 
As  a  rule  of  obedience,  to  direct  to  what  is  duty.  (2.)  As  a 
glass  to  discover  the  holiness  of  God,  and  the  imperfection  of 
our  obedience,  that  so  we  may  see  a  constant  use  for  Christ, 
both  for  righteousness  and  sanctification.  (3.)  It  serves  as  a 
bridle  to  restrain  and  hem  in  remaining  corruption,  as  a  rod  to 
chastise  and  correct  for  sin,  2  Tim.  iii.  16.  The  Lord  makes 
use  of  it  as  a  whip  to  lash  his  own  children  \Vith  inward  terrors, 
when  he  sees  it  needful  for  them;  hence  we  find  them  sometimes 
complaining  that  the  arrows  of  ike  Almightij  arc  zvilhin  them, 
namely,  the  arrows  of  legal  terrors,  drinking  up  ihcir  spirits, 
and  stiling  themselves  in  array  against  them.  This  is  some- 
thing of  the  "spirit  of  bondage  unto  fear,"  which  yet  believ- 
ers do  not  receive  in  a  way  of  vindictive  anger,  as  the  wicked 
do,  but  in  a  way  of  fatherly  correction.  This  much,  then, 
by  way  of  caution,  to  prevent  Antinomianism,  either  in  prin- 
ciple or  practice.  Beware,  then,  of  casting  away  the  law 
coming  out  of  Sinai  as  a  useless  thing;  if  you  do  it,  it  is  an 
evidence  that  you  never  yet  truly  received  the  grace  of  the 
gospel.  It  is  amonti  the  acts  or  laws  of  grace  coming  out  of 
Zion,  that  "  Cod  will  write  his  law  upon  the  hearts  of  his 
people,  and  put  it  into  their  inward  parts;"  so  that  they  arc 
made  to  "  delight  in  the  law  of  the  Lord  after  the  inward 
man."  It  is,  and  will  be  the  study  of  the  true  Israel  of  (iod, 
to  <♦  walk  according  to  this  rule ;"  and  David's  prayer  will  be 


556  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [sER. 

often  in  their  hearts  and  mouths,  Psal.  cxix.  80 :  "  Let  my 
heart  be  sound  in  thy  statutes ;  that  1  be  not  ashamed :"  and 
ver.  5:  "O  that  my  ways  were  directed  to  keep  thy  statutes!" 
And  if  there  be  any  here,  who  under  pretence  of  gospel- 
grace,  discard  the  law  of  commandments,  I  shall  only  refer 
them  to  that  awful  word  of  God,  Psal.  1.  16,  17:  "Unto  the 
wicked  God  saith,  What  hast  thou  to  do  to  declare  my  sta- 
tutes, or  that  thou  shouldst  take  my  covenant  in  thy  mouth? 
seeing  thou  hatest  instruction,  and  easiest  my  words  behind 
thy  back."  Do  not  then  pretend  to  be  saved  by  God's  cove- 
nant, while  you  disregard  his  commandments. 

Use  second  of  this  doctrine  may  be  of  Information,  only  in 
two  or  three  things.  Is  it  so  that  the  gospel  or  law  of  grace 
is  issued  out  of  Zion,  for  the  benefit  of  sinners  lost  and  con- 
demned by  the  law  of  works'?  Then, 

1.  See  hence  how  agreeable  it  is  to  the  revealed  will  of 
God,  that  a  sinner  believe  in  Christ.  Why,  in  believing  we 
both  answer  the  authority  of  God  enjoining  faith  in  the  law 
of  commandments,  and  God's  great  design  in  the  gospel  or 
law  of  grace,  which  is  to  bring  Christ  and  his  grace  near  to 
sinners,  that  they  may  receive  him  by  faith:  John  xx.  31: 
"  These  things  are  written,  that  ye  might  believe  that  Jesus 
is  the  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  believing  ye  might  have 
life  through  his  name." 

2.  See  the  horrid  evil  of  the  sin  of  unbelief,  which  tram- 
ples both  law  and  gospel  under  foot.  It  contemns  the  autho- 
rity of  God  interposed  in  the  law  of  commandments  ;  for  "  this 
is  his  command,  that  ye  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ."  And  it  despises  the  riches  of  his  grace  manifested  in 
the  gospel  or  law  of  grace:  it  calls  God  a  liar,  and  in  effect 
says,  not  a  word  or  promise  that  ever  he  uttered  is  to  be  trust- 
ed.    Remember  that  awful  word,  Heb.  x.  28,  29. 

3.  From  this  doctrine  see  what  a  fair  way  sinners  living  un- 
der the  gospel  dispensation  have  for  the  eternal  salvation  of 
their  souls;  why,  they  have  the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  acts 
of  grace  and  mercy  issued  out  and  proclaimed  to  them,  and 
they  fully  warranted  and  authorized  to  take  the  benefit  of  it. 
If  a  company  of  condemned  rebels  had  the  king's  indemnity 
or  act  of  grace  pi-oclaimed  to  them,  and  the  act  put  in  their 
hand,  who  would  be  to  blame  if  they  did  not  take  the  benefit 
of  it?  Surely  none  but  themselves.  The  case  is  the  very  same 
with  sinners,  condemned  by  the  law,  by  conscience,  and  hea- 
ven and  earth :  they  have  the  gospel  or  law  of  grace  pub- 
lished to  them,  with  this  view,  "  That  they  may  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life.  For  unto  you  is  the  word  of  this 
salvation  sent.  The  promise  is  even  to  them  that  are  afar 
off"     O  sirs,  "  how  shall  ye  escape  if  ye  neglect  so  great  a 


XVII.]  ISSUIXG  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZIO.V.  557 

salvation,"  and   a   salvation  broLifi;bt  so  near  to  you  in  the 
"word  of  faith  which  we  preach  ?"  Rom.  x.  8. 

4.  See  hence  what  a  happy  and  auspicious  government  and 
adminih^tration  believers  are  under:  they  are  not  under  the 
rigorous  administration  of  the  law  or  covenant  of  works,  re- 
quiring either  perfect  or  sincere  obedience  as  the  condition  of 
life,  but  under  the  mild  government  of  grace,  where  the  law 
coming  out  of  Zion  prevails:  Ileb.  xii.  18,  compared  with  ver. 
22 — 24 :  "  Ye  are  not  conic  unto  the  mount  that  might  be 
touched,  and  that  burned  with  fire ;  nor  unto  blackness,  and 
darkness,  and  tempest ; — but  ye  are  come  unto  mount  Zion, 
and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem, 
and  to  an  iiuiiimeral)!e  company  of  angels,  to  the  general  as- 
sembly and  church  of  the  first-born  which  are  written  in  hea- 
ven, and  to  God  the  judge  of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men 
made  perfect,  and  to  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant, 
and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that  spcaketh  better  things 
than  (hat  of  Al)el."  Every  son  of  Adam  lives  within  the  con- 
iines  of  one  of  these  mountains;  I  mean,  of  mount  Sanai,  or 
mount  Zion.  The  sinner  that  is  out  of  Christ,  let  him  be  what 
be  will,  a  sober  moralist,  a  painted  hypocrite,  or  loose  and 
profane,  he  lives  within  the  confines  of  mount  Sinai,  and  re- 
mains a  debtor  to  do  the  whole  law,  under  pain  of  eternal 
death:  but  that  moment  a  sinner  believes  in  Christ,  by  virtue 
of  the  covenant  of  grace,  or  the  law  issued  forth  from  Zion, 
he  is  joined  to  that  heavenly  corporation  of  the  church  mili- 
tant and  trium{)liant,  consisting  of  angels,  and  the  spirits  of 
just  men  made  perfect,  and  imperfect  on  earth,  of  which 
Christ  is  the  glorious  head,  (called  mount  Zkm  and  the  hciaen- 
li]  Jerusalem,)  where  he  is  for  ever  delivered  from  the  com- 
manding and  condemning  power  of  the  law  as  a  covenant,  so 
that  he  is  no  more  to  look  either  to  be  justified  or  condemned 
by  it.  ]Jy  the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  he  is  exempted  from 
the  command  of  the  law  as  a  covenant;  so  that  it  cannot  ex- 
act obedience  of  him,  as  the  condition  of  life,  this  being  done 
by  the  Surety.  He  is  exempted,  also,  from  the  curse  of  the 
law  as  a  covenant;  so  that  it  caiuiot  threaten  him  with  the 
penalty  of  eternal  death,  Christ  his  Surety  having  endured 
that  in  his  room  and  stead;  so  that  there  is  no  condemnation 
to  liim,  being  in  Christ  Jesus.  Not  only  so,  but  by  virtue  of 
his  union  with  Christ,  the  Heir  of  all  things,  he  is  entered 
among  "  the  general  assend)ly  of  the  first-born,"  who  are  all 
"heirs  of  (iod,  and  joint-heirs  with  Jesus  Christ."  Thus,  I 
say,  the  believer  lies  under  a  happy  and  auspicious  adminis- 
tration ;  on  which  acc(tiint  we  may  ap|)ly  the  words  of  Mo- 
ses, Dent,  xxxiii.  21> :  "  Happy  art  thou,  O  Israel :  who  is  like 
unto  thee,  O  people,  saved  bv  the  Lord,  the  shield  of  thy  help, 

"47* 


658  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

and  who  is  the  sword  of  thy  excellency  !"  or  this  of  Balaam, 
Num.  xxiii.  9  :  "  The  people  shall  dwell  alone,  and  shall  not 
be  reckoned  among  the  nations." 

5.  From  this  doctrine  see  whence  it  is  that  believers,  when 
under  the  influence  of  the  spirit  of  faith,  have  such  boldness 
and  assurance  in  coming  to  a  throne  of  grace.  Why,  the  man 
has  law,  even  the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  on  his  side,  and 
this  gives  him  courage  and  boldness  in  asking  grace  and  mer- 
cy to  help  him  in  time  of  need.  You  know,  a  man,  who  has 
business  in  any  court,  if  he  has  law  on  his  side,  holds  up  his 
head,  and  looks  with  an  air  of  courage,  and  speaks  with  bold- 
ness to  the  judge.  This  is  the  case  with  the  believer,  he  has 
the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  the  acts  of  grace,  acts  of  peace, 
I  mean,  all  the  promises  of  the  well-ordered  covenant,  on  his 
side ;  he  pleads  upon  these,  fastens  upon  the  veracity  of  a 
God  of  grace,  and  requires  him  to  do  as  he  has  said,  to  see  to 
the  execution  of  his  own  will  of  grace,  enacted  at  a  throne  of 
grace,  and  registered  in  the  court-book  of  th&  grace  of  God. 
This,  I  say,  is  the  ground  of  liis  confidence,  Heb.  x.  22  :  "Let 
us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith, 
having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our 
bodies  washed  with  pure  water;"  upon  which  it  follows,  ver. 
23,  "For  faithful  is  he  that  hath  promised." 

Use  third  of  this  doctrine  may  be  of  Confutation  to  Papists, 
Arminians,  Pelagians,  Baxterians,  and  others,  who  make  the 
gospel  a  new  preceptive  or  commanding  law,  requiring  faith, 
repentance,  sincere  obedience,  and  tlic  like,  which  they  say 
were  never  required  in  the  moral  law  from  Sinai,  by  which  they 
destroy  one  of  the  main  differences  between  the  law  and  the 
gospel ;  for,  as  I  said  already,  the  law  is  a  system  of  precepts, 
the  gospel  a  system  of  promises,  or  acts  of  grace  strictly  con- 
sidered ;  and  to  bring  in  new  commands  into  the  gospel,  which 
were  never  contained  in  the  moral  law,  has  been,  and  is,  a 
doctrine  of  a  most  pernicious  tendency,  in  regard  it  derogates 
from  the  perfection  of  the  moral  law,  as  if  under  the  gospel 
there  were  sins  which  it  doth  not  forbid,  and  duties  which  it 
doth  not  require.  They  who  assert,  that  faith  and  repent- 
ance are  not  enjoined,  and  that  unbelief  and  impenitency  are 
not  forbidden,  even  in  the  first  commandment  of  the  moral 
law,  contradict  our  received  standards  of  doctrine,  particu- 
larly the  Larger  Catechism  explaining  the  first  command; 
they  must  needs  assert  another  righteousness  than  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ  to  fulfil  the  new  gospel  law,  seeing  Christ 
was  not  made  under  it,  but  under  the  moral  law,  as  a  cove- 
nant, to  redeem  us  who  are  under  it.  When  we  sinned  in 
Adam  we  did  not  break  the  new  gospel  law,  but  the  old  mo- 
ral law  of  the  ten  commandments :  and  if  Adam  never  broke 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  559 

that  new  gospel  law  they  speak  of,  his  posterity  cannot  be 
blamed  if  they  want  power  to  repent  and  believe ;  and  if 
faith  and  repentance  be  enjoined  by  a  new  law,  it  is  equita- 
ble that  a  new  fund  of  strength  be  given,  in  order  to  our 
obeying  it:  and  thus  the  Pelagian  universal  grace  bestowed 
on  every  man  that  hears  the  gospel  is  introduced.  Many 
other  things  might  be  said  on  this  head,  but  I  do  not  insist. 

Use  fourth  may  be  of  Trial.  Whether  are  you  under  the 
law  of  Sinai,  or  of  Zion  \  Whether  arc  you  under  the  law 
covenant,  or  gosi)el  covenant?  Are  you  yet  staying  at  mount 
Sinai,  with  "  the  bond-woman  and  her  seed  V  or  are  you 
come  to  mount  Zion,  the  place  of  freedom  and  liberty,  with 
"the  children  of  the  promise?'  For  clearing  of  this  matter 
I  ofler  the  following  things  by  way  of  trial: — 

1.  If  the  law  never  slew  you,  you  are  under  it,  and  mar- 
ried to  it  as  a  husband:  Gal.  ii.  19:  "1  through  the  law, 
am  dead  to  the  law."  Rom.  vii.  9 :  •'  I  was  alive  without 
the  law  once;  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin  re- 
vived, and  I  died."  Every  man  naturally  sits  mounted  upon 
the  throne  of  his  own  imaginary  righteousness;  he  imagines 
himself  to  be  alive,  and  that  he  is  capable  to  do  well  enough, 
by  his  own  endeavours  after  life.  But  when  the  law  of  God 
comes  in  its  spirituality,  it  shakes  the  foundation  of  his  re- 
fuge of  lies,  just  as  the  earthquake  shook  the  foundation  of 
the  prison  at  the  jailer's  conversion,  making  the  poor  man  to 
cry  out,  "O  what  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ("  Try  yourselves 
then  by  this,  lias  God  brought  you  to  the  foot  of  Sinai, 
making  the  thunders  of  his  law  to  awaken  you  out  of  your 
security?  Has  he  given  you  such  a  view  of  the  law  in  its 
extent  and  spirituality,  that  you  became  quite  dead  to  all  con* 
ceit  of  righteousness  by  any  doing  or  obedience  of  your  own, 
saying,  "All  my  righteousness  is  as  filthy  rags?"  If  you 
were  never  yet  brought  to  this  pass,  I  fear  you  are  yet  stran- 
gers to  the  law  of  grace  issuing  out  of  Zion,  and  that  you  are 
yet  under  the  law  of  works  as  a  covenant. 

2.  You  who  do  not  know  what  it  is  to  watch,  and  i)ray,  and 
wrestle  against  the  legal  bias  of  your  hearts,  it  is  a  sign  that 
you  are  yet  cleaving  to  mount  Sinai  law.  As  every  man  by 
nature  is' seeking  righteousness  by  the  law  of  works;  so  be- 
lievers themselves,  while  they  have  any  thing  of  the  old  Adam 
in  them,  will  find  a  strong  bias  in  their  hearts  to  return  to 
that  husband:  he  finds  it  a  matter  of  the  utmost  diHiculty  to 
keep  his  treacherous  legal  heart  trom  resting  on  his  duties, 
frames,  graces,  attainments  as  a  ground  of  acceptance  be- 
fore God;  and  a  sense  of  this  makes  him  mourn  before  the; 
Lord  as  much,  if  not  more,  tlian  for  his  other  failings  and  in- 
tirmities.     And  therefore  you  who  know  nothing  of  this  na- 


560  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

tural  bent  of  your  hearts  towards  the  law  as  a  covenant ;  and 
you  who  do  not  know  what  it  is  to  watch,  and  pray,  and 
wrestle  against  this  bias  of  your  hearts;  it  says  that  you  are 
yet  within  the  confines  of  mount  Sinai,  not  as  yet  come  to 
mount  Zion. 

3.  When  you  are  under  any  distress,  or  trouble  of  con- 
science, to  what  quarter  do  you  run  for  comfort  and  relief? 
what  is  it  that  affords  you  ease  l  The  man  that  is  married 
to  the  law,  runs  to  his  husband  for  relief:  I  mean,  he  plies 
the  oar  of  his  own  obedience ;  he  heals  his  wound  with  a  plas- 
ter of  vows,  tears,  penances,  and  endeavours  after  amend- 
ment. But,  sirs,  you  that  heal  the  wounds  of  conscience 
with  such  a  plaster,  are  yet  at  "  mount  Sinai,  which  gender- 
eth  to  bondage."  The  true  believer,  who  is  "  come  to  mount 
Zion,"  when  an  arrow  from  mount  Sinai  smites  and  wounds 
him,  does  not  run  to  Sinai,  but  "  to  mount  Zion,  to  the  blood 
of  sprinkling,  that  speaketh  better  things  than  the  blood  of 
Abel."  No  balm  but  that  of  Gilead  will  heal  his  w'ound  ;  he 
cannot  find  ease,  but  only  under  the  wings  of  "  the  Sun  of 
righteousness." 

4.  You  who  can  be  troubled  for  gross  sins  and  out-break- 
ings, but  were  never  affected  with,  or  afflicted  for  the  guilt . 
of  Adam's  sin,  the  corruption  of  your  nature,  the  heinous 
nature  of  the  sin  of  unbelief,  I  suspect  you  never  saw  the 
law  in  its  spirituality  ;  and,  consequently  are  not  dead  to  it 
as  a  covenant.  There  avq  two  things  that  are  more  heavy 
to  a  believer,  who  is  "  come  to  mount  Zion,"  than  any  other 
thing  whatsoever ;  namely,  original  sin  and  the  sin  of  un- 
belief: these,  oh  these,  are  the  things  that  make  him  many 
times  go  with  a  bowed  down  back,  crying,  "  Wretched  man 
that  I  am,  vAw  shall  deliver  me  from  this  body  of  sin  and 
death  !" 

5.  What  is  it  that  sets  you  at  work  in  the  mortification  of 
sin?  for  the  legalist  may  set  himself  to  mortify  sin,  as  well 
as  the  true  believer;  but  here  lies  the  odds:  they  are  ac- 
tuated from  different  principles.  The  legalist  mortifies  sin, 
and  opposes  it  merely  out  of  self-love ;  that  he  may  be  kept 
out  of  hell,  or  procure  a  title  to  heaven:  but  the  true -belie- 
ver is  principally  actuated  by  a  principle  of  love  to  Christ; 
he  looks  on  him  whom  he  has  pierced,  and  tliis  fires  him 
with  resentment ;  so  that  he  studies  to  avenge  Christ's  quar- 
rel by  piercing  the  heart  of  his  most  beloved  lusts  and  idols. 
The  man  has  a  love  to  Christ,  a  desire  1o  glorify  God,  and  to 
maintain  fellowship  and  communion  with  him:  these  are  the 
principal  things  that  constrain  him  to  duty,  and  restrain  him 
from  sin.  And,  therefore,  turn  inwaid,  and  see  whether  self- 
love,  or  love  to  Christ,  have  the  principal  influence  in  your 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUXT  ZION.  5G1 

obedience.  I  do  not  deny  but  a  desire  after  the  enjoyment 
of  God  in  glory,  and  the  eternal  hajjpines.s  of  the  soul,  may 
and  actually  do  influence  the  soul  to  obedience  in  a  secon- 
dary way ;  but  beyond  doubt  the  love  of  Christ,  and  the 
glory  of  God,  is  the  ultimate  and  principal  spring  of  obe- 
dience. 

6.  If  you  do  not  see  so  much  weakness  and  corruption,  so 
much  deadness  and  distraction,  attending  your  best  duties,  as 
to  convince  you  of  the  absolute  need  of  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
and  of  his  merit  and  mediation,  to  render  both  you  and  them 
acceptable  to  God,  it  is  an  evidence  that  you  arc  not  yet 
come  off  from  mount  Sinai  law  as  a  covenant.  The  poor 
believer,  when  he  has  won  to  the  greatest  enlargement  in 
duty,  and  to  the  best  frame  that  he  can  desire,  yet  he  will  be 
ready  to  cry  out,  "  If  thou,  Lord,  shouldst  mark  iniquities ; 
O  Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?"  He  sees  himself  to  be  an  un- 
profitable  scrvimt,  and  that  "  his  goodness  extends  not  to  the 
Lord." 

7.  If  you  be  more  concerned  to  appear  well  in  the  externals 
of  rehgion,  than  in  an  acquaintance  with  the  inward  power 
of  it,  it  is  an  evidence  that  you  are  yet  upon  a  law-bottom, 
like  those  who  cry,  *'  Will  the  Lord  be  pleased  witii  thousands 
of  rams,  or  w'ith  ten  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil  ?  shall  I  give  my 
first-born  for  my  transgression,  the  fruit  of  my  body  for  the 
sin  of  my  soul  l  Wherefore  have  we  fasted,  and  prayed,  and 
Ihou  takest  no  knowledge  ?"  But  the  believer,  who  is  come 
to  mount  Zion,  although  he  will  not  neglect  the  external  du- 
ties of  religion,  yet  his  particular  concern  is  to  grow  in  inter- 
nal holiness,  and  in  conformity  of  heart  and  life  to  the  Son  of 
God,- "  to  liave  the  same  mind  in  him,  which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesus."  He  longs  to  know  more  of  the  power  of  his  resurrec- 
tion, of  the  virtue  of  his  sin-killing  blood,  and  the  efticacy  of 
his  Spirit,  lifting  him  up  after  "  things  tliat  are  above,  where 
Christ  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God;  and  if  he  can  win  at  this, 
he  is  the  less  careful  about  the  flourishes  of  a  profession, 
which  is  all  that  the  hypocrite  and  legalist  aim  at,  although  in 
the  mean  time  he  will  "flourish  like  the  i)aliu  tree,  and  grow 
like  the  cedars  in  Lebanon." 

8.  You  who  have  your  hearts  liilcd  with  enmity  and  pre- 
judice against  the  children  of  grace,  "  the  heirs  of  the  pro- 
mise," and  cannot  endure  strict  and  holy  walking  with  God, 
but  are  ready  to  envy  those  who  you  think  outshine  you,  and 
have  your  hearts  filled  with  inward  rancour  and  prejudice 
against  them,  or  perhaps  mock  and  persecute  thcni,  either 
with  heart,  tongue,  or  hand,  it  is  an  evidence  that  you  are 
yet  in  the  confines  of  Sinai,  among  tiie  children  of  the  bond- 
woman.    Gal.  iv.  29 :  *'  But  as  then  he  that  was  born  after 


562  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

the  flesh  persecuted  him  that  was  born  after  the  Spirit,  even 
so  it  is  now."  A  persecuting  spirit,  or  a  spirit  of  rancour 
and  envy  against  those  whom  we  think  more  holy  than  our- 
selves, and  whom  we  fancy  darken  us,  is  a  plain  evidence 
of  a  legal  spirit.  They  that  are  of  a  truly  gospel-spirit,  are 
ready  to  love  the  society  of  saints,  whom  they  think  excel 
themselves ;  and  the  more  holy  they  are,  the  better  they  love 
them ;  the  more  of  the  image  of  God  is  on  them,  or  in  them, 
the  more  desirable  will  they  be  to  them. 

9.  If  you  be  come  off  from  mount  Sinai  to  mount  Zion, 
from  the  law  to  the  gospel-covenant,  then  those  things  which 
once  you  accounted  gain,  will  be  but  loss  in  your  reckoning. 
So  soon  as  Paul  was  brought  ofi'  from  the  law,  to  be  a  par- 
taker of  gospel-grace,  v^hat  thm<y;s  n-ere  gai?i  to  him,  those  he 
counted  loss  for  Christ,  Phil.  iii.  7.  What  those  things  are  the 
legalist  accounts  gain,  which  the  believ^er  reckons  loss  for 
Christ,  you  have  an  account  of  Phil.  iii.  4 — 6,  which  you 
may  read  and  consider  at  your  leisure.  So  much  for  trial. 
I  should  now  go  on  to  other  uses,  but  1  proceed  no  farther 
at  present. 


THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION. 

The  law  shall  go  out  of  Zion. — Isa.  ii.  3. 

Where  is  boasting-  then  ?    It  is  exckided.     By  what  law  ?  of  works  ?  Nay  ; 
but  by  the  law  of  faith. — Rom.  iii.  27. 

THE  THIRD  SERMON  ON  THIS  SUBJECT. 

Some  of  you  may  remember,  that  I  have  discoursed  several 
times  from  the  first  of  these  texts,  and  made  some  considera- 
ble progress  in  prosecuting  the  following  doctrine  from  it, 
That  the  gospel  is  a  lazv  of  sovereign  grace  issued  forth  from 
Zion  for  the  behoof  of  lost  siniiers,  lying  under  sentence  of  death, 
by  virtue  of  a  violated  and  broken  law  of  zcorks. 

Here  I  endeavoured, 

I.  To  offer  some  remarks  upon  the  gospel,  as  it  is  here 
called  a  law  coming  out  of  Zio?i. 

II.  Showed  why  it  is  called  a  law. 

III.  I  attempted  to  publish  some  of  these  laws  of  sovereign 
grace  from  this  high  place  of  the  city  of  God. 

IV.  I  endeavoured  to  speak  of  the  excellency  of  the  law  of 
grace  coming  out  of  Zion. 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  563 

V.  To  inquire  into  the  differences  and  agreement  betwixt 
the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,and  the  law  coming  out  of  Sinai, 
Ignorance  of  the  diUcrcnccs  betwixt  these  two,  and  of  the 
connexion  and  subordination  of  the  one  to  the  other,  makes 
confused  work  both  in  our  preaching  who  are  ministers,  and 
in  your  practising  who  are  the  people. 

VI.  I  endeavoured  to  make  some  application,  by  way  of 
inference,  confutation,  and  trial. 

I  have  now  subjoined  another  text,  which  I  hope  may  con- 
tribute to  illustrate  farther  what  I  have  been  insisting  upon 
from  the  former;  to  wit,  Rom.  iii.  27  :  JV here  is  boustlnsr,  &c? 
Where  we  may  notice,  (1.)  The  nature  of  that  law  which 
comes  out  of  Zion ;  it  is  called  the  law  of  faith."  All  our 
interpreters  arc  agreed  that  it  is  the  gospel  which  is  here 
called  "  the  law  of  faith"  by  the  apostle;  for  it  is  opposed  to 
tbe  law  that  enjoins  works  of  obedience  in  the  text.  The 
gospel  is  the  great  iii-strumcnt  of  faitli;  it  reveals  the  object 
of  faith  ;  it  is  the  proper  boundary  of  faith,  as  the  moral  law 
is  the  boundary  of  manners  or  practice.  (2.)  We  have  the 
design  or  tendency  of  the  gospel,  or  law  of  faith;  it  excludes 
boasting.  Man  was  at  tirst  ruined  by  the  sin  of  pride :  Ye 
shall  be  as  gods,  was  the  grand  bait  that  took  with  our  first 
parents.  Now,  infinite  wisdom  has  laid  the  plan  of  our  salva- 
tion in  a  direct  opposition  to  that  evil  of  pride ;  he  will  have 
man  saved  in  a  way  of  self-abasement;  and  the  gospel,  or 
law  of  faith,  is  the  great  engine  Infinite  Wisdom  makes  use  of 
for  battering  down  these  lofty  imaginations  of  self-righteous- 
ness, that  exalt  themselves  against  the  knowledge  of  Christ. 
The  gospel  excludes  boasting,  "  no  flesh  mat/  glory  in  his  pre- 
sence;  but  he  that  glorietb  mrt?/ glory  in  the  Lord."  (3.)  We 
have  the  op[)osition  stated  between  the  law  of  works  and  the 
law  of  faith;  the  law  of  works  admits  of  boasting,  but  the 
law  of  faith  excludes  it.  Whatever  law  it  be,  whether  moral, 
ceremonial,  or  judicial,  that  rc(|uircs  works  of  righteousness 
to  be  done  bv  u<,  in  order  to  found  our  title  to  life,  or  accept- 
ance before  (lod,  it  is  opposed  to  the  law  of  faith;  because 
the  law  of  faith  shuts  out  all  maimer  r>f  works  in  the  busi- 
ness of  a  sinner's  justilication,  and  will  not  admit  of  any, 
even  of  the  least  ground  of  boasting  in  the  creature  ;  whereas, 
"  if  any  man  be  justified  or  saved  by  works,  he  hath  whereof 
to  glory." 

Thus,  having  grnfted  this  text  upon  the  former,  I  shall  cast 
the  doctrine  into  another  mould,  and  you  may  take  it  as  fol- 
lows : — 

DocT.  "The  gospel,  which  is  the  law  of  faith  issued  out 
from  mount  Zion,  is  calculated,  by  Infinite  Wisdom  for  aba- 


564  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

sing  self,  and  advancing  the  sovereignty  and  freedom  of  the 
grace  of  God  in  the  salvation  of  sinners.  Where  is  boasting  ? 
It  is  excluded  by  the  law  of  faith." 

Having  spoken  much  already  concerning  the  law  coming 
forth  from  Zion  ;  all  I  shall  do  at  present,  shall  only  be  to 
confirm  and  apply  this  great  truth, 

1.  For  Conjirmatioii  there  are  two  things  I  shall  take  a 
view  oT.  1.  Of  the  doctrine  of  faith.  2.  Of  the  grace  of 
faith.  And  from  thence  it  will  appear  that  Infinite  Wisdom 
has  so  adjusted  matters,  as  to  cast  down  every  thing  that 
stands  in  the  way  of  the  exaltation  of  sovereign  grace  in  the 
salvation  of  the  sinner. 

Only,  before  I  proceed,  allow  me  to  premise,  that  although 
the  law  as  a  covenant,  or  abstractly  considered,  admits  of 
boasting,  upon  a  supposition  that  we  could  fulfil  it ;  yet  as  it 
stands  in  our  Bible,  in  a  subserviency  to  the  great  ends  of 
the  gospel,  even  considered  as  a  covenant,  it  is  a  schoolmaster 
to  lead  us  out  of  ourselves  into  Christ,  who  is  '•  the  end  of  the 
law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth." 

Since  the  fall  of  Adam,  the  law  was  never  given  to  man, 
that  he  should  stay  in  the  law,  or  in  the  works  thereof,  as  the 
ground  of  his  acceptance  or  salvation.  Perhaps  you-  may 
think  this  strange,  yet  it  is  a  certain  truth,  if  the  scriptures  be 
the  word  of  God,  the  law  is  weak  for  the  justification  and 
salvation  of  a  sinner;  yea,  "it  is  added  because  of  trans- 
gressions," to  discover  sin,  that  sinners  may  flee  to  another 
quarter  for  relief  than  the  law%  even  to  Christ,  in  whom  it 
has  its  end  and  accotnjjlishment.  So  that,  I  say,  even  the 
law,  as  it  stands  in  a  subserviency  to  a  gospel  dispensation,  is 
designed  of  God  for  stoppuig  the  mouths  of  sinners,  "  that  no 
flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence."  But  that  which  I  have 
principally  in  view  at  present  is,  first,  to  let  you  see  that  the 
gospel,  or  the  law  of  faith,  excludes  boasting  in  the  creature, 
or  that  it  is  calculated  for  abasing  self,  and  exalting  the  free- 
dom of  grace  in  the  salvation  of  sinners.     This  will  appear, 

1.  From  gospel  declarations  or  testimonies :  Eph.  ii.  8  : 
"  By  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith  ;  and  that  not  of  your- 
selves: it  is  the  gift  of  God:"  ver,  9:  "Not  of  works,  lest 
any  man  should  boast,"  &c.  Where  you  see  that  self  is 
stripped  of  everything  that  might  afibrd  matter  of  boasting, 
and  the  whole  glory  of  our  salvation  ascribed  to  grace,  and 
to  grace  only.  What  is  the  first  gospel-lesson  that  Christ  the 
great  gospel  prophet  teaches  his  scholars?  It  is  just  this: 
"  If  any  man  will  be  my  disciple,  let  him  deny  iiimself:"  that 
is,  he  must  renounce  his  own  wisdom,  his  own  righteousness, 
holiness,  and  every  thing  on  which  he  laid  the  stress  of  his 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  565 

salvation,  or  the  frround  of  his  hope,  and  be  content  to  lie 
down  at  the  foot  of  sovereign  grace,  as  "wretched,  miserable, 
poor,  blind,  and  naked,"  to  receive  all  in  a\\ayof  free  grace. 
This  lesson  the  apostle  Paul  learned  well,  Phil.  iii.  7,  S  : 
"What  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ. 
Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excel- 
lency of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,"  &.c.  We 
find  him  every  where  renouncing  self  and  giving  the  glory 
of  all  to  free  grace.  Whatever  he  was,  he  owed  it  not  to 
himself,  but  to  grace.  "  By  grace  I  am  what  I  am  ;"  what- 
ever he  did,  he  gives  the  glory  of  it  to  grace:  "  Not  I,  but  the 
grace  of  God  in  me." 

2.  This  is  evident  from  gospel  interrogations  or  questions, 
which  are  of  such  a  nature  as  to  stop  the  mouth  of  all  flesh 
from  boasting.  You  have  two  or  three  of  them  in  the  very 
words  of  my  text ;  Where  ii  boasting  ?  It  is  excluded.  By 
zchal  law  ?  of  works?  JVuy,  but  by  the  law  of  faith.  You  have 
the  like  train  of  silencing  questions,  1  Cor.  iv.  7  :  "  Who  ma- 
keth  thee  to  ditlcr  from  another  f  and  what  hast  th(ju  that 
thou  didst  not  receive  ?  now  if  thou  didst  receive  it,  why  dost 
thou  glory  as  if  thou  hadst  not  received  it  ?"  It  is  a  vain  spi- 
rit that  glories  in  borrowed  robes. 

3.  This  is  evident  from  the  gospel  way  of  reckoning.  It 
is  a  strange  way  the  apostle  directs  us  to,  Rom.  vi.  11: 
"  Reckon  ye  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin ;  but  a'ive 
unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ."  A  believer  must  never 
reckon  upon  what  he  is,  has,  or  has  done  ;  but  he  must  reckon 
upon  what  he  is,  has,  or  has  done,  in  his  glorious  Head  and 
Surety.  When  he  looks  to  himself,  he  reckons  that  he  is  a 
dead  man,  dead  in  law,  condemned  already,  under  sentence  of 
death,  and  spiritually  dead  under  the  power  of  sin ;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  he  must  reckon  himself  "  alive  unto  God, 
through  Jesus  Christ."  Thus,  the  apostle  reckons,  and  teaches 
us  to  reckon  also.  Col.  iii.  3  :  "Ye  are  dead,  but  j'our  life  is 
hid  with  Christ  in  God  ;"  so.  Gal.  ii.  20 :  "I  am  crucified 
with  Christ :  nevertheless  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth 
in  me."  As  if  he  had  said,  I  live  ;  what  is  this  I  am  saying  ? 
1  have  mistaken  my  reckoning,  I  am  reckoning  wrong  when 
I  say  that  /  live;  for  it  is  "  not  I  that  live,  but  Christ  that 
liveth  in  me."  So  let  us  see  how  they  reckon  upon  the  head 
of  righteousness.  Paul  was,  "  touching  the  law,  blameless," 
before  his  conversion  ;  and  after  his  conversion,  "  he  knew 
nothing  by  himself,"  or  he  knew  nothing  in  which  his  con- 
science condemned  him  ;  but  docs  he  look  on  this  as  t]je 
ground  of  his  acceptance  before  God  ?  No,  "  I  know  nothing 
by  myself,  yet  am  1  not  hereby  justified  :"  he  reckons  all  his 
righteousness  before  and  after  his  conversion,  but  ^kvZxXx 

VOL.  I.  48 


566  .  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER 

dogs'  meat,  the  vilest  of  things,  "  that  he  might  be  found  in 
Christ,"  not  having  his  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the 
law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,"  &,c.  See 
the  gospel  reckoning  on  the  score  of  righteousness,  Is.  xlv. 
24 :  "  Surely,  shall  one  say.  In  the  Lord,"  not  in  myself, 
"  have  I  righteousness." — Again  ;  how  do  they  reckon  upon 
the  point  of  strength  1  O,  says  Paul,  "  I  am  not  sufhcient  of 
myself  to  think  any  thing  as  of  myself;  but  my  sufficiency 
is  of  the  Lord ;"  but,  though  I  be  not  sufficient  for  any  thing 
in  and  of  myself,  yet  "  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ 
strengthening  me.  Surely,  in  the  Lord,  shall  one  say,  have  I 
righteousness  and  strength."  Christ  is  the  fountain  of  their 
strength,  and  they  reckon  themselves  strong,  not  in  their 
own,  but  "in  the  power  of  his  might."  Thus,  you  see  that 
the  whole  tendency  of  the  gospel  way  of  reckoning  is  always 
to  carry  the  creature  out  of  itself,  that  it  may  not  glory  in 
itself,  but  in  the  Lord,  and  in  his  free  grace. 

4.  Let  us  take  a  view  of  the  gospel-doctrines,  and  we  shall 
find  they  are  all  levelled  for  this  glorious  end  of  sinking  self, 
and  exalting  the  freedom  of  the  grace  of  God  through  Christ 
in  the  salvation  of  sinners.  There  we  arc  taught  that  man 
has  ruined,  himself,  but  his  recovery  is  only  by  grace,  Hos. 
xiii.  9  :  "  O  Israel,  thou  hast  destroyed  thyself,  -but  in  me  is 
thine  help."  Where  is  boasting  then  1  It  is  excluded  by  the  lazo 
of  faith.  In  the  gospel  we  have  the  doctrine  of  regenera- 
tion or  effectual  calling.  Well,  what  interest  has  the  man  in 
his  own  regeneration  f  Even  as  little  as  the  infant  has  in  its 
formation  in  its  mother's  belly;  John  i.  13  :  "  We  are  born, 
not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of 
man,  but  of  God."  Grace,  and  not  self,  must  have  the  glory 
of  that.  Again;  there  is  the  doctrine  of  justification  ;  how 
admirably  is  that  laid  for  abasing  self,  and  all  our  works  of 
righteousness,  that  grace  may  have  the  glory  !  "  We  are 
justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in 
Jesus  Christ."  Then,  there  is  the  doctrine  of  our  adoption 
and  sonship.  Do  we  put  ourselves  among  the  children?  No, 
it  is  grace  that  does  it ;  it  is  "  he  that  gives  us  power,  right, 
or  privilege  to  become  the  sons  of  God. — Behold,  what  man- 
ner of  love  is  this,  that  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us, 
that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God."  Then,  for  the 
doctrine  of  sanctification.  Do  we  wash  and  cleanse  ourselves? 
No,  it  is  grace  that  does  it,  it  is  "  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  our 
God;  we  are  beautiful  through  the  comeliness  he  puts  upon 
}^^  And,  for  the  doctrine  of  perseverance,  or  standing  in  a 
sta'fe  of  grace :  do  we  keep  ourselves  in  that  state  1  No,  not 
we ;  but  it  is  "  he  that  kee[)s  us  by  his  power  through  faith 
unto  salvation."     In  a  word,  the  whole  of  the  gospel  doctrine 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH   FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  567 

is  ever  levelled  for  this  end  to  beat  down  self,  "  that  he  who 
glorieth,  may  glory  in  the  Lord." 

5.  Let  us  consider  the  tendency  of  gospel  parables.  Christ 
was  a  paral)olical  preacher,  he  commonly  taught  by  simili- 
tudes, many  of  whicii,  it  not  all,  if  duly  considered,  are  al- 
ways to  lead  sinners  out  of  themselves.  To  instance  only  in 
two  or  three  :  we  read,  Luke  xv.  of  the  parable  of  the  pro- 
digal son.  What  is  the  scope  of  it,  but  to  let  sinners  see 
they  are  a  set  of  poor  bankrupts,  that  have  squandered  away 
all  the  stock  they  received  in  the  first  Adam,  that  so  they 
may  have  recourse  to  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God  in  Christ? 
We  read  of  the  parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  publican,  how 
the  one  boasted  of  liis  good  deeds,  and  the  other  stood  afar 
off  trembling  under  a  sense  of  sin,  looking  to  the  mercy  of 
God  in  Christ,  and  *'  he  went  home  to  his  house  justified  rather 
than  the  other."  Again  ;  we  have  the  parable  of  the  wise 
and  foolish  virgins :  what  is  the  design  in  that,  but  that  sin- 
ners may  not  rest  themselves  satisfied  with  any  thing  of  their 
own,  1)0  it  a  profession,  or  any  seeming  grace  in  themselves, 
but  that  they  may  go  to  the  market  of  grace  to  buy  that  oil, 
which  is  in  the  dwellings  of  the  wise,  which  alone  will  make 
acceptable  at  the  coming  of  the  great  Bridegroom  ?  Again, 
to  add  one  more,  we  have  the  parable  of  the  wise  merchant ; 
the  scope  of  which  is,  to  lead  sinners  out  of  themselves,  for 
they  must  sell  all,  that  they  may  buy  the  pearl ;  they  must  re- 
nounce themselves,  and  all  their  good  qualifications,  and  be- 
take themselves  to  the  free  grace  of  God  in  Christ. 

G.  I  might  clear  this  by  the  tenor  of  the  gospel  covenant 
and  promises,  the  new  covenant  by  which  we  are  saved. 
What  sort  of  a  covenant  is  it?  It  is  a  covenant  of  grace; 
that  is,  a  covenant  calculated  for  abasing  self,  and  exalting 
the  freedom  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  sinner's  salvation.  The 
covenant  itself  is  not  a  covenant  of  our  making,  but  of  God's 
making.  Indeed,  we  read  of  covenants  made  by  men  in  scrip- 
ture, Psal.  I.  5:  '"Those  that  have  made  a  covenant  with  me 
by  sacrifice."  Israel  entered  into  covenant  with  the  Lord. 
But  those  covenants  that  arc  made  by  us,  are  only  engage- 
ments to  duty  in  the  strength  of  that  grace  that  is  promised 
in  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  is  not  of  our  making,  but  of 
God's  making:  "I  will  make  wiih  you  an  everlasting  cove- 
nant: 1  have  made  a  covenant  with  my  chosen:  I  will  make 
an  everlasting  covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of 
David,"  and  the  like.  Again;  self  is  ready  to  creep  in,  and 
to  make  terms  and  conditions,  and  qualifications  of  our  own, 
to  interest  us  in  this  covenant,  and  (he  blessings  of  it :  but  this 
covenant  is  so  framed  by  Infinite  Wisdom,  as  to  exclude  all 
these,  tliat  no  man  may  boast ;  for  the  promises  of  it  are  so 


568  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

framed,  as  every  thing  is  freely  bestowed  without  regard 
either  to  any  good  or  ill  in  the  creature.  It  runs  in  the  form 
of  a  testamentary  deed  or  gift,  than  which  nothing  can  be  con- 
ceived more  free;  "I  will  be  their  God;  I  will  be  merciful 
to  their  unrighteousness ;  1  will  see  their  ways,  and  heal  them;" 
that  is,  I  will  do  this  and  that  of  my  own  sovereign  grace 
without  regarding  the  creature's  qualifications.  This  will  far- 
ther appear — 

7.  If  we  consider  the  tenor  of  gospel  calls  and  invitations 
to  receive  Christ,  and  to  take  hold  of  God's  covenant  of  grace. 
Is  the  invitation  or  call  to  them  that  are  so  and  so  qualified  ? 
Is  it  to  the  righteous  or  holy?  No;  "I  came  not  to  call  the 
righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance."  Is  it  to  them  that  have 
money  or  price  to  recommend  them?  No,  Is.  \v.  1  :  "Ho 
every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that 
hath  no  money ;  come  ye,  buy  and  eat,  yea,  come,  buy  wine 
and  milk  without  money,  and  without  price."  Is  it  to  them 
that  have  their  stock  to  the  fore  ?  No,  it  is  to  those  that  are 
debtors  and  bankrupts :  "Thou  art  wretched,  miserable,  poor, 
and  naked ;  therefore  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried 
in  the  fire :"  it  is  to  the  blind,  the  maim,  the  halt,  the  wretch- 
ed ;  and,  in  a  word,  it  is  to  every  creature  under  heaven,  if 
it  be  on  this  side  of  hell.  Thus,  you  see  that  the  law  of  faith 
or  gospel  is  calculated  for  debasing  self,  and  for  exalting  the 
freedom  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  salvation  of  sinners  through 
Christ. 

Secondly/,  As  the  gospel  or  law  of  faith,  so  the  grace  of  faith 
is  calculated  for  taking  the  sinner  off'  his  own  bottom  and  ex- 
alting the  freedom  of  the  grace  of  God  in  our  salvation.  Now, 
the  aptitude  of  the  grace  of  faith  for  preventing  boasting  in 
the  creature,  and  exalting  the  freedom  of  grace,  will  appear 
by  the  following  particulars : — 

1.  Faith  is  a  mere  receiving  or  taking  grace ;  so  we  find  it 
expressed  in  John  i.  12;  Col.  ii.  6;  Rev.  xxii.  17.  This  con- 
stitutes the  very  soul  and  essence  of  faith,  to  take  or  receive 
all,  but  give  nothing.  All  other  graces  of  the  Spirit  give 
something  to  God.  Love  gives  him  a  warm  and  e;Iowing 
heart;  repentance  a  melting  and  bleeding  heart;  obedience 
a  working  hand;  patience  a  broad  back  for  bearing  burdens; 
fear  a  trembling  heart :  but,  as  for  faith,  it  is  of  such  a  beg- 
garly nature,  that  it  does  not  come  to  give,  but  to  get,  or  take 
all  from  the  Lord;  hence  it  is  called  "an  opening  of  the 
mouth  to  be  filled."  The  whole  of  our  salvation,  as  it  lies  in 
a  covenant  of  grace,  from  first  to  last,  is  a  mere  gift  of  sove- 
reign grace :  "  I  will  give  grace  and  glory,  and  my  Son  for  a 
covenant  to  the  people,"  and  in  him  the  new  heart  and  new 
spirit,  peace  and  pardon,  and  all  "  the  sure  mercies  of  David." 


XVII. J  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  569 

Now,  what  grace  could  be  so  fit  for  the  purpose  of  God  in 

the  srilvalion  of  sinners  by  this  covenant  as  faith,  which  is  a 
mere  recipient/  You  know  a  liberal  giver  wants  only  a  re- 
ceiver. Now,  such  a  thing  is  faith;  it  just  receives  or  takes 
in  what  (iod  gives  in  Jiis  bounty  to  man  in  the  covenant  of 
grace.  I  think  it  is  remarkable  what  is  said  of  Lydia,  when 
she  beliSved  at  the  hearing  of  Paul's  sermon,  Acts  xvi.  14: 
"God  opened  her  iieart  to  attend  unto  the  things  which  were 
spoken  of  J'aul."  In  the  original,  it  ics,  "God  opened  her  heart 
to  take  them  to  iier,"  namely,  the  things  which  Paul  spake, 
God  opened  her  heart  to  take  them  in,  or  to  receive  them. 
Acts  xxvi.  18:  "That  they  may  receive  r<;mission  of  sins,  and 
inheritance  among  them  which  are  sanctified  by  faith  that  is 
in  me."  Now,  it  faith  be  nothing  else  but  a  receiving,  xchere 
is  boasl'utiT  !  Il  is  excluded  bij  the  grace  of  faith,  as  well  as  the 
gospel,  which  is  ihe  law  of  failh. 

2.  As  faith  is  a  mere  receiver,  so  it  will  receive  nothing  but 
what  comes  out  of  the  hand  of  free  grace.  If  you  offer  any 
thing  to  faith  in  a  way  of  debt,  or  as  a  reward  due  to  itself, 
it  will  shake  its  hands  fiom  holding  any  such  bribe,  and  cry, 
Away  with  any  thing  that  savours  otdebt,  it  is  none  of  mine. 
Faith  will  trade  at  no  market  but  that  of  grace,  where  no 
money  passes,  and  where  no  price  or  bartering  is  in  fashion; 
hence  it  is  said  to  "  buy  without  money,  and  without  price," 
Is.  Iv.  1.  Hence  it  is  that  faith  and  works  arc  opposed  to  one 
another  in  scripture,  particularly  Rom.  iv.  5:  "To  him  that 
worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justilieth  the  ungodly," 
&,c.  Works  claim  privileges  in  a  way  of  debt,  but  faith  on 
the  score  of  grace,  and  refuses  to  have  them  another  way; 
yea,  so  averse  is  faith  from  the  merit  of  works,  that  it  refuses 
to  be  reckoned  among  the  category  of  acts  of  obedience  in  the 
matter  of  justitication,  so  that  it  excludes  its  own  act ;  for  it 
is  not  by  the  act,  but  the  object  of  faith  that  we  are  justified  : 
Where  is  boasli/ig  the/i  ?  Surely  it  i^  excluded  by  the  hno  and 
grace  of  faith. 

3.  This  will  farther  appear,  if  we  consider,  that  faith  will 
receive  nothing  but  as  it  lies  in  a  word  of  grace,  a  promise, 
a  covenant,  or  oiler  of  grace.  This  is  the  very  genius  of  faith, 
that  it  intermeddles  with  the  blessings  and  privileges  which  it 
receives,  only  on  the  warrant  of  God's  word  of  grace,  in  which 
lie  has  gifted  or  granted  them  to  us,  as  it  is  well  worded  in 
our  confession;  faith  receives  and  applies  Christ  and  his  sal- 
vation, by  virtue  of  a  covenant  of  grace.  And  in  this  lies  one 
main  tlillc'rence  between  presumption  and  saving  faith,  that 
presumptuous  faith  gripes  at  the  gift  of  grace.Jjut  not  by  virtue 
of  a  covenant  of  grace  ;  it  will  take  nothing *\^'ithout  the  com- 
mand of  God  as  its  warrant,  or  his  promise  as  its  encourage- 

48* 


570  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

ment;  and  having  these  two  in  its  eye,  it  is  sure  it  cannot  be 
guilty  of  vicious  intromission.  Let  faith  once  fix  on  the  pro- 
mise of  God,  and  let  it  see  God  commanding  it  to  receive  the 
promise,  and  thing  promised,  then  it  will  triumph  and  say, 
"  God  hath  spoken  in  his  holiness,  I  wull  rejoice  ;  Gilead  is 
mine,"  God  is  mine,  Christ  is  mine,  the  Spirit  is  mine,  peace 
is  mine,  pardon  and  glory  are  mine,  because  "  God  hath  spo- 
ken in  his  holiness  ;  and  this  is  all  my  salvation."  Thus,  I 
say,  faith  goes  upon  the  ground  of  the  promise;  it  knows  no 
other  law  but  the  law  of  faith  ;  and  therefore  it  must  needs 
exclude  boasting,  and  be  calculated  only  for  advancing  the 
freedom  of  grace. 

4.  This  will  yet  farther  appear,  if  we  consider  that  faith 
has  no  will  of  its  own,  but  only  the  will  of  sovereign  grace. 
As  it  is  said  of  the  marigold,  that  it  opens  and  shuts  with  the 
sun,  and  tui'ns  itself  round  with  it,  holding  an  exact  corre- 
spondence with  it ;  so  docs  the  grace  of  faith  hold  an  exact 
correspondence  with  God's  will  of  grace  in  the  word,  or  co- 
venant of  grace.  As  the  human  nature  of  Christ  united  to  the 
divine,  did  not  act  as  a  distinct  person,  and  had  not  a  will  of 
its  own  separate  from  the  divine,  but  was  wholly  resolved 
into  the  will  of  the  divine  nature  ;  so  faith  has  no  will  but 

•  God's  will  of  grace ;  God's  will  of  grace  is  the  will  of  faith, 
and  faith  is  the  echo  of  the  will  of  grace  intimated  in  the 
word.  Says  grace,  "  I  will  be  their  God,  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God  ;"  Amen,  says  faith,  and  that  is  my  will  too.  "  I  will 
heal  their  backslidings,"  says  grace :  Even  so  be  it,  that  is 
my  will  too,  says  faith.  "  I  will  sprinkle  them,  and  cleanse 
them  from  all  their  filthiness,  and  from  all  their  idols :"  Amen, 
says  faith,  that  is  my  will  too.  '*  This  is  the  will  of  a  God 
of  grace,  even  our  sanctitication  ;"  O,  says  faith,  that  is  just 
what  I  will  too.  Thus,  you  see  that  it  is  calculated  merely 
for  advancing  God's  will  of  grace,  consequently  for  excluding 
boasting. 

5.  Faith  will  address  no  throne  but  a  throne  of  grace. 
Bring  faith  to  a  throne  of  justice,  it  "  stands  afar  off',  smites 
on  the  breast,"  and  cries,  "  If  thou,  Lord,  shouldst  mark  ini- 
quities ;  O  Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?"  and,  therefore,  "  God, 
have  mercy  on  me  a  sinner ;  for  in  thy  sight  no  living  can 
be  justified."  Faith  has  no  work  or  business  at  a  throne  of 
justice.  But  bring  faith  w-ithin  view  of  a  throne  of  grace, 
which  has  justice  satisfied,  and  judgment  executed  on  the 
Son  of  God  for  its  basis  and  foundation,  and  then  it  will  gather 
spirits  and  courage, saying, Heb.  iv.  16,  "Let  us  come  boldly 
unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy,  and 
find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.  Heb.  x.  19,  20,  &c. 
"  Having,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  571 

blood  of  Jesus,  by  a  new  and  living  Avay,  &c.  let  lis  draw 
near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of  faith."  Kow,  seeing 
it  does  not  deal  with  a  tribunal  of  justice,  but  only  with  a 
mercy-seat,  it  follows  that  faith  excludes  boasting  in  the  crea- 
ture, and  is  levelled  for  the  exaltation  of  grace  only. 

6.  Faith  will  have  no  praise  or  glory  to  itself,  but  gives  all 
the  glory  to  grace,  and  to  grace  alone.  We  are  told  that 
God  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another;  and  yet  we  find  him 
giving  his  glory  to  the  grace  of  faith.  Sometimes  we  find 
him  giving  it  the  glory  of  his  omnipotence ;  "  To  him  who  be- 
lievelh  all  things  are  possible ;"  and  faith  will  speak  like  a 
little  omnipotent:  "  I  can  do  all  things."  Sometimes  we  find 
him  giving  it  the  glory  of  the  forgiving  and  pardoning  of  sin, 
which  is  his  alone  prerogative :  we  "  receive  the  remission  of 
sins  through  faith  in  his  hlood."  The  cleansing  of  the  heart 
is  God's  prerogative,  and  yet  it  is  ascribed  to  laith.  Acts  xv. 
9  :  "  purifying  their  hearts  by  faith."  Now,  why,  think  you, 
will  God  set  his  own  crown  upon  the  liead  of  the  grace  of 
faith,  which  ho  will  not  do  to  men  or  angels,  or  any  creature 
whatsoever/  Why,  the  ])lain  reason  is,  because  faith  is  such 
an  honest  self-denied  kind  of  thing,  that  it  will  have  no  glory 
to  itself,  but  turns  all  back  again  upon  the  grace  of  God;  say- 
ing, "  Not  unto  us,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  be  the  glory." 
Whatever  a  man  docs  by  faith,  he  will  be  far  from  boasting 
in  himself,  or  grace  received  ;  it  pays  the  rent  of  praise  full 
tale  to  the  grace  of  God  alone,  without  keeping  back  the  least 
mite,  as  Ananias  and  Sapphira  did,  and  as  all  hypocrites  do. 
It  is  true,  will  faith  say,  "I  can  do  all  things;"'  but  it  is 
"  through  Ghrist  strengthening  me."  It  is  true,  1  have  a  per- 
fect righteousness  ;  but  it  is  "  in  the  Lord,  sui'ely,  that  I  have 
righteousness;  in  him  will  I  be  justified,  and  in  him  will  I 
glory."  It  is  true,  I  jiurify  the  heart ;  but  it  is  by  the  Spirit 
and"  blood  of  .lesus  that  I  do  it.  I  have  forgiveness  ;  but  it  is 
i?i  his  bluod.  I  have  a  title  to  a  reward  of  glory;  but  not  as 
a  reward  of  my  lal)<)ur,  but  as  the  travail  of  C'hrist's  soul : 
the  reward  is  a  debt  due  to  him,  and  not  to  me.  I  am  an 
heir  of  God ;  but  it  is  by  !)eing  a  joint  hcirrrilh  Christ.  Thus, 
then,  you  see,  that  the  grace  of  faith,  as  well  as  the  doctrine 
or  law  of  faith,  is  calculated  for  abasing  self,  and  advancing 
the  glory  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  salvation  of  sinners;  and 
therefore  we  may,  on  the  whole,  well  say  with  the  apostle  in 
the  text.  Where  is  boast ini^r  then  ?  Jl  is  cxiluilcd.  By  zihut  law  ? 
ofxcorks!  A'ai/ ;  but  bi/  the  larv  of  faith. 

II.  The  next  thing  in  the  method  was  the  Application.  And 
the  frst  use  shall  be  for  L formation  in  the  following  particu- 
lars:— 

I.  Then,  See  from  this  doctrine,  that  boasters  are  none  of 


572  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

God's  favourites,  whatever  they  may  think  of  themselves  ; 
why,  boasting  is  excluded  by  the  gospel.  Yea,  so  far  are 
they  from  being  the  favourites,  that  if  we  consult  the  records 
of  scripture,  we  shall  find  that  all  along  he  has  had  a  particu- 
lar pique  and  quarrel  with  them,  Is.  ii.  12:  "  The  day  of  the 
Lord  of  hosts  shall  be  upon  every  one  that  is  proud  and  lofty, 
and  upon  every  one  that  is  lifted  up,  and  he  shall  be  brought 
low."  Pharaoh  was  a  proud  boaster:  "  I  will  pursue,  I  will 
overtake,  I  will  divide  the  spoil:  Who  is  the  Lord  that  I  should 
obey  him?"  But  what  comes  of  his  boasting?  He  is  made 
to  sink  like  lead,  and  his  whole  army,  in  the  mighty  waters. 
So  Sennacherib  makes  his  boast:  "  By  the  multitude  of  my 
chariots  am  I  come  up  to  the  height  of  the  mountains,  to  the 
sides  of  Lebanon,  and  I  will  cut  down  the  tall  cedars  there- 
of, and  the  choice  fir  trees  thereof:  and  I  will  enter  into  the 
heii^ht  of  his  border,  and  the  forest  of  his  Carniel."  So  Nebu- 
chadnezzar: "Is  not  this  great  Babylon,  that  I  have  built  for 
the  house  of  the  kingdom,  by  the  might  of  my  power,  and  for 
the  honour  of  my  majesty?"  But  how  remarkably  those 
mighty  boasters  were  abased  and  brought  down,  the  sacred 
story  records :  the  army  of  one  overthrown  by  an  angel  of 
God,  and  the  other  herded  among  the  beasts  of  the  field.  Herod 
is  proud  of  his  fine  oration,  and  receives  the  applause  of  the 
people  ("  It  is  the  voice  of  a  god,  and  not  of  a  man,")  with- 
out giving  them  any  check  ;  therefore  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
smites  him,  and  he  is  eaten  of  worms.  Hezekiah  makes  his 
boast  of  his  treasures  and  precious  things  to  the  king  of  Ba- 
bylon's ambassadors,  sent  to  congratulate  his  recovery  ;  and 
therefore  the  Lord  tells  him,  that  his  posterity  and  precious 
things  should  be  carried  captive  to  Babylon.  David,  through 
the  pride  of  his  heart,  will  have  Joab  to  number  the  people, 
that  he  might  have  it  to  boast  of,  that  he  was  King  over  so 
many  thousands;  and  therefore  the  angel  of  the  Lord  is  sent, 
who  cuts  of!"  seventy  thousand  of  Israel  in  three  days'  time,  by 
a  raging  pestilence.  But  say  you.  Though  God  will  not  allow 
his  people  to  boast  of  these  external  things,  yet  will  he  not 
allow  them  to  boast  of  (heir  graces,  manifestations,  and  expe- 
riences ?  1  answer.  No,  he  will  not  allow  them  to  boast  of 
these,  either.  David  gets  a  sweet  visit  from  the  Lord,  and  he 
begins  to  boast  of  it,  Psal.  xxx.  6, 7.  Now,  says  he,  "My  moun- 
tain stands  strong;  I  shall  never  be  moved:"  but  the  Lord 
soon  gives  him  a  check,  as  appears  from  the  words  immediate- 
ly following,  "  Thou  didst  hide  thy  face,  and  I  was  troubled." 
The  apostle  Paul  was  "  wrapt  up  to  the  third  heaven,"  and 
was  in  danger  of  pride,  "  through  abundance  of  revelations:" 
but  will  the  Lord  countenance  this?  No,  no :  to  hide  pride  and 
boasting  from  him,  "  a  thorn  in  the  flesh  is  sent,  a  messenger 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  573 

of  Satan  to  buffet  him,  lest  he  should  be  lifted  up  above  mea- 
sure." So  that  you  sec  God  is  an  enemy  to  all  boasting :  he  al- 
lows of  no  boasting  but  boasting  like  that  of  David,  '•  My  soul 
shall  make  her  boast  in  (iod;"  or  like  that  of  Paul,  '-Who  shall 
separate  me  iVom  the  love  of  Christ?"  ttc.  He  allows  the 
boasting  of  faith,  but  not  of  sense.  And  I  am  jicrsuaded,  that 
this  is  one  great  reason  why  the  Lord's  people  are  kept  so 
long  in  the  wilderness  under  desertion,  temptation,  and  the 
like,  and  why  he  hides  his  face  from  them,  because  he  sees 
that  if  they  were  lifted  up  with  manifestations,  they  could  not 
bear  it. 

2.  See  from  this  doctrine  the  excellency  and  necessity  of 
this  grace  of  faith.  Why,  it  is  by  faith  we  answer  the  de- 
sign of  the  gospel  or  law  of  faith.  What  in  all  the  world 
can  answer  the  law  of  faith,  if  it  be  not  faith  ?  The  law  of 
commandments  must  be  answered  by  practice,  and  the  law 
of  faith  by  believing.  Faith  is  such  an  excellent  thing  that 
it  just  embraces  the  whole  revelation  in  tlie  gospel,  and  says 
amen  to  it;  it  "  sets  to  the  seal,  that  God  is  true." 

3.  See  hence  the  criminal  nature  of  unbelief,  which  tram- 
ples both  law  and  gosi)el.  It  tramples  on  the  law  of  com- 
mandments, and  the  authority  of  the  great  Law-giver ;  for 
"  this  is  his  commandment,  that  we  should  believe  on  the  name 
of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,"  1  John  iii.  23 ;  and  this  his  command- 
ment he  has  fenced  with  an  awful  penalty,  "He  that  be- 
lieveth  not  is  condemned  already."  Now,  unbelief  despises 
both  the  law  and  the  penalty  of  it,  and  in  effect  says,  with 
proud  Pharaoh,  "  Who  is  the  Lord  that  1  should  obey  him  (" 
And,  as  for  the  law  of  faith,  or  the  gospel,  and  the  promises 
of  it,  unbelief  tramples  on  these  also,  and  says  God  is  not 
worthy  of  credit,  "  He  that  believeth  not  God  hath  made  him 
a  liar."     O  tremble  at  unbelief. 

4.  Sec,  hence,  whence  it  is  that  believers  may  have  such 
boldness  and  assurance  when  they  come  before  a  throne  of 
grace.  Why,  the  man  has  law,  even  "  the  law  of  faith,"  on 
his  side,  and  this  gives  him  courage.  Vou  know,  a  man  that 
has  the  law  on  his  side,  holds  up  his  head  in  court,  and  looks 
with  an  air  of  courage,  aiul  will  speak  with  boldness  to  the 
Judge.  Well,  this  is  the  case  with  the  believer;  he  has  the 
law  of  faith,  the  gospel,  and  all  the  promises  of  it,  on  his  side, 
and  he  hinds  the  Lord  with  his  own  laws  and  acts  of  grace, 
Heb.  X.  22 :  "  Let  us  draw  near,  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  as- 
surance of  faith;"  and  then,  ver.  23,  it  is  added,  "  For  faith- 
ful is  he  that  hath  promised."  God  has  enacted,  that  we  shall 
have  "  access  into  the  holiest  bv  tlu^  blood  of  Jesus,"  that 
he  will  accept  of  us  in  the  new  and  living  way ;"  and  there- 


574  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

fore,  "let  us  dravv  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance 
of  faith." 

5.  See,  hence,  one  great  difference  betwixt  faith  and  pre- 
sumption, betwixt  a  gospel  and  legal  spirit.  A  legal,  pre- 
sumptuous spirit,  is  a  boasting  spirit;  but  a  gospel-spirit,  a 
spirit  of  true  faith,  is  an  humble,  self-emptied  spirit.  The 
presumptuous  legalist  comes  boasting,  with  the  proud  Phari- 
see, "  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men,"  &c. ; 
but  the  true  believer  comes  with  lowliness  of  spirit,  like  the 
poor  publican,  building  his  hope  only  on  the  mercy  of  God, 
intimated  in  the  gospel  or  law  of  faith,  "he  stands  afar  off, 
crying,  God  have  mercy  upon  me  a  sinner."  The  language 
of  the  one  is,  Let  self  be  exalted;  but  the  language  of  the 
other  is,  O  let  grace,  grace  alone,  be  exalted  through  the 
blood  of  a  Redeemer  in  my  salvation:  and  that  is  one  reason 
why  believers  are  in  scripture  described  htanble  and  poor,  be- 
cause they  are  emptied  of  all  boasting  of  themselves,  and 
have  submitted  to  the  law  of  faith,  by  which  boasting  is  ex- 
cluded. 

6.  See,  hence,  how  it  is  that  some,  yea,  most  believers, 
steal  away  to  heaven  without  any  great  noise,  the  world 
knowing  little  about  them.  Why,  they  are  no  boasters ;  they 
do  not,  like  the  Pharisee,  proclaim  their  goodness  to  the 
world ;  no,  they  are  hidden  ones,  hid  from  the  world,  and  hid 
from  themselves;  they  see  nothing  but  emptiness  in  them- 
selves, and  when  they  compare  themselves  with  others,  they 
think  they  are  the  greatest  of  sinners,  and  the  least  of  all 
saints.  The  law  of  faith,  which  they  are  under,  excludes 
boasting;  it  is  calculated  for  levelling  the  pride  of  the  heart, 
and  exalting  the  freedom  of  grace  only. 

7.  See,  hence,  that  self,  in  all  the  branches  of  it,  is  diame- 
trically opposite  to  the  spirit  of  the  gospel ;  why,  the  law  of 
faith  is  calculated  for  levelling  self  It  was  not  without  rea- 
son, that  Christ  has  told  us,  "  If  any  man  will  be  his  disciple, 
he  must  deny  himself"  We  must  deny  our  own  reason;  car- 
nal reason  cannot  know,  it  "  cannot  receive  the  things  of  the 
Spirit  of  God."  We  must  deny  our  own  will,  and  yield  to 
the  will  of  grace  revealed  in  the  gospel,  or  "  law  of  faith." 
We  must  deny  our  own  righteousness,  and  submit  unto  the 
righteousness  of  Christ.  And,  oh  !  how  hard  a  pull  is  it  to 
bring  the  sinner  to  deny  these  three  branches  of  self!  Yet 
they  must  be  denied ;  otherwise  we  cannot  be  disciples  of 
Christ. 

8.  See  hence,  what  judgment  we  are  to  form  of  a  proud 
spirit.  Let  a  man's  parts  and  endowments  be  ever  so  bright, 
yet  if  he  be   proud  of  them,  he  wants  the  true  spirit  of  the 


XVll.]  ISSUING  FORTH   FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  575 

gospel ;  and  in  so  far  he  is  under  (he  law  of  works,  which  ad- 
mits hoasting  in  the  creature. 

0.  Sec  tiiat  liumihty  is  a  glorious  gospel-ornament,  a  self- 
denied  spirit :  "  To  this  man  will  1  look,  even  to  him  that  is 
poor,  and  of  a  contrite  spirit,  and  trcmhleth  at  rny  word. 
Though  God  he  high,  yet  liath  he  a  respect  unto  the  lowly." 
The  richest  wines  of  the  gospel  consolation  are  laid  up  in  the 
lowest  heart:  "  He  giveth  grace  to  the  humhie,"  &.c. 

10.  See,  hence,  the  ditlenincc  hetwixt  gospel  and  legal 
preaching,  and  wiiat  it  is  that  makes  an  ahle  minisNtcr  of  the 
New  Testament,  namely,  to  rid  marches  well  betwixt  the 
law  of  vvorks  and  the  law^  of  faith;  to  level  at  the  beating 
down  of  self,  and  the  exalting  of  the  freedom  of  grace  in  the 
salvation  of  sinners  through  Christ ;  to  be  a  faithful  herald  in 
proclaiming  and  intimating  the  law  of  faith,  and  the  whole 
counsel  of  God  respecting  salvation. 

Use  secojul  is  o(  Exhortation.  Has  (iod  issued  out  a  law  of 
grace  from  mount  Zion,  for  the  benefit  of  lost  sinners  sinking 
under  the  curse  of  the  law  of  works?  and  is  this  law  so  cal- 
cidated  by  Infinite  Wisdom  for  abasing  self,  and  exalting  the 
freedom  of  grace  in  the  salvation  of  sinners?  .0  then,  for  the 
Lord's  sake,  and  for  your  own  soul's  sake,  let  me  call  all 
hearing  me  to  come  away  from  mount  Sinai'to  mount  Zion; 
come  away  from  the  law  of  works,  which  condemns  the 
whole  race  of  Adam  in  bulk,  and  receive  the  law  of  faith; 
take  the  benefit  of  these  acts  and  edicts  of  grace  that  are  ad- 
mitted in  tlie  gospel  from  a  throne  of  grace.  Sirs,  it  is  ordi- 
nary for  kings,  when  they  enact  laws  at  court,  showing  the 
duty,  or  e^ablishing  the  interest  and  privilege  of  the  subji-ct, 
to  send  their  heralds  to  intimate  and  proclaim  them  in  the 
public  places  of  concourse,  that  none  may  pretend  ignorance; 
but  when  they  have  done  so,  tliev  leave  it  to  every  man  to 
take  the  benefit  of  the  law  or  not,  as  he  has  u  mind.  lUit 
the  great  Ki\o,  whoso  name  is  irracio'/s  and  mcrcifii/,  not 
only  orders  us  to  intimate  and  proclaim  the  beneficial  laws 
of  sovereign  grace,  but  he  has  given  us  express  orders  to  urge 
and  compel  you  to  come  in,"  and  take  the  benefit  of  his  acts 
of  grace.  And  therefore,  ihat  I  may  act  according  to  my 
commission  from  the  Lord,  I  must  be  allowed  to  make  use  of 
some  few  arguments  to  engage  your  compliance  with  my  ex- 
hortation. O  sirs,  fpiit  and  renounce  the  law  of  works,  and 
take  the  benefit  of  the  law  of  fiiitb. 

Motive  1.  Shall  be  drawn  from  the  considoration  of  the  evil 
and  danger  of  cleaving  to  mount  Sinai-law  for  righteousness. 
And  this  will  appear,  if  you  consider, 

l.s/.  That,  since  the  fall  of  Adam,  the  mount  Sinai-law  ne- 
ver brought  righteousness  or  Tde  to  any  of  his  posterity;  no, 


576  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

no,  "  the  law  is  weak  through  the  flesh,"  says  the  apostle, 
Rom.  viii.  3:  it  is  strong  to  condemn  the  sinner;  but, through 
the  corruption  of  nature,  and  our  weakness  to  obey,  it  is  be- 
come weak  and  insuflicient  to  give  life  to  us.  The  apostle 
tells  us  Gal.  iii.  21,  that  "  if  there  had  been  a  law  given  which 
could  have  given  life,  verily  righteousness  should  have  been 
by  the  law :"  where  he  plainly  supposes,  that  no  command- 
ing law  since  the  fall  can  possibly  give  life  or  righteousness  to 
man ;  yea,  so  far  is  the  law  of  commandments  incapable  to 
give  life,  that  it  sends  the  whole  family  of  Adam  to  hell  to- 
gether:  "Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things 
which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them." 

'2dly,  This  law  of  works  or  commandments  requires  and 
exacts  of  you  what  is  impossible  as  a  term  or  condition  of  life, 
and  that  is  perfect  or  sinless  obedience.  'No  mere  man  since 
the  fall  is  able  perfectly  to  keep  the  commandments  of  God ;' 
and  yet  this  law  will  not  abate  one  ace;  it  "requires  brick, 
but  gives  no  straw ;"  it  requires  obedience,  but  gives  no 
strength ;  yea,  it  exacts  as  much  service  and  obedience  of  a 
sick  man,  as  though  he  were  perfectly  sound,  of  fallen  man, 
as  though  he  was  in  his  primitive  integrity.  It  is  a  common 
foolish  notion  of  many  ignorant  people,  that  if  they  yield  sin- 
cere obedience,  and  do  as  well  as  they  can  in  obedience  to 
the  commandments  of  God,  God  will  accept  of  that  in  the 
room  of  that  [)erfect  righteousness  which  the  law  required  in 
iimocence.  But  beware  of  hazarding  your  souls  upon  such  a 
damnable  deluNion  ;  for  the  law  of  God  must  have  not  only  a 
sincere,  but  perfect  and  sinless  obedience,  or  nothing;  if  you 
do  not  continue  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law 
to  do  them,  the  curse  of  the  law  takes  place.  Indeed,  sin- 
cere obedience  is  admitted  as  a  return  of  gratitude  to  God 
upon  the  soul's  closing  with,  and  submitting  to,  the  perfect 
rinhteousness  of  Christ,  but  not  as  a  ground  of  acceptance 
before  God,  either  in  part  or  whole:  and  if  you  but  imagine  in 
your  heart,  that  your  own  imperfect  obedience,  though  ever 
so  sincere,  will  be  a  ground  of  acceptance,  or  a  title  to  life, 
either  in  part  or  whole,  you  "  become  a  debtor  to  do  the 
whole  law,"  Gal.  v.  3. 

3(//j/,  So  long  as  you  cleave  to  the  law  as  a  covenant,  there 
is  a  hand-writiiis;  standing  against  you  before  God  uncancelled, 
the  justice  of  God  has  a  bond  over  your  head:  "  The  sin  of 
Judah  is  written  before  him  as  with  a  pen  of  iron,  and  the 
point  of  a  diamond."  This  hand-writing  is  never  cancelled 
till  vou  believe  in  Christ,  and  submit  to  his  righteousness;  no, 
no,  you  are  "  condemned  already,  and  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  you."  But  at  that  moment  you  quit  the  law  as 
a  covenant,  and  take  the   benefit  of  the  gospel,  or  law  of 


XVII.]  ISSUIXG  FORTH  FROM   MOUNT  ZIOX.  577 

grace,  the  "  Surety  of  the  better  testament"  comes  in  betwixt 
you  and  all  obliifations  the  law  has  upon  you;  and  then  "  there 
is  no  more  condemnation."  Who  can  lay  at)y  thing  to  your 
charge  I 

■ilhltj,  While  you  arc  within  the  confines  of  mount  Sinai- 
law,  a  lowering  cloud  pregnant  with  wi'ath  hangs  over  your 
head,  whii:h  will  infallihly  dissolve  in  a  tempest  of  wrath,  to 
the  everlasting  ruin  of  your  souls,  unless  you  make  your  es- 
cape to  mount  Zion,  and  take  the  benefit  of  the  law  of  grace: 
"  Snares,  fire  and  brimstone,  and  a  horrible  tempest,  this 
shall  be  the  portion  of  your  cup."  Perhaps  you  may  be  cry- 
ing, Peace,  peace:  but  what  will  that  avail,  seeing  God  says 
otherwise,  "  There  is  no  peace,  saith  mv  God,  unto  the  wick- 
ed ?" 

5//(///,  It  is  no  M'onder  though  God  have  a  controversy  witli 
you,  while  you  cleave  to  the  law  of  works  ;  for  while  you  do 
so,  you  are  running  directly  cross  to  God  in  the  greatest  de- 
sign ever  he  had  in  hand,  which  is  the  glorious  work  of  re- 
demption through  Jesus  Christ :  Gal.  ii.  21:  "  If  righteousness 
come  by  the  law,  then  Christ  died  in  vain."  The  opening 
up  "a  new  and  living  way  to  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Je- 
sus," is  the  chief  of  the  ways  of  God,  the  very  master  i)iccc 
of  Infinite  Wisdom :  but  now  while  you  cleave  to  the  law, 
and  seek  righteousness  by  it,  you  are  running  counter  to 
Gcxl's  design  of  grace,  doing  what  in  you  lies  to  condemn 
and  shut  up  that  "new  and  living  way  which  God  has  opened, 
and  to  frustrate  the  design  of  the  incarnation  and  death  of 
the  eternal  Son  of  (Jod:  Gal.  v.  4 :  "  Clu'ist  is  become  of  no 
elfect  unto  you,  whosoever  of  you  are  justified  by  the  law ; 
ye  are  fallen  from  grace." 

Qlhlij,  To  cleave  to  mount  Sinai-law,  in  point  of  righteous- 
ness, is  the  greatest  folly  and  madness  in  the  world  ;  why, 
because  the  law  of  works,  or  the  law  covenant,  is  broken, 
and  can  serve  you  in  no  stead  for  salvation  ;  yea  the  breach 
of  it  was  intended  by  Infinite  Wisdom  as  an  inlet  to  the  law 
of  faith,  or  the  gospel  method  of  salvation  by  Christ,  and  his 
everlasting  rightccnisness.  I  was  hinting  formerly,  that  since 
the  fall  of  man,  the  law  was  never  given,  that  man  might 
stay  in  it  as  a  ground  of  hope,  but  that  by  it  he  might  be 
carried  beyond  the  law  to  Christ,  who  is  "the  end  of  the  law 
for  righteousness."  And  now  I  shall  adventure  to  say  more. 
That  when  God  gave  the  law  to  Adam  in  innocence,  in  the 
form  of  a  covenant,  he  never  designed  that  man's  happiness 
should  stand  upon  that  footing ;  no,  the  covenant  of  works 
was  only  designed  as  a  scaflbld  for  rearintj  up  a  more  glo- 
rious building  of  grace  and  mercy,  which  God  hassaid  "shall 
be  built  up  for  ever,"  Psal.  Ixxxix.  2.     Now,  what  strange 

VOL.  I.  41) 


578  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

madness  is  it  for  a  man  to  keep  by  the  scaffold,  when  the 
fabric  for  which  it  was  erected  is  complete  and  finished !  O 
sirs,  "Wisdom  hath  builded  her  house, she  hath  hewn  out  her 
seven  pillars  ;"  her  house  is  finished,  provided,  and  accom- 
modated with  every  thing  needful  for  the  sinner's  salva- 
tion. Why  then  will  you  stay  longer  upon  the  broken 
scaffold  of  the  law,  as  though  by  it  you  could  make  your 
way  to  heaven?  Christ  is  the  only  bridge  of  communication 
betwixt  God  and  man  ;  no  Mediator  but  he,  "  no  coming  to 
the  Father  but  by  him."  O  then  do  not  adventure  to  pass 
the  gulf  upon  the  Ijroken  shreds  and  planks  of  your  own  lame 
righteousness  by  the  works  of  the  law,  lest  you  go  to  the 
bottom  :  "  As  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under 
the  curse,"  Gal.  iii.  10.  O  will  you'choose  rather  to  risk  the 
salvation  of  your  souls  for  ever,  than  venture  on  the  obe- 
dience and  satisfaction  of  Christ,  the  alone  "  foundation  God 
hath  laid  in  Zion  ?"  For  the  Lord's  sake,  then,  take  care 
what  you  do. 

Mot.  2.  To  persuade  you  to  quit  the  law  of  works,  the 
mount  Sinai-law  as  a  covenant,  and  to  fall  in  with  the  law 
of  faith,  I  mean,  to  take  the  benefit  of  the  glorious  gospel, 
and  the  promises  of  it,  will  you  but  consider  what  advantage- 
ous discoveries  the  gospel  makes  to  the  miserable  sinner  ; 
it  discovers  and  presents  to  him  whatever  he  needs  or  wants 
in  that  miserable  situation  he  is  reduced  to  by  the  fall, 

1st,  O  sinner,  thou  wantest  a  ransom  unto  justice,  that 
thou  mayst  not  go  down  to  the  pit.  Well,  here  it  is,  Christ 
is  the  ransom ;  "  He  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  many  ;"  and 
he  is  set  forth,  in  the  gospel,  "  as  a  propitiation  through  faith 
in  his  blood."  Tell  me,  sirs,  you  that  cleave  to  the  law  of 
works,  can  the  law  atford  you  this  ?  No,  by  no  means,  Rom. 
viii.  3.  All  your  doings  will  not  do  the  business,  yea,  though 
you  were  but  guilty  of  one  sinful  thought  in  your  whole  life, 
that  one  flaw  in  your  obedience  renders  the  law  weak  to  save 
you,  and  is  like  a  dead  fly,  which  makes  all  your  obedience  to 
stink ;  and  will  ever  such  a  stinking  obedience  be  a  ransom 
for  a  soul  ?  Nothing  can  be  a  ransom  for  a  guilty  soul  but 
blood  :  "Without  the  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remission 
of  sin  :"  Blood,  blood  is  the  demand  of  justice,  either  the 
blood  of  the  sinner,  or  of  the  Surety,  and  no  less  blood  than 
the  blood  of  an  infinite  person  can  be  admitted.  Now,  the 
gospel,  I  say,  discovers  and  presents  this  ransoming  and  ato- 
ning blood,  by  which  all  the  demands  of  justice  are  answered 
to  the  full. 

2dly,  Art  thou  in  a  starving  condition,  like  to  drop  down 
for  want  of  soul-food,  like  the  poor  prodigal,  who,  in  a  far 
country,  was  perishing  for  want,  attempting  to  fill  thy  belly 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FuoM  MOUNT  zro\.  579 

with  liusks  of  carnal  comforts,  or  of  legal  duties,  but  still 
findest  thy  soul  empty  ?  Well,  the  gosjici  casts  up  a  ban- 
queting-housc,  where  thou  mayost  "  eat  tiiat  which  is  good, 
and  delight  thyself  with  ahundance  of  fatness,"  Is.  Iv.  2.  To 
this  purpose  is  that,  Is.  xxv.  G:  "In  this  mountain,"  namely 
mount  Zion,  or  the  gospel  church,  "  shall  the  Lord  of  hosts 
make  unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines 
on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on  the  lees 
well  refined.  Wisdom  hath  nvl  o/ih/  huilded  her  house,  hul 
she  hath  mingled  lier  wine,  killed  her  fatlings,  and  made  all 
things  ready."  Christ,  the  bread  of  life,  is  ready  for  the  star- 
ving sinner ;  no  more  but  to  take  and  eat,  to  receive  and  ap- 
ply him,  and  his  whole  fulness.  O  then  take  the  benefit  of 
the  law  of  taith  ;  fall  in  with  the  gospel  call  and  invitation. 

3clli/,  O  sinner,  there  is  a  loathsome  disease  that  cleaves 
fast  to  thee,  thou  art  "  full  of  wounds,  bruises,  and  putrefying 
sores,  from  the  crown  of  the  head  even  to  the  sole  of  the  foot, 
which  have  not  been  bound  up,  nor  mollified  with  ointment." 
Well,  the  gospel  tells  thee,  that  there  is  "balm  in  Gilcad,  and 
a  physician  there,"  whose  name  is  Jkhovah  Rophi,  "  I  am 
the  Lord  that  hcaleth  thee."  O  sirs,  Christ  is  the  sinner's 
Saviour,  the  sinner's  physician  ;  and  every  sinner  has  as  good 
right  to  come  to  him,  as  such,  as  ever  a  wounded  or  sick  man 
in  a  regiment  had  to  call  for  the  help  of  the  physician  or 
chirurgeon  of  that  regiment ;  the  very  ofiice  of  a  physician 
obliges  him  to  serve  the  sick.  Now,  Christ  being  a  physi- 
cian by  office,  warrants  the  lost  sinner  to  come  to  him  with 
his  dying,  diseased  soul ;  and,  bo^'ond  pcradventurc,  whoever 
comes  to  him,  he  will  not,  not,  not  cast  him  out. 

4thli/,  O  sinner,  thou  art  polluted  and  defiled  "  among  the 
pots,"  spotted  like  the  leopard,  black  like  the  Ethiopian. 
Well,  the  gospel  discov^ers  "  a  fountain  opened  to  the  house 
of  David,  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  for  sin,  and 
for  uncleanness."  O  come  and  wash  in  this  fountain,  in  the 
Jordan  of  a  Redeemer's  blood  :  and  "  thounh  ye  have  lien 
among  the  pots,  ye  shall  be  like  the  wings  of  a  dove."  Do 
not  say  you  have  no  right  to  come  to  the  tbuntain,  for  you 
have  (iod's  command  to  wash,  to  "  make  y^^i^  clean,"  Is.  i. 
IG.  He  has  promised  to  "  sprinkle  you  with  clean  water," 
Ezck.  XXX vi.  25. 

5lkli/,  The  gospel,  or  law  of  faith,  presents  thee  with  a 
robe  to  cover, the  "shame  of  thy  nakedness,"  even  the  best 
robe  that  heaven  can  afford  :  Rev.  iii.  18  :  "I  counsel  thee  to 
buy  of  me  white  raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and 
that  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  api)ear."  Suppose 
vou  were  strijtped  naked,  going  from  door  to  door,  seeking  a 
rag  to  cover  you,  if  one   should   i)resent  you  with   clothes, 


580  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

and  put  them  upon  you,  would  you  not  ]'eckon  yourself 
obliged  to  that  person?  Weil,  this  is  thy  case:  thy  soul  is 
naked  before  God  ;  but  here  is  "  a  robe  of  righteousness,  and 
a  garment  of  salvation,"  presented  in  the  gospel,  to  cover 
thee,  '•  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  that  are  stout-hearted,  and  far 
from  righteousness.  I  bring  near  my  righteousness :  it  shall 
not  be  far  off."  The  law  of  works  is  "a  bed  too  short,  a 
covering  too  narrow"  for  a  sinner.  Thy  righteousness  by 
the  law  is  as  filthy  rags,  and  instead  of  a  covering,  does  but 
deform  and  defile  the  soul;  but  here  is  a  clotliing, bright  like 
the  sun.  Rev.  xii.  1,  and  every  one  that  puts  it  on  by  faith, 
"  shall  shine  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  the  Father."  Our 
first  parents,  whenever  they  found  themselves  naked,  fell  at 
work  to  sew  fig-leaves  together  for  aprons  to  cover  their 
shame,  until  God  provided  them  coats  of  skins,  probably  skins 
of  the  beasts  offijred  in  sacrifice,  thereby  t-eaching  them,  that 
their  soul-nakedness  was  to  be  covered  with  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  oor  great  atoning  sacrifice:  I  say,  whenever 
these  coats  of  skins  were  provided  for  them,  they  threw  away 
their  fig-leaves  as  useless.  This  is  the  very  case  with  the 
sinner ;  so  soon  as  he  falls  under  a  conviction  of  his  spirit- 
ual nakedness  before  God,  he  studies  to  sew  together  an  apron 
of  his  own  works.  The  harlot,  Pro  v.  vii.  14,  pleads,  that  she 
"  had  peace-offerings  with  her  ;  this  day,"  says  she,  "  have  I 
paid  my  vows;"  and  with  this  apron  she  imagined  to  cover 
the  filthiness  of  her  adultery.  But,  alas  !  this  will  not  do  ; 
for  God  says,  "  Their  webs  shall  not  become  garments,  nei- 
ther shall  they  cover  themselves  with  their  works,"  Is.  lix.  6. 
Therefore,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  cast  away  these  fig-leaves, 
as  useless,  as  dung  and  loss,  seeing  you  are  now  called  to  ac- 
cept of  the  white  raiment  of  God's  providing.  Say  with  Paul, 
when  Christ  was  discovered  to  him,  "  I  count  all  but  loss  and 
dung,  that  I  may  be  found  in  him."  Paul,  in  this  case,  is 
just  like  a  man  swimming  for  his  life  upon  a  broken  plank : 
so  soon  as  ever  he  comes  to  a  vessel  that  will  carry  him 
ashore,  he  quits  his  plank,  and  betakes  himself  to  the  whole 
and  sound  vessel;  and  so  reckons  himself  in  safety. 

6lhlu,  The  gospel  discovers  or  presents  thee  with  a  cool- 
ing, refreshing  shadow,  to  defend  thee  from  the  heat  of  divine 
wrath.  Perhaps  some  of  you  have  been  at  the  foot  of  Sinai, 
or  at  present  are  scorched  with  the  flashes  of  divine  wrath, 
cast  out  from  that  burning  mountain.  Well,  here  is  mount 
Zion,  take  the  benefit  of  the  gospel,  and  thou  shalt  find  the 
"  shadow  of  a  great  rock,"  where  the  flames  of  vindictive 
wrath  cannot  reach  thee :  Cant.  ii.  3 :  "  I  sat  down,"  says  the 
spouse,  "  under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,"  &c.  When 
the  children  of  Israel  travelled  through  the  burning  sands  of 


XVII.]  issumc  FORTH  from  mount  zioy.  581 

Arabia,  they  had  no  shelter  from  the  scorching  heat,  but  a 
miraculous  cloud,  with  which  God  overshadowed  the  camp, 
for  the  space  of  forty  years.  I  have  read  of  some,  who  tra- 
velling through  these  sandy  deserts,  have  dropped  down  dead 
with  the  heat  of  the  sun  :  so  that  this  c^luud  that  covered  the 
camp  of  Israel,  was  of  absolute  necessity  to  them,  otherwise 
they  could  never  have  subsisted  there,  especially  for  such  a 
long  tract  of  time;  it  was  not  their  thin  tents  that  would  defend 
them.  This  cloud  typificil  the  righteousness  of  Christ  revealed 
in  the  gospel ;  this  is  the  only  covering  under  which  a  guilty 
sinner  can  be  preserved  from  the  "  devouring  fires  and  ever- 
lasting burnings"  of  divine  wrath.  It  is  not  any  thing  done 
by  you  that  will  dej3nd  you,  unless  you  get  under  "  the  sha- 
dow of  this  great  rock  in  the  weary  land."  The  cloud  that 
screened  Israel  from  the  beams  of  the  sun,  was  itself  exposed 
to  the  burning  lieat;  so  Christ  exposed  himself  to  the  w'rath 
of  his  Father,  that  he  might  be  a  lasting  and  perpetual  sha- 
dow to  protect  us  from  it.  As  Israel  did,  for  the  space  of 
forty  years,  travel  under  the  shadow  of  the  cloud;  so, while 
we  are  travellers  in  this  weary  land,  we  must  be  journeying 
under  the  shadow  of  Christ,  and  his  everlasting  righteousness. 
If  any  of  the  children  of  Israel  went  out  from  the  shadow 
of  the  cloud,  they  were  in  danger  of  being  burnt  up  with 
excessive  heat;  so,  if  at  any  time  a  believer,  through  a  re- 
maining legal  spirit,  and  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  depart 
from  Christ,  seeking  relief  from  the  law,  he  is  in  danger  of 
being  scorched  with  mount  Sinai  (lames,  and  never  shall  he 
Ihid  rest  till  by  faith  he  return  to  the  place  where  Christ 
"  makcth  his  flocks  to  rest  at  noon." 

Itlibj,  The  gospel  discovers  a  city  of  refuge  for  the  poor 
sinner,  who  is  ])ursiKd  by  the  law  and  justice  of  God.  We 
read  of  cities  of  refuge  under  the  law,  that  were  a  conmion 
j^ood  to  the  children  of  Israel,  Num.  xxxv.  15,  2.'},  2-1.  If  a 
man  had  killed  his  neii^hbour  but  by  mere  accident,  without 
any  design,  yet  he  n^ust  not  stay  at  i»is  own  house,  expecting 
safety  there,  but  he  njust  with  all  speed  flee  to  "  the  city  of 
r(;fuge,"  as  the  ordinance  of  God  for  his  safety.  This  was  a 
faint  type  and  shadow  of  Christ,  the  blessed  refuge  and  ho])e 
iiii\  JK'ibrc  us  in  the  <i,f>s-pe(.  The  sinner  l)eing  guilty  of  death, 
and  the  sword  of  justice  being  drawn  and  fnrhished,  in  order 
to  1)0  bathed  in  his  hlood,  God  cries  to  him  from  heaven  to  flee 
for  his  life  to  Christ,  '•  Turn  ye  to  your  strong-hold,  y.(»  prir 
soiKM's  of  hope. — Turn  ye,  tutu  ye:  why  will  ye  die,  O  house 
of  Israel  V  And  as  the  manslaycr,  when  within  the  gates  of 
the  city  of  refuge,  could  freely  confer  and  talk  with  the  aven- 
ger without  fear  of  danger:  so  a  God  of  vengeance  and  a  guilty 
tfiuner  mav  have  sweet  fellowship  with  one  another  in  Christ; 


582  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  '  [sER. 

for  "  by  this  better  hope  we  draw  nigh  unto  God,"  Heb.  vii. 
19.  It"  the  man.slayer,  during  the  hfe  of  the  high  priest,  had 
come  without  the  walls  of  the  city  of  refuge,  the  avenger  of 
blood  might  warrantably  kill  him  ;  so  if  the  best  and  holiest 
of  saints  should  go  forth  out  of  Christ,  and  from  under  the  co- 
vering of  his  blood  and  righteousness,  imagining  themselves 
to  be  in  safety  under  the  shelter  of  their  own  inhei'ent  holi- 
ness, God's  avenging  justice  might  warrantably  cut  them  off; 
and  therefore  it  is  your  wisdom  to  abide  in  Christ,  1  John  ii. 
28  :  "  Little  children,  abide  in  him,"  Let  us,  with  Paul,  be 
concerned  to  be  for  ever  found  in  him. 

Slhly,  The  gospel  discovers  a  blessed  stair,  or  ladder,  by 
which  we,  who  have  fallen  by  our  iniquities,  may  climb  up 
to  heaven,  and  have  access  to  the  holy  of  holies.  If  it  were 
possible  that  a  lost  sinner  could  fly  to  heaven  upon  the  wings 
of  his  own  works,  or  get  up  thither  by  the  broken  ladder  of 
the  law  of  works,  what  need  was  there  that  God  should  pro- 
vide such  an  expensive  one,  as  that  of  the  incarnation,  obe- 
dience, and  death  of  his  own  eternal  Son?  When  Jacob 
Gen.  xxviii.  was  travelling  in  Padan-arain,  in  a  dream  he  saw 
a  ladder,  the  foot  of  which  stood  upon  earth,  while  the  top  of 
it  reached  the  heavens.  By  this  ladder  was  signified  the  per- 
son of  Christ,  as  Immanuel,  God-man,  who,  as  to  his  human 
riature,  stood  upon  earth,  and,  as  to  his  divine  nature,  is  above 
the  height  of  the  highest  heavens;  and  likewise  the  office  of 
Christ  as  iVlediator,  who  joins  heaven  and  earth  together  in  a 
blessed  amity  and  concord.  The  foot  of  this  ladder  stood  in 
Bethel,  ihe  house  of  God,  in  the  church.  Christ  revealed  and 
exhibited  in  the  gospel,  is  the  lowest  step  of  the  ladder,  and 
comes  near  to  every  man  that  he  may  set  the  foot  of  faith 
upon  it,  in  order  to  his  climbing  up  to  glory.  This  ladder  is 
"the  gate  of  heaven:  I  am  the  door;  by  me  if  any  man  enter 
in,  he  shall  be  saved.  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the 
life :  there  is  no  way  of  coming  unto  the  Father  but  by  me." 
By  faith  in  his  atoning  blood  we  enter  into  the  holy  of  holies. 
At  the  death  of  Christ  the  veil  was  rent  from  the  top  to  the 
bottom,  and  the  way  to  the  holiest  laid  open,  that  we,  through 
the  human  nature  of  the  Son  of  God,  (which  was  rent  in  twain 
by  justice,)  might  enter  with  boldness. 

'dihlij,  The  gospel  discovers  a  rich  mine  or  treasure,  by 
which  you  may  be  made  up  for  ever,  even  "  the  unsearchabfc 
riches  of  Christ."  If  1  should  tell  this  company,  that  there  is 
such  a  treasure  of  gold  or  silver  hid  in  the  highway  betwixt 
this  and  the  next  town,  and  that  every  man  might  go  and 
take  as  much  of  it  as  he  had  a  mind,  O  what  a  strange  I'un 
would  there  be  among  this  multitude  !  But,  sirs,  though  T  can- 
not tell  you  of  earthly  riches,  yet  I  can  tell  you  of  a  field  where 


XVll.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  583 

far  better  riches  arc  to  be  found,  even  gold  tried  in  the  fire, 
better  than  the  iiold  of  Opiur,  riclies  that  do  not  rot  in  the 
grave ;  and  the  field  is  not  iar  olf,  you  have  it  in  the  Old  and 
New  Testament,  wiiich  is  among  your  hands,  you  iiave  it  in 
this  gospel  that  you  are  Iiearinci;:  ("hri?t  and  all  the  fulness  of 
the  Godhead,  Cinist  and  everlasting  life  in  him,  is  there.  O 
search  the  scriptures,  &c.  Prov.  ii.  4,  5:  "He  that  seeketh  it 
as  silver,  and  scarciieth  for  it,  as  for  a  hid  treasure,  shall  un- 
derstand the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  find  the  knowledge  of  God." 
Thus,  you  sec  what  glorious  and  advantageous  discoveries 
arc  made  to  sinners  by  the  gospel,  (the  law  of  faith ;)  and 
thcrclbrc,  for  the  Lord's  sake,  take  the  benefit  of  it. 

Mot.  3.  To  engage  you  to  take  the  benefit  of  the  law  of  faitli, 
by  believing  in  C'hrist,  pray  consider,  that  the  moral  law,  or 
law  of  commandments,  upon  the  revelation  of  Christ  in  the 
gospel,  binds  and  obliges  you  so  to  do.  I  do  not  say  that  the 
law  of  works  reveals  Christ;  no,  not  one  word  of  Christ  is  to 
be  found  in  the  whole  law  abstractly  considered  :  but  this  I 
say,  that  whenever  the  gospel  reveals  Christ,  the  law  wills, 
recjuircs,  and  commands  the  sinner,  under  the  scvei'est  pe- 
naltv,  to  close  with  him.  Will  not  the  law  lead  to  its  end,  and 
reciuire  the  sinner  to  helake  himself  to  him  who  is  "  the  end 
of  the  law  for  i-ightcoiiMicss,"  upon  the  revelation  of  him  by 
the  gos[)el  ?  Yes,  surely,  "This  is  Ins  commandment,  that 
you  believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ;"  and,  "he 
ihat  believeth  not  is  condemned  already."  But,  say  you, 
that  is  a  command  of  the  gospel,  not  of  the  law.  I  answer,  It 
is  a  conimand  of  the  law,  yes,  the  very  first  commandment 
of  the  moral  law:  " 'J'hou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before 
me  ;"  that  is,  thou  shalt  believe  and  trust  in  me  as  thy  God 
an(J  Ilcdeemcr,  and  in.  none  other,  for  life  and  salvation.  So 
that  although  the  moral  law  abstiactly  considered  does  not 
reveal  Christ  or  speak  one  word  of  him  ;  yet  considered  in  the 
concrete,  or  as  it  stands  connected  with,  and  subservient  to, 
the  gospel  revelation,  it  enjoins,  it  requires,  and  commands 
us  to  take  tlie  benefit  of  Christ  and  bis  righteousness.  And 
therefore;,  if  you  do  not  take  the  benefit  of  the  law  of  faith, 
you  break  and  violate  even  the  law  of  works,  by  whi<;h  you 
are  seeking  righteousness  and  salvation.  You  desire  to  "work 
the  work  of  God ;"  well,  "  this  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye 
believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent."  And,  do  what  you  will 
in  obedience  to  the  law  of  works,  it  will  all  be  rejected,  like  the 
"  olloririg  of  swine's  blood,"  except  you  obey  this  command- 
ment of  the  law  of  works,  which  is  to  take  the  benefit  of  the 
line  of  faith,  or  to  "  l)eli(ve  ot>  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God. 
Mot. 'I.  Consider  that  there  is  a  dotd)lc  vengeance  attending 
them  that  do  not  take  the  benefit  of  tie  law  of  laith;  and  no 


584  THE  LAW  OP  FAITH  [sER. 

wonder,  since  (as  you  have  heard)  they  despise  a  double  law, 
namely,  of  works  and  of  faith,  at  once ;  every  and  the  least 
transgression  even  of  the  law  of  works  incurs  wrath  and  ven- 
geance, death,  and  damnation,  against  the  sinner.  See  how 
the  apostle  argues  upon  this  head,  Heb.  x.  28,  29 :  "  He  that 
despised  Moses'  law,  died  without  mercy,"  &c.  Now  all  this 
the  man  is  guilty  of,  who  does  not  by  faith  fall  in  with  the 
revelation  of  the  law  of  faith ;  he  "  crucifies  the  Son  of  God 
afresh,"  reacts  and  approves  the  tragedy  acted  on  mount  Cal- 
vary, he  "  tramples  the  blood  of  the  covenant  under  foot,  and 
does  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of  grace,"  who  revealed  the  law 
of  faith  ;  and  therefore  a  double  vengeance  must  be  abiding 
you,  if  you  do  not  receive  the  law  of  faith,  O  unbelieving  sin- 
ner, "  consider  this,  lest  he  tear  you  in  pieces,  when  none  shall 
be  able  to  deliver  you  out  of  his  hand."  But  I  do  not  incline 
to  end  with  terrors ;  and  therefore, 

Mot.  5.  Consider  that  moment  you  take  the  benefit  of  the 
law  of  faith  (the  gospel  coming  forth  from  Zion,)  you  are 
acquitted  and  discharged  of  all  lhat  ever  the  law  of  works 
could  demand  of  you.  The  law  of  works  craved  only  a  single 
debt  of  Adam  in  innocency,  namely,  the  debt  of  obedience ; 
but  it  hath  a  double  charge  upon  the  sinner,  not  only  of  obe- 
dience to  its  precept,  but  also  it  craves  its  penalty  be  en- 
dured ;  and  of  this  double  debt  you  arc  not  capable  to  pay  the 
least  farthing.  Though  you  were  to  liv^e  Methuselah's  days, 
you  could  never  obey  one  precept  of  the  law,  as  it  is  the  law 
of  works,  being  utterly  destitute  of  that  principle  from  which, 
and  of  the  end  to  which,  all  acts  of  obedience  to  the  law  must 
be  performed;  for  the  holy  law  docs  not  look  so  much  to  the 
matter  of  the  action,  as  to  the  principle  and  end  of  it ;  so 
that  our  best  actions,  instead  of  being  acts  of  obedience  to 
the  law,  are  but  splendid  sins  before  God  the  great  Law- 
giver ;  and  therefore  the  debt  of  obedience  to  the  precept  you 
can  never  pay,  while  you  cleave  to  the  law  as  a  covenant. 
And  as  you  are  not  capable  to  pay  the  debt  of  obedience,  so  ' 
neither  are  you  in  your  own  person  capable  to  pay  the  debt 
of  punishment  or  satisfaction,  though  you  were  to  lie  in  hell- 
fire  through  an  endless  eternity.  The  reason  is,  because  jus- 
tice requires  an  infinite  satisfaction  for  an  infinite  offence ;  and 
can  the  punishment  of  a  finite  creature  ever  amount  to  an  in- 
finite satisfaction?  Thus,  you  are  insolvent  debtors  to  justice, 
by  virtue  of  the  precept  and  penalty  of  the  law  of  works, 
But  now,  I  say,  whenever  you  take  the  benefit  of  the  law  of 
feiith,  or  believe  in  Christ  as  he  is  offered  and  gifted  in  the 
promise  of  the  gospel,  you  are  that  moment  assoilzied  and  ac- 
quitted from  both  these  debts,  and  all  charges  that  the  law  of 
works  has  against  you :  you  are  no  more  concerned  with  it 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH   FKOM  MOUNT  ZIOV.  585 

either  in  point  of  juslification  or  condemnation:  "There  is, 
therefore,  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Je.sus.  Wlio  can  lay  any  lhin<i;  to  tiie  charge  of  Cod's 
elect?"  Perhaps,  iiulced,  the  devil  may  set  home  the  law 
as  a  covenant  upon  the  heliever  in  Christ,  craving  the  dcht 
both  of  obedience  and  punishment  for  sin  ;  but  the  believer, 
under  the  lively  exercise  of  faith,  has  a  ready  answer  to 
these  charges.  As  for  the  debt  of  obedience,  may  the  belie- 
ver say,  my  Surety  paid  it  by  his  spotless  ol)edicnce;  "he  mat^- 
nihed  the  law  and  made  it  honourable,  and  Jehovah  is  well 
pleased  for  his  righteousness'  sake,"  and  throuirji  him  the  right- 
eousness of  the  law  is  fuKiiled  in  me;  so  that,  although  now 
by'strength  derived  from  him,  I  resolve  to  honour  and  obey 
the  law  as  a  rule  of  obedience,  from  a  principle  of  love  and 
gratitude  to  my  blessed  Husband  and  Redeemer,  yet  as  a  co- 
venant I  owe  it  nothing  :  will  I  ever  dishonour  my  glorious 
Surety  so  far,  as  to  otTcr  my  own  grace  and  holiness  or  obe- 
dience in  the  room  of  his  everlasting  law-biding  righteousness? 
No,  no;  I  am  "dead  to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ,  be- 
ing married  to  another,  even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the 
dead,  that  I  may  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God."  And  then,  as 
for  the  debt  of  punishment  and  satisfaction,  I  owe  the  law 
of  works  nothing,  either:  why,  its  penalty  was  endured  by  my 
Kinsman  and  Redeemer,  "  he  finished  it  upon  the  cross,  he 
was  wounded  for  my  iniquities,  the  just  suffered  for  the 
unjust,"  his  blood  answers  for  my  ofFences,  and  his  resurrec- 
tion is  my  discharge  for  justification  ;  "  It  is  Christ  that  died, 
yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand 
of  God,  who  also  makcth  intercession  for  me;"  and,  therefore 
"  who  is  he  that  condcmneth,"  seeing  upon  this  ground  God 
does  justify?  It  is  reniarkable,  that  the  apostle  puts  a  note  of 
distinction  on  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  saying,  "  Yea  rather, 
that  is  risen  again,"  because  the  resurrection  of  Christ  from 
the  dead  is  an  invincible  proof  of  the  full  payment  of  the  debt, 
which  he  as  our  Surety  undertook  to  j»ay.  If  he  had  not  made 
full  payment,  the  jirison  of  the  grave  had  never  been  opened, 
and  he  dismissed,  or  "  trd<en  from  prisfin  and  from  judgment," 
Is.  liii.  8.  O  sirs,  I  bring  you  glad  tidings  of  great  joy,  our 
brother  Joseph,  our  eider  brother  Jesus,  his  head  is  lifted  up 
out  of  prison  by  a  glorious  resurrection  and  exaltation  ;  and 
therefore  let  all  the  seed  of  Israel  rejoice,  for  he  having  lifted 
up  the  head  as  a  public  person  and  representative,  our  heads 
arc  lifted  up  in  him,  and  with  him  :  Eph.  ii.  5,  0  :  "  Even  when 
we  were  dead  in  sins,  he  hath  (|uickened  us  together  with 
Christ  (by  grace  ve  are  saved.)  and  bath  raised  us  uj)  to'^efher 
and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  .lesus." 
And  therefore,  O  come  and  let  us  all  return  unto  a  (iod  of 


586  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER. 

peace,  who  hath  raised  up  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  from  the  dead: 
"  he  hath  torn  him  and  he  will  heal  us ;  he  hath  smitten  him, 
and  he  will  bind  us  up :  after  two  days  he  revived  us,"  who 
were  dead  in  law,  "  in  the  third  day  he  raised  us  up"  in  him; 
and  therefore  let  us  say,  in  a  way  of  believing,  "  We  shall 
live  in  his  sight:  Because  Christ  lives,  ye  shall  live  also."  Sure 
I  am,  if  we  had  but  the  lively  up-taking  of  this  mystery  of  a 
risen  Christ,  we  would  be  ready  to  join  the  apostle  in  his  dox- 
ology,  1  Pet.  i.  3 :  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  according  to  his  abundant  mercy, 
hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead." 

Mot.  6,  By  taking  the  benefit  of  the  law  of  faith  coming 
out  of  Zion,  the  law  of  commandments  coming  out  of  Sinai 
will  be  an  easy  yoke,  and  a  light  burden  to  you.  The  cove- 
nant of  works  was  such  "  a  yoke  of  bondage,  that  neither  we 
nor  our  fathers  were  able  to  bear  it ;"  this  is  spoken.  Acts  xv. 
10,  of  the  legal  dispensation  of  the  covenant  of  grace  under 
the  Old  Testament,  by  types,  ceremonies,  and  sacrifices,  &c. 
But  if  even  the  legal  dispensation  of  the  covenant  of  grace 
was  an  unsupportable  yoke;  what  must  the  covenant  of 
works  be?  But  now,  I  say,  by  faith's  improvement  of  the  gos- 
pel-law of  grace,  that  heavy  yoke  is  now  become  a  light  and 
easy  burden.  The  reason  is,  whenever  a  sinner  believes  in 
Christ,  by  virtue  of  the  gospel,  or  covenant  of  grace,  the 
righteousness  of  the  law,  as  a  covenant  is  fulfilled  in  him,  and 
he  gets  strength  from  Christ  to  obey  the  law  as  a  rule.  "  Surely 
in  the  Lord,  shall  one  say,  have  I  righteousness  and  strength:" 
and  faith,  falling  on  this  fund  of  righteousness  and  strength, 
cries  with  the  psalmist.  Psal.  Ixxi.  16:  "I  will  go  in  the 
strength  of  the  Lord  God,  making  mention  of  his  righteous- 
ness, even  of  his  only."  Now  the  man  rejoices  to  work  right- 
eousness, remembering  the  Lord  and  his  ways,  his  steps  are 
enlarged  under  him,  and  his  feet  become  as  hinds'  feet  in  the 
way  of  the  Lord ;  so  that  he  "  runs  and  does  not  weary,  he 
walks  and  docs  not  faint:"  the  man,  finding  himself  redeemed 
and  delivered  from  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  "  serves  the 
Lord  without  fear,"  without  a  servile  or  slavish  fear,  "  in  ho- 
liness and  righteousness,  all  the  days  of  his  life :"  with  Paul, 
he  "  delights  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  after  the  inward  man :" 
consenting  to  it,  that  it  is  "  holy,  just,  and  good  ;  esteems  it  the 
"  good,  and  acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God;"  makes  it  "a 
lamp  to  his  {eei,  and  a  light  to  his  paths;"  and  so  he  "goes 
on  from  strength  to  strength,  until  he  appear  before  the  Lord 
in  Zion."  Thus,  I  have  endeavoured  to  deal  with  you  as  ra- 
tional creatures,  and  to  draw  you  with  the  bands  of  a  man, 
to  take  the  benefit  of  the  law  of  faith  coming  forth   from 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  587 

mount  Zion :  look  to  the  Lord,  that  he  may,  by  the  power  of 
his  Spirit,  concur  and  make  it  clFectual  to  persuade  and  ena- 
ble you  thereto. 

I  conchide  all  in  a  few  words  by  way  of  direction  or  ad- 
vice, in  order  to  your  improvement  of  the  law  of  faith  or  the 
gospel  of  our  salvation. 

1.  Study  to  be  convinced  and  persuaded,  that  neither  you 
nor  any  of  the  race  of  Adam,  can  make  your  way  to  heaven 
by  tiie  law  of  works.  You  may  weary  yourselves  in  the 
u;reatness  of  your  way  to  bring  it  about,  but  all  in  vain.  As 
I  told  you  before,  so  1  tell  you  again,  that  door  is  condemned, 
that  bridge  is  broken,  that  scaifold  is  taken  down  :  and  in  vain 
do  you  attempt  to  rebuild  it ;  for  God  has  said,  and  his  word 
shall  stand,  "By  the  works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  living  be 
justified." 

2.  In  order  to  your  being  convinced  of  this,  I  advise  you  to 
be  much  in  studying  the  law  of  works,  in  its  holiness,  perfec- 
tion, extent,  and  s])irituality ;  for  the  reason  why  so  many 
cleave  to  the  law  as  a  covenant  is,  because  they  know  not 
the  extent  of  the  l.iw:  "  I  have  seen  an  end  of  all  perfection  ; 
but  thy  commandment"  says  David,  "is  exceeding  hroad," 
Psal.  cxix.  90.  We  may  sooner  take  up  the  perfection  of  all 
created  things,  than  take  up  the  extent  of  this  law,  which 
reaches  to  the  innermost  motions  of  the  heart,  the  first  brood- 
ings  of  a  sinful  thought,  as  well  as  the  external  actions  of  the 
life.  Some  in  our  day  do  with  the  law  of  God,  just  as  the 
old  Pharisees  did ;  they  pare  oil  the  spirituality  of  the  law, 
and  look  no  farther  than  the  letter  of  it;  and  hence  they  ima- 
gine that  they  can  obey  it,  and  be  justified  by  it.  But  as 
Christ  laid  open  the  law  in  its  s|)irituality  to  the  Pharisees,  in 
his  sermon  on  the  mount,  that  they  might  see  their  folly  in 
seeking  salvation  by  the  law  of  works;  so  my  advice  to  you 
is,  to  study  the  law,  not  only  in  the  letter,  but  in  the  spiritu- 
ality, that  so  "  through  the  law"  thou  mayest  become  "dead 
to  the  law,  and  alive  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Lord  our  righteousness." 

3.  Be  frequently  comparing  your  hearts  and  lives  with  this 
holy  and  spotless  law  of  (iod,  and  see  what  abounding  errors 
are  in  both.  I  am  sure,  if  \ou  did  but  look  a  little  to  your 
face  in  the  glass  of  the  holy  law,  you  would  see  such  a  hell 
of  abominations  within  and  without  you,  that  you  will  be 
ready  to  cry,  "  Innumerable  evils  compass  me  about."  Vou 
who  are  ready  to  bless  yourselves,  and  say  or  think  you  have 
a  good  heart  toward  (iod,  you  never  yet  saw  yourselves  in 
the  glass  of  the  holy  law ;  if  your  eyes  were  opened,  you 
would  soon  acknowledge  with  Paul,  that  "in  you  dwelleth  no 
good  thing,"  and  that  "  every  thought  of  your  heart  is  evil 


5S8  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SER* 

only,  and  evil  continually."  O  sirs,  believe  this  is  the  real 
case  with  you,  and  consequently,  all  the  curses  and  threat- 
enings  of  the  broken  law  of  works  are  standing  in  full  force 
against  you.  This  must  needs  be  believed,  the  truth  of  the 
threatening  applied  and  brought  home,  ere  ever  you  can  im- 
prove and  apply  the  gospel ;  for  I  would  have  you  remember, 
that  there  is  a  lav^'-faith  goes  before  a  gospel-faitli;  and  this  law 
faith  consists  in  a  knowledge  of  the  law  in  its  spirituality,  in  an 
assent  to  the  truth  of  its  threatenings,  and  a  particular  applica- 
tion of  them  to  the  soul.  The  want  of  this  is  the  reason  of  pre- 
vailing presumption  and  carnal  security  among  the  hearers  of 
the  gospel,  which  hinders  them  from  believing  in  Christ,  by  vir- 
tue of  the  law  of  faith,  which  reveals  and  exhibits  him ;  they 
lie  intrenched  behind  an  imaginary  fortification  of  natural  re- 
ligion, formality,  and  morality,  and  there  they  think  them- 
selves safe  against  all  the  threatenings  and  thunders  of  the 
law  of  works%  But,  alas!  what  will  this  avail  in  the  day  of 
visitation,  when  God  shall  lay  you  in  the  balance,  and  say, 
"  You  are  weighed'in  the  balances,  and  are  found  wanting;" 
you  want  the  righteousness  of  my  Son,  you  want  my  image, 
you  want  my  Spirit,  you  want  a  renewed  nature ;  and  there- 
fore away  with  such  a  man!  "Thou  puttest  away  all  the 
wicked  of  the  earth  like  dross;  lleprobatc  silver  shall  men 
call  them,  for  the  Lord  hath  rejected  them." 

4.  I  advise  you  not  ordy  to  study  the  law  of  works,  but  also 
to  study  the  gospel,  or  law  of  faith;  the  difference  between 
these  two,  and  their  connexion  in  a  gospel-dispensation.  Igno- 
rance of  this  makes  a  strange  kind  of  a  jumble  in  the  doc- 
trine of  ministers,  and  in  the  exercise  of  a  Christian.  I  en- 
deavoured in  the  doctrinal  part  of  this  discourse  to  clear  up  a 
little  something  of  the  dilFerence  and  harmony  between  these, 
and  do  not  now  repeat  them. 

5.  Be  persuaded  that  the  law  of  faith  lies  open  to  vou,  and 
that  you  are  as  free  to  take  the  benelit  of  it  as  any  other  per- 
son whatever.  It  is  one  of  the  hellish  policies  of  Satan,  and 
of  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  to  persuade  the  sinner,  that  the 
promise,  or  the  law  of  faith,  is  not  to  them,  contrary  to  God's 
express  declaration,  "The  promi.-eis  unto  you,  and  to  all  that 
are  afar  olF:  To  you  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent."  Do 
not  say,  when  you  hear  the  law  coming  out  of  Zion,  The  pro- 
mises and  oifers  of  salvation  made  through  a  Redeemer,  God 
is  speaking  to  the  elect,  or  to  believers,  and  others,  but  not 
to  me.  No,  he  is  speaking  to  thee,  sinner;  "  for  Christ  came 
not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance."  And 
therefore,  as  you  are  to  apply  the  threatenings  of  the  law^  to 
Works  for  your  conviction  and  humiliation;  so  you  are  to  be- 
lieve and  apply  the  gracious  offers  and  promises  of  sovereign 


I 


XVn.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  580 

grace  in  the  gospel  to  you  In  particular ;  and  do  not  imagine 
with  yourjiclves,  lliat  God  says  one  thing,  and  intends  anotiier; 
no,  he  speaks  the  truth  in  iiis  heart,  and  you  may  read  the 
thougiits  of  his  heart  by  the  words  of  his  blessed  mouth,  the 
one  so  exactly  agrees  with  the  other.  Do  not  rest  satislicd 
with  t-he  general  assent  to  the  truth  of  the  promise;  t)ut,  un- 
der the  conduct  of  the  promised  Spirit,  venture  the  salvation 
of  your  souls  upon  it,  and  the  faithfulness  of  him  that  made 
it.  O  sirs,  the  strength  of  omnipotence  is  in  the  promise;  ne- 
ver did  at)y  soul  peiish  that  trusted  it;  "Abraham  st;iggered 
not  at  the  promise  of  God  through  vmbelief,"  and  the  promise 
bore  him  thiough;  and  so  will  it  all  the  seed  of  Abraham,  all 
who  truly  believe  it.  But,  say  you,  1  think  I  could  trust  the 
promise,  and  the  Promisor;  but  still  I  fear  the  promise  docs 
not  belong  to  me.  I  answer,  The  })romise  belongs  as  much  to 
you,  to  every  one  of  you,  as  it  did  to  Abr;iham,  Isaac,  Jacob, 
David,  or  any  of  the  saitits  now  in  glory,  before  they  actually 
believed  it.  Can  you  doubt  that  you  have  a  right  to  believe 
the  promiseof  God,  or  to  set  to  your  seal  that  he  is  true?  No, 
you  athotit  God,  and  lose  your  own  souls,  if  you  do  not.  I 
conceive  that  there  is  a  general  mistake  among  the  hearers  of 
the  gospel ;  they  fancy  they  h;ive  no  manner  of  concern  in 
the  covenant  of  grace,  or  the  promises  thereof,  till  they  be  ac- 
tually within  the  bond  of  it.  But  do  not  mistake  it;  the  co- 
venant and  promises  belong  to  you,  yea,  to  the  whole  visible 
church,  in  the  dispensation.  You  have  a  confirmed  right  and 
warrant  by  faith  to  intermeddle  with  the  covenant  of  grace, 
and  all  the  blessings  thereof,  even  before  you  believe:  I  own, 
indeed,  that  till  you  believe,  you  have  no  saving  interest  in 
Christ,  or  the  benefits  of  the  covenant;  but  before  you  be- 
lieve, you  have  a  confirmed  right  to  lay  hold  upon  the  cove- 
nant by  faith.  The  covenant,  in  the  dispensation  of  it,  belongs 
to  all  the  hearers  of  the  gospel,  to  the  whole  visible  church; 
and  if  we  cut^otF  people's  hands  from  the  covenant  and  the 
j)romises,  at  the  same  time  we  cut  them  off  from  receiving 
Christ,  when  yet  we  are  ofFering  Christ  to  them;  for  it  is  by 
virtue  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  or  promise,  that  sinners  must 
receive  and  a[)ply  ('lirist.  I  do  not  speak  without  book,  for 
the  words  of  our  Confession  of  Faith  are,  'That  the  principal 
acts  of  saving  grace  arc,  a  receiving,  resting  upon,  and  apply- 
ing Christ,  (or  righteousness,  life,  and  salvation,  by  virtue  of 
the  covenant  of  grace;'  and  if  by  virtue  of  the  covenant  we 
arc  to  receive  Christ,  surely  we  must  not  take  away  the  co- 
venant of  grace  from  people,  and  yet  bid  them  receive  Christ; 
this  were  to  destroy  with  one  hand,  what  we  build  with  the 
other.  Now,  seeing  this  is  the  case,  that  the  law  of  faith  lies 
open  to  you,  that  the  promise  and  covenant  is  to  you,  make 
VOL.  1.  50 


590  THE  LAW  OF  FAITH  [SRR. 

particular  application  of  it  to  your  own  souls,  and  lay  the 
weight  of  your  eternal  salvation  upon  the  faithfulness  of  a 
promising  God  in  Christ.  And,  to  encourage  you  to  do  it, 
consider  that  additional  security  he  has  given  us  to  encourage 
our  faith;  he  superadds  his  oath  to  his  promise,  and  seals  both 
with  the  blood  of  his  Son,  and  the  seals  of  baptism  and  the 
supper;  and  the  three  witnesses  of  heaven  attest  the  truth  of 
it,  the  Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Spirit:  artd  what  more  can 
the  most  jealous  heart  desire  ?  Here  is  ground  to  believe  with- 
out doubting,  to  believe  with  full  assurance  of  faith. 

6.  If  you  would  take  the  benefit  of  t!ie  law  of  faith,  go  to 
a  court  of  grace,  to  a  throne  of  grace,  where  the  law  of  grace 
is  enacted,  and  put  a  God  of  grace  to  the  execution  of  his 
own  laws  or  acts  of  grace,  and  be  persuaded  that  he  will  take 
care  to  make  them  good  and  effectual  to  thy  soul.  This  is 
the  advice  of  the  Spirit  of  God:  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25 — 27,  after 
soverei2;n  grace  had  enacted  many  gracious  laws  of  faith,  say- 
ing, "  I  will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  A  new  heart  will 
I  give  you,  I  will  put  my  spirit  within  you;"  it  is  added,  ver. 
37,  "  For  these  things  I  will  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Is- 
rael," &c.  So  that  you  see  the  promise  must  be  pleaded  at 
the  throne  of  grace ;  only  when  you  plead  the  benefit  of  the 
promise,  or  law  of  grace,  take  care  you  do  not  plead  your 
own,  but  Christ's  right:  do  not  think  thatyotir  own  pleading, 
your  own  frame  or  qnalilication  will  entitle  you  to  the  pro- 
mise, or  the  blessings  promised;  for  this  is  Just  to  run  back  to 
the  law  of  works  to  found  your  claim  and  title  to  the  covenant 
of  grace,  and  the  blessings  of  it.  Remember  in  all  your 
pleadings  and  wrestlings  to  go  out  of  yourselves  for  a  right  to 
the  promise  to  Chribt;  "in  him  they  are  all  yea  and  amen;" 
he  is  the  first  Heir,  and  it  is  only  in  and  through  him,  and  his 
everlasting  righteousness  or  satisfaction,  that  we  ran  lay  claim 
to' any  thing  in  heaven  or  in  earth,  since  the  foifeiture  we  fell 
under  by  the  breach  of  the  covenant  of  wo'fks  in  our  first 
parents;  therefore  serve  yourselves  heirs  to  the  promise  as  it 
is  in  Christ  the  covenant  of  grace  is  nothing  else  but  a  free  dis- 
position of  eternal  life,  and  of  every  thing  belonging  to  it,  by 
sovereign  grace  through  the  righteotu-.ness  of  Christ.  Now, 
take  things  as  God  has  laid  them,  and  do  not  invert  that  or- 
der, by  founding  your  right  to  the  promise  upon  any  thing  in 
yourself. 

7.  Lasllij,  In  pleading  the  law  of  filth,  be  sure  to  employ 
the  "Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous, 
who  is  the  propitiation."  God  hears  not  sinners,  but  only 
through  the  mediation  or  intercession  of  his  eternal  Son.  And 
therefore  whatever  business  you  have  in  the  court  of  grace, 
whatever  acts  or  laws  of  grace  you  would  have  sued  and  ex- 


XVII.]  ISSUING  FORTH  FROM  MOUNT  ZION.  591 

ecutcd  with  respect  (o  your  souls,  pnt  all  in  the  Advocate's 
hand,  who  "niakelh  intercession  for  the  Iransgressors,"  and 
who  is  so  well  skilled  in  the  laws  of  the  court  of  grace,  that 
he  never  lost  a  poor  man's  cause.  If  you  will  adventure  to 
plead  the  promise,  and  present  your  own  bills  before  God  in 
your  own  name,  and  not  in  the  name  of  the  great  Advocate 
with  the  Father,  how  can  you  expect  to  speed '?  Can  you  be 
accepted  of  the  Father,  when  you  put  a  slight  upon  the  Son? 
No;  "  he  hath  made  us  accepted  only  in  the  beloved  :  What- 
soever ye  ask  the  Father  in  my  name,  I  will  do  it." 


592 


SERHOIV    XVill. 


THE  STO\E  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS,  EXALTED  AS  THE 
HEAD-STOXE  OF  THE  CORNER.* 


PREFACE. 

Reader, 

The  following  sermon  gave  occasion  to  three  flays'  warm  de- 
bate in  the  Reverend  Synod  of  Perth  and  Stirling,  and  has  been 
the  subject  of  nnuch  talk  and  speculation  since  that  time.  Whether 
the  censures  of  men  about  it  be  just  or  unjust,  is  now  submit- 
ted to  the  impartial  world  to  judge.  The  sermon  was  copied 
from  the  author's  original  notes  by  another  hand,  who  could  read 
his  characters,  but  was  in  no  hazard  of  making  any  additions  or 
alterations.  Several  things  here  were  omitted  in  the  delivery 
for  the  sake  of  brevity  :  but  nothing  material  was  delivered,  but 
what  comes  abroad.  And  with  reference  to  the  expression  quar- 
relled witii,  so  soon  as  the  author  knew  what  passages  of  his  dis- 
course weie  pointed  at  by  the  Reverend  Synod,  (which  was  the 
day  immediately  after  it  was  preached,)  he  took  care  to  revise 
his  notes,  and  niake  these  expressions  run  in  the  terms  in  which 
they  were  delivered,  as  near  as  either  he  or  some  of  the  audience 
could  remembe'r. 

The  author's  design  in  pitching  and  preaching  upon  that  text, 
was  what  he  coulil  to  raise  the  gloiy  of  the  blessed  Corner-stone, 
to  set  up  the  corruptions  of  the  Jewish  builders  as  so  many  bea- 
cons, that  builders  of  our  day  might  beware  of  them,  and  to  cast 
in  the  small  mite  of  his  testimnny  against  what,  to  him,  appears 

•  Preached  at  the  opening  of  tlie  Synod  of  Perth  and  Stu'ling",  at  Perth, 
October  10,  1732. 


XVIII. J        THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS,  &-C.  593 

an  injury  done,  either  to  Christ  personal  or  mystical.  If  these 
ends  be  reached,  either  in  tlie  preaching  or  publication,  it  will 
aftbrd  matter  of  joy  to  the  author,  whatever  be  the  event  of  the 
depending  process  with  respect  to  himself. 

If  any  tliiidi,  upon  the  reading  of  the  following  discourse,  that 
there  is  too  great  freeiloin  used  with  respect  to  the  present  steps 
of  defection  ;  let  them  remember,  that  there  is  now  no  other  way 
left  to  bear  testimony  against  such  things,  but  by  warning  the 
world  against  tlieiii,  IVouj  press  oi-  pul|)it  ;  representations  and 
petitions  from  ministers  or  church -iiieinbcrs  at  the  bar,  being  ut- 
terly disregarded,  anil  no  access  to  enter  any  protest  or  dissent 
against  these  proceedings  in  the  [)ublic  records,  for  the  exonera- 
tion of  conscience,  or  tlie  information  of  our  posterity,  that  such 
things  did  not  pass  in  our  dav  without  a  struggle  and  testimony 
against  them. 

If  any  of  the  author's  friends  and  well-wishers  be  afraid  of 
farther  tiouble  to  liim,  upon  the  account  of  tftis  sermon j  let 
them  know,  that,  through  grace,  he  chooses  rather  to  sutFer  with 
the  oppiessed  members  of  Christ,  than  to  enjoy  all  the  ease  and 
pleasure  of  those  wlio  oppiess  them  in  their  spiritual  liberties; 
which  being  the  purchase  of  a  Redeemer's  blood  will  be  reckoned 
lor  before  the  scene  be  ended.  Ileb  xi.  24 — 26;  1  John  iii.  1G; 
2  Tiiess.  i.  G,  7. 


'Hie  stoiu' whicli  the  biiildc-rs  rLjcctcil,  tlie  same  is  made  the  licad-stone 
of  tlie  coriKT. — rsAL.  cxviii.  22. 

Ir  is  probable  this  psalm  was  penned  by  David,  when  the 
ark  of  (Jod  was  broiiirht  uji  from  the  house  of  Ohed-cdom, 
to  its  proper  place  in  jenisalejii,  after  the  intestine  broils  be- 
tween tlic  house  of  David  and  Saul  had  hap))ily  issued  in 
David's  promotion,  by  the  common  consent  of  all  the  tribes, 
to  the  crown  and  kingdom  of  Israel,  Rut  though  this  wa« 
the  occasion,  yet  the  Spirit  of  God  had  in  it  a  farther  view, 
namely,  to  Christ  himself,  of  wiiom  David  and  his  adminis- 
trations were  but  a  faint  type  and  shadow. 

David's  accession  to  the  ihroije  was  through  many  storms 
of  opposition:  allliniigh  God  had  chosen  and  ordained  him 
for  the  kini'ilom  and  i^overnment ;  yet  he  was  opposed  by 
the  house  of  Saul,  and  those  wiio  adhered  to  l)iat  family  :  yet 

50* 


594  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE   BUILDERS,  [s^R. 

after  all,  the  house  of  David  prevailed.  Just  so  was  it  with 
the  son  of  David,  our  glorious  Redeemer:  hell  and  earth 
combined  against  the  Lord  and  his  Messiah,  but  God  had  de- 
termined that  the  government  sliould  be  upon  his  shoulders, 
that  his  King  should  be  set  upon  his  holy  hill  of  Zion  ;  and 
he  carries  his  design  against  all  opposers,  as  you  Sfe  in  my 
text.  The  stone  which,  the  builders  rejected,  the  same  is  made  the 
headstone  of  the  corner. 

I  need  not  stay  to  prove  that  these  words  are  to  be  under- 
stood of  Christ,  after  the  express  application  that  is  made  of 
them  to  hinf'  by  himself  and  his  apostles  in  the  scriptures  of 
the  New  Testament,  Malth.  xxi.  42;  Acts  iv.  11;  1  Pet.  ii.  7; 
8  ;  Eph.  ii.  20. 

In  the  words  we  may  notice  the  following  particulars,  (1.) 
The  metaphorical  view  in  which  the  church  is  here  repre- 
sented ;  namely,  that  of  a  house  or  building.  (2.)  The  cha- 
racter that  our  Immanuel  bears  with  respect  to  this  building  : 
he  is  the  stone  in  a  way  of  eminence,  without  uhom  there 
can  be  no  building,  no  house  for  God  to  dwell  in  among  the 
children  of  men.  (3.)  The  character  of  the  workmen  em- 
plo3'ed  in  this  spiritual  structure,  they  are  called  builders. 
(4.)  A  fatal  error  they  are  charged  with  in  building  of  the 
house  of  God  :  they  refuse  the  stone  of  God's  choosing  ;  they 
do  not  allow  him  a  place  in  ins  own  house.  (5.)  Notice  the 
place  that  Christ  should  and  shall  have  in  this  building,  let 
the  builders  do  their  worst",  he  is  made  the  head-stone  of  the 
corner.  The  words  immerliately  following,  declare  how  this 
is  effected,  and  how  the  saints  are  afiected  with  the  views  of 
his  exaltation,  notwithstanding  the  malice  of  hell  and  earth : 
"  This   is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  wonderful  in  our  eyes." 

In  discoursing  on  this  subject,  I  shall  just  follow  the  order 
of  the  text  now  laid  down,  by  explaining  the  particulars 
named,  and  then  deduce  a  few  inferences  from  the  whole. 

I.  Let  us  take  a  view  of  the  church  under  the  notion  of  a 
house  or  building.  This  metaphorical  view  of  the  church  is 
very  frequent  in  the  scriptures,  both  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament :  Is.  ii.  2,  3 :  "  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last 
days,  that  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  estab- 
lished in  the  top  of  the  mountains. —  And  many  people  shall 
go  and  say.  Come  ye,  and  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the 
Lord,  to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob."  The  same  way 
of  speaking  occurs  also  in  the  scriptuies  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, 1  Cor.  iii.  9  :  "Ye  are  God's  husbandry,  ye  are  God's 
building."  Hence  Paul,  writing  to  Timothy,  directs  him  how 
to  behave  himself  in  the  church  of  God,  which  is  the  house 
of  the  living  God, 


XVIll.]        EXALTED  AS  THE  HEAD-STONE  OF  THE  CORNER.  495 

Now,  with  relation  to  this  house  or  building,  I  offer  the 
followinuj  porticuhirs  : — 

1.  That  though  Clod  took  up  house  with  man  at  his  crea- 
tion; yet  by  the  fail  of  Adam  the  family  was  separated,  God 
bi'oke  up  house  with  man,  the  family  was  parted,  and  the 
breach  was  wide  like  tlie  sea.  Cod  could  have  no  fellowship 
with  man;  lor  what  felK>w ship  could  there  be  betwixt  light 
and  darkness,  betwixt  God  and  Belial  l  and  immediately 
man,  like  the  prodigal,  forsook  God,  and  wandered  into  a  far 
country  of  sin  and  vanity. 

2.  God  had  a  stated  ilesign  from  eternity,  that  notwith- 
standing of  this  broach,  he  would  have  a  house  and  dwelling 
with  fallen  man  ;  lie  designed  to  take  up  i)ouse,  and  gather 
the  fam  ly  again  ;  hence  we  are  told,  that  "  before  the  foun- 
dation of  the  earth,  he  rejoiced  in  the  habitable  parts  thereof, 
and  his  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men."  'J'he  founda- 
tion of  this  building  was  laid  in  the  council  of  peace,  and  all 
the  stones  and  materials  of  it  were  sequestrated  and  set  apart. 
From  the  ancient  years  of  eternity, Christ  was  chosen  as  the 
foundation  and  the  chief  corner-stone:  "I  vvrs  set  up  from 
everlasting,  from  the  beginning,  or  ever  the  earth  was."  And 
all  the  saints  were  elected  as  living  stones,  to  be  renewed, 
justified.  adoj)ied,  sanctified,  and  eternally  saved  in  him  and 
through  him  :  Eph.  i.  3 — 5  :  "  He  hath  chosen  us  in  him,  be- 
fore the  foundation  of  the  world;  he  hatli  predestinated  us 
unto  the  adoption  of  children,  that  wc  should  be  holy,  and 
without  hiame  before  Jiim  in  love." 

3.  Before  this  designed  building  could  go  up,  Heaven  must 
be  at  an  intinitc  expense;  before  one  stone  could  be  laid  in 
the  building,  the  glory  of  the  infuiite  (jod  must  be  veiled  with 
a  veil  of  llesh  in  the  person  of  the  eternal  Son,  the  great 
Lawgiver  nmst  be  made  under  iiis  own  law;  God  blessed 
for  ever  must  bo  made  a  curse,  and  the  holy  One  of  God 
made  sin.  Justice  had  determined,  that  "  without  the  shed- 
ding of  blood  there  should  be.  no  remission  of  sin  ;"  and  ex- 
cept justice  was  satisfied,  and  the  honour  of  the  law  rc|)aircd, 
God  could  never  dwell  upon  honouralile  terms  with  num  \\\)on 
earth.  Oh  the  expense  that  God  is  at  in  building  this  house! 
We  must  be  redeemed  Irom  the  Inuid  of  justice,  "  not  with 
silver  and  gold,  or  such  corniptihle  things,  hut  with  the  j)re- 
cious  blood  of  Ciirist,"  tSic. 

4.  Every  stone  of  this  building  is  digged  out  of  the  deep 
and  dark  fpiarry  of  nature,  being  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins, 
children  of  wrath  even  as  others,  alienated  'iroxw  the  life  of 
God  through  ignorance,  aliens  to  the  conunonweallh  of  Israel, 
strangers  to  the  covenant  of  promise:"  in  a  word,  there  is 
not  wors.e  stuH'  in  hell  itself,  than  the  stones  of  this   building 


596  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS,  [SER. 

are  by  nature.  And  who  can  quarrel  with  the  great  Builder 
for  taking  one  stone  out  of  the  quarry,  and  leaving  another 
behind  him  as  he  has  a  mind  1  only  when  we  look  to  the  rock 
whence  we  were  hewn,  and  the  pit  whence  we  were  digged, 
we  may  say,  "  Who  made  us  to  differ?  for  a  Syrian  ready 
to  perish  was  ot/r  father." 

5.  The  great  engine  the  glorious  Builder  makes  use  of,  for 
gathering  the  stones  of  the  building,  and  carrying  on  the 
edifice,  is  the  pure  preaching  of  the  everlasting  gospel.  This 
is  what  the  prophet,  Is.  xxvii.  13,  foretells :  *' And  it  shall  come 
to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  great  trumpet  shall  be  blown, 
and  they  shall  come  which  were  ready  to  perish  in  the  land 
of  Assyria,  and  the  outcasts  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  shall 
worship  the  Lord  in  the  holy  mount  at  Jerusalem."  It  pleases 
God,  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save  them  that  be- 
lieve. It  is  the  gospel  that  is  "  the  power  of  God  unto  sal- 
vation ;  for  therein  is  I'evealed  the  righteousness  of  God  from 
faith  to  faith,"  Rom.  i.  10,  17.  When  Christ  sent  forth  his 
apostles  and  ministers,  as  founders  of  the  New  Testament 
church,  what  were  they  to  do?  Their  commission  was,  to 
go  into  all  the  world,  and  to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture under  heaven  :  "  Go  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."  Hence  the  apostle  declares,  2  Cor.  x.  4,  5  :  *'  The 
weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through 
God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong-holds,  casting  down  im- 
aginations, and  every  high  tiling  that  exalteth  itself  against 
the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  into  captivity  every 
thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ." 

6.  The  church,  thus  gathered  and  united  under  Christ  as  a 
glorious  head,  is  the  house  of  God,  or  iiis  family  upon  earth. 
He  has  a  manifold  right  to  her;  a  right  by  election,  a  right 
by  redemption  and  purchase,  a  right  by  covenant  and  by  pos- 
session. And  if  it  be  asked,  what  kind  of  a  house  is  the 
church  of  God  ?  I  answer, 

1^/,  It  is  his  dwelling-house  :  Psal.  Ixxvi.  2:  "In  Salem  is 
his  tabernacle,  and  his  dwelling-place  is  in  Zion."  God  has 
no  other  rest  amongst  the  children  of  men  than  his  church ; 
"  The  Lord  hath  chosen  Zion  :  he  hath  desirud  it  for  his  habi- 
tation. This  is  my  rest  for  ever :  here  will  I  dwell."  So 
that  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men."  And,  as  a  man 
takes  pleasure  in  his  house  or  lodging,  so  doth  God  take  plea- 
sure in  his  church  :  '•  The  Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  his  people: 
he  will  beautify  the  meek  with  sah^ation.  I  will  dwell  in 
them,  and  walk  in  them ;  and  I  will  be  unto  them  a  Father, 
and  they  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord 
Almighty." 


XVIII.]       EXALTED  AS  THE  HEADSTONE  OF  THE  CORNER.  597 

2dly,  The  church  is  his  treasure-house.  Here  it  is  that  he 
disposes  of  the  most  valuable  furniture  iie  has  in  the  world. 
Israel  is  "  his  peculiar  treasure  :  The  Lord's  portion  is  his 
people  :  Jacob  is  the  lot  of  his  inheritance."  Here  he  has 
his  crown  and  tliadcni  ;  "  Thou  shait  be  a  crown  of  glory  in 
the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  thy 
God."  Here  lie  hath  his  jewels,  as  his  people  are  called, 
Mai.  iii.  17  ;  in  comparison  of  whom,  all  the  rest  of  the  world 
are  but  trash:  "What  is  the  chatf  to  the  wheat?  saith  the 
Lord."  Before  he  lose  his  jewels  and  his  portion,  he  will 
sacrifice  nations  and  kingdoms  for  their  safety:  Is.  xliii.  4: 
"  Ever  since  thou  wast  precious  in  my  sight,  thou  hast  been 
honourable,  and  I  have  loved  thee:  thcrctbre  will  I  give  men 
for  thee,  and  people  for  thy  life  ;  Egypt  for  thy  ransom,  and 
Ethiopia  and  Scba  for  thee." 

'Sdly,  The  church  is  his  banqueting-house :  Cant.  ii.  4: 
"He  brought  me  into  his  banqueting-house,  and  his  banner 
over  ine  was  love,"  Here  it  is  he  "  makes  unto  all  people" 
(in  the  external  dispensation  of  the  gospel)  "  a  feast  of  fat 
things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full  of  mar- 
row, of  wines  on  the  lees  well  refined."  And  here  it  is  that 
the  souls  of  believers  are  entertained  with  meat  and  drink  in- 
deed, the  liiddL-n  maima,  and  the  fruits  of  the  tree  of  life. 
And  here  it  is  that  he  himself  is  entertained  with  the  graces 
of  his  own  Spirit :  Cant.  v.  1 :  "  I  am  come  into  my  garden, 
my  sister,  my  spouse  ;  I  have  gathered  my  myrrh  with  my 
spice,  I  have  eaten  my  honey-comb  with  my  honey,  1  have 
drunk  my  wine  with  my  milk."  Thus,  I  say,  the  church  is 
the  house  of  the  living  God. 

7.  As  the  church  is  the  house  of  God,  or  his  family,  so 
Christ  is  the  only  door  of  the  house :  John  x.  9 :  "I  am  the 
door  :  by  me,  if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved,  and  shall 
go  in  and  out,  and  find  pasture."  And,  "  He  that  entereth 
not  by  the  door  into  the  sheepfold,  but  cliinbeth  up  some  other 
way,  the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber."  No  man  can  be 
reckoned  a  member  of  the  church,  far  less  a  minister,  no, 
not  in  the  judgment  of  charity,  except  he  make  a  credible 
profession  of  his  I'aith  in  Christ,  and  have  a  corresponding 
walk  and  conversation  ;  and  he  that  <M>mes  into  the  house  of 
God,  and  lays  claim  to  the  privileges  of  the  church  without  it, 
the  Master  of  the  house,  in  his  own  time,  will  say  to  him, 
"Friend,  how  earnest  thou  in  hither?"  And  they  who  adven- 
ture to  confer  the  privileges  of  the  church  upon  those  who 
have  not  come  in  by  the  door,  Christ,  and  who,  iu  the  view 
of  the  world,  are  of  a  malignant  spirit,  enemies  to  the  house 
of  our  God;  tlie>e  I  say.  are  guilty  of  casting  that  which  is 
holy  to  dogs,  and  of  betraying  the  house  of  God,  instead  of 
ruling  it  to  advantage. 


598  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS,  [SER. 

8.  Although  this  house  or  building  be  the  object  of  the 
malice  of  hell  and  earth ;  yet,  as  it  has  stood  since  its  erec- 
tion in  Paradise,  so  it  shall  stand  while  sun  and  moon  en- 
dure in  the  firmament.  Indeed,  particular  churches  may 
be  ra^ed,  but  the  catholic  universal  church  shall  stand  the 
utmost  efforts  of  the  gates  of  hell :  "  The  Lord  is  in  the  midst 
of  her ;  she  shall  not  be  moved  :  the  Lord  will  help  her,  and 
that  right  early."  Hence  is  that  song,  Psal.  xlvi:  "We  will 
not  fear  though  the  earth  be  removed,  and  though  the  moun- 
tains be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea,"  &c.  All  the 
storms  that  have  blown  upon  her  from  hell  and  earth  have 
only  served,  by  over-ruling  providence,  to  advance  her  true 
interest  and  glory:  Is.  liv.  11,  12:  "Oh  thou  afflicted, tossed 
with  tempest,  and  not 'comforted,  behold,  I  will  lay  thy  stones 
with  fair  colours,  and  lay  thy  foundations  with  sapphires. 
And  I  will  make  thy  window^s  of  agates,  and  thy  gates  of 
carbuncles,  and  all  thy  borders  of  pleasant  stones." 

II.  The  second  thing  proposed  was,  to  speak  a  little  here  of 
the  character  given  to  Christ,  with  relation  to  this  binldi?)g  ;  he  is 
the  stone.  There  are  a  great  many  stones  in  a  building ;  but 
in  this  spiritual  building  of  the  house  of  God,  Christ  is  the 
stone,  in  a  way  of  eminence  and  excellency,  as  if  the  whole 
building  were  of  one  piece,  intimating,  that  Christ  and  his 
church  are  so  closely  united  as  to  become  one  body  and  one 
spirit ;  upon  this  account  the  whole  building  is  called  by  the 
name  of  Christ,  as  the  principal  pai't  thereof,  1  Cor.  xii.  12: 
"  As  the  body  is  one,  and  hath  many  members,  and  all  the 
members  of  that  one  body,  being  many,  are  one  body,  so 
also  is  Christ."  So  Jer.  xxxiji.  16:  "And  this  is  the  name 
wherewith  she  shall  be  called,"  viz.  the  church,  The  Lord  our 
righteousfiess ;  the  very  name  given  to  Christ  himself,  chap, 
xxiji.  6.  I  conceive  that  Christ  is  called  the  stone  here,  for 
the  same  reason  that  he  elsewhere  calls  himself  a  rock, 
"  Upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my  church,"  to  intimate  that  he 
is  the  strength  and  stability  of  his  church.  Now,  the  ex- 
cellency and  necessity  of  this  stone,  to  the  rearing  and  build- 
ing of  the  house  of  God,  will  appear  if  we  consider, 

1.  That  he  is  the  stone  of  God's  choosing:  1  Pet.  ii.  4: 
"Chosen  of  God  and  precious."  Is.  xlii.  1  :  "Behold,  my  ser- 
vant whom  I  uphold,  mine  elect  in  whom  my  soul  delight- 
eth. — Fore-ordained  before  the  foundation  of  the  world." 

2.  He  is  the  stone  of  God's  approbation.  Though  he  be 
disallozi^ed  of  men,  he  had  his  Father's  testimony  from  heaven 
with  an  audible  voice,  "This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I 
am  well  pleased."  And,  as  he  is  approved  of  God,  so  he  is 
approved  of  by  every  wise  builder  ;  they  will  be  ready  to  say 
with  Paul,  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  ac- 


I 


XVIII.]       EXALTED  AS  THE  HEAD-STONE  OF  THE  CORNER.  599 

ceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin- 
ners." 

3.  He  is  the  stone  of  God's  trying :  Is.  xxviii.  16 :  "  Behold, 
I  lay  in  Zion,  a  stone,  a  tried  stone."  He  was  tried  in  the 
furnace  of  his  Father's  wrath,  and  he  abode  the  trial ;  for  he 
came  forth  more  glorious  than  ever,  in  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead.  He  stood  the  trial  of  the  rage  of  men  and  devils, 
who  endeavoured  to  stop  him  in  his  redeeming  work.  All 
the  saints  in  heaven,  and  all  believers  on  earth,  have  tried 
him,  and  will  give  him  this  testimony,  that  "  he  is  able  to 
save  to  the  uttermost." 

4.  He  is  the  only  living  and  life-giving  stone,  1  Pet.  ii.  4. 
"  To  whom  coining,  as  unto  a  living  stone.  As  the  Father 
hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life 
in  himself."  He  is  "the  resurrection  and  the  life;"  and  all 
the  stones  of  the  building  derive  their  life  from  him:  I  Pet. 
ii.  5:  "  Ye  also  as  lively  stones,  are  built  up  a  spiritual  house. 
He  that  hath  the  Son,  hath  life.  Our  life  is  hid  with  Christ 
in  God." 

5.  He  is  the  stone  that  is  laid  by  the  hand  of  Jkhovah  as  a 
foundation  in  Zion:  "Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation, 
a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a  precious  corner-stone,  a  sure  tounda- 
tion,"  Is.  xxviii.  IG.  He  was  laid  decrctively  from  eternity; 
he  is  laid  doclrinally  and  dcclaratively  in  a  preached  gospel; 
and  he  is  laid  eliicaciously  in  a  day  of  power,  when  the  sin- 
ner is,  by  the  power  of  the  eternal  Sj)irit,  determined  to  take 
hold  u|)on  him  by  faith;  he  is  laid  a  foundation,  and  the  only 
foundation  of  hope  and  help  for  perishing  sinners.  Men  have 
been  trying  in  all  ages  to  lay  other  foundations,  but  still  they 
have  proved  foundations  of  sand:  "Other  foundation  can  no 
man  lay,  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ."'  They  who 
attempt  to  rear  a  church  without  Christ,  or  to  build  up  to 
themselves  a  hope  of  salvation  without  him,  have  oidy  built 
castles  in  the  air,  and  their  building  always  turned  to 
na\iglit, 

0.  He  is  the  matchless  and  incomparable  stone,  for  he  is 
the  chief  slonc  of  the  comer  ;  "The  brightness  of  his  Father's 
glory"  is  in  him,  '■  and  the  express  image  of  his  person."  All 
created  glory  shrinks  into  nothing  and  darkness  when  he  ap- 
pears; for  he  is  "fairer  than  the  children  of  men,  as  the  ap- 
ple tree  amon<f  the  trees  of  the  wood  :"  and  he  casts  a  lustre 
and  <i;lorv  on  the  whole  building,  and  every  stone  in  it,  for  we 
are  "  beautiful  throiiuh  his  comeliness;"  "the  beauty  of  the 
Lord  is  upon"  his  saints. 

III.  The  tliird  thing  to  be  discoursed  a  little,  was  in  the 
workmen  emploved  in  rearing  this  s[)iritual  buildinu  or  fabric 
of  the  church,  here  called  builders.     Christ  himself  is  the 


600  THE    STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS.  [SER. 

principal  builder  to  whom  the  work  is  committed :  Zech.  vi. 
l2,  13:  "  Behold,  the  man  whose  name  is  the  Branch,  and 
he  shall  grow  up  out  of  his  place,  and  he  shall  build  the  tem- 
ple of  the  Lord  :  even  he  shall  build  the  temple  of  the  Lord, 
and  he  shall  bear  the  glory."  But  he  employs  officers  under 
him  for  the  carrying  on  of  the  work,  and  these  are  called 
builders.  Kings,  and  those  in  civil  authority,  when  in  their 
sphere  they  lend  their  helping  hand  to  advance  and  carry  on 
the  work  of  God,  may  be  called  builders  of  the  church.  But 
under  the  New  Testament  I  find  this  term  only  applied  to 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  ordinary  or  extraordinary:  Eph.  iv. 
11,  12  :  ''  He  gave  some,  apostles:  and  some,  prophets  :  and 
some,  evangelists:  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers."  For 
what  end  '?  It  is  for  the  edijication  of  the  church,  or  building 
the  body  of  Christ:  and  1  Cor.  iii.  10.  Paul  declares  there, 
that  "  according  to  the  grace  given  him,  he,  as  a  wise  master- 
builder,  had  laid  the  foundation."  So  that  ministers  of  the 
gospel  are  especially  the  New  Testament  builders. 

Now,  with  relation  to  these,  there  are  only  these  few  things 
I  suggest: — 

1.  It  is  a  very  honourable  employment  to  be  a  builder  of 
the  house  of  God.  It  is  an  employment  wherein  the  Son  of 
God  as  Mediator  is  engaged ;  and  is  it  not  an  honour  to  be 
co-workers  with  him  1  David  esteemed  it  an  honour  to  be  a 
door-keeper  in  the  house  of  our  God  ;  but  it  is  yet  more  so  to 
be  a  builder  of  the  house.  And  as  the  work  is  honourable,  so 
the  reward  of  grace  is  proportioned  ;  for,  if  we  keep  the 
charge  committed  to  us  in  building  the  house  of  God,  we  shall 
have  place  among  them  that  stand  by  the  heavenly  throne: 
"  And  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the 
firmament,  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the 
stars  for  ever  and  ever." 

2.  None  can  warrantably  lay  a  stone  in  this  building,  ex- 
cept he  be  regularly  called.  What  mason  will  put  his  hand 
to  a  building,  unless  he  be  employed  by  those  who  have  war- 
rant to  call  him  ?  This  is  such  a  necessary  circumstance,  that 
Christ  himself  would  not  meddle  with  building  his  Father's 
house  till  he  had  his  Father's  call:  "No  man  taketh  this  ho- 
nour unto  himself,  but  he  that  is  called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron  : 
so  also  Christ  glorified  not  himself,  to  be  made  a  liigh  priest; 
but  he  that  said  unto  him.  Thou  art  my  Son,  to-day  have  I 
begotten  thee,"  Heb.  v.  4,  5.  1'here  is  a  twofold  call  neces- 
sary for  a  man  who  meddles  as  a  builder  in  the  church  of 
God  ;  there  is  the  call  of  God,  and  of  the  church.  God's  call 
consists,  in  his  qualifying  a  man  for  the  work,  and  inspiring 
him  with  a  holy  zeal  and  desire  to  employ  those  qualifica- 
tions for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  his  church.     The 


XVIII.]        EXALTED  AS  THE  HEAD-STONE  OF  THE  CORNER.  001 

call  of  the  church  lies  in  the  free  choice  and  election  of  the 
Chrisliau  people.  The  promise  of  conduct  and  counsel  in  the 
choice  of  men  that  are  to  huild  the  church,  is  not  made  to 
patrons,  heritors,  or  any  other  particular  set  of  men;  but  to 
the  church,  the  body  of  Christ,  to  whom  apostles,  prophets, 
evangelists,  pastors  and  teachers  arc  given.  As  it  is  a  natu- 
ral privilege  of  every  house  or  society  of  men,  to  have  the 
choice  of  their  own  servants  or  olHcer.s;  so  it  is  the  privilege 
of  the  house  of  God  in  a  particular  manner.  What  a  misera- 
ble bondage  would  it  be  reckoned  for  any  family  to  have 
stewards  or  servants  imposed  upon  them  by  strangers  or  ene- 
mies, who  might  give  the  children  of  the  family  a  "stone  for 
bread,  or  a  scorpion  instead  of  a  (ish,"  and  poison  instead  of. 
a  medicine?  And  shall  we  suppose,  that  ever  God  granted  to 
any  set  of  men,  patrons,  heritors,  elders,  or  whatever  they  be, 
a  power  to  impose  servants  on  his  family,  without  their  con- 
sent, being  the  freest  society  in  the  world  ?  But  I  pass  this  at 
present;  perhaps  more  of  it  may  occur  afterwards. 

3.  The  builders  of  the  house  of  God  are  not  left  to  form  or 
mould  the  house  according  to  their  own  fancy  ;  no,  but  they 
must  follow  "  the  pattern  showed  in  the  holy  mount"  of  divine 
revelation. 

When  the  tabernacle  was  reared,  a  platform  of  it  was  given 
to  Moses;  when  the  temphi  was  to  be  built,  a  pattern  of  it 
was  given  to  Solomon  by  his  father;  and  every  pin  of  the  taber- 
nacle, and  every  stone  of  the  temple  was  to  be  regulated  and 
disposed  according  to  the  divine  order.  Now,  these  were  but 
types  of  the  New  Testament  building,  of  which  we  now  speak. 
Who  builds  a  house  without  forming  a  plan  of  it  to  the  build- 
ers ?  Who  erects  a  society  without  giving  orders  about  its  go- 
vernment? They  who  assert  (he  government  of  the  church 
to  1)0  ambulatory,  cast  a  redection  on  the  wisdom  of  God, 
which  is  not  to  be  supposed  of  any  wise  man  whatever.  Now, 
I  say,  as  builders  of  a  house  must  renounce  their  own  schemes, 
and  follow  (he  orders  of  the  owner;  so  ministers  and  church- 
officers,  in  building  the  house  of  God,  must  renounce  carnal 
policy,  and  the  wisdom  of  (he  world,  and  follow  the  orders 
given  by  God  in  his  word,  the  perfect  rule  of  faith  and  man- 
ners both  to  ministers  and  chiu'ch-members.  ^V'hat  the  par- 
ticular model  of  the  church  should  be,  is  a  thing  I  hope  be- 
yond controversy  amongst  us,  who  are  so  solenudy  engaged 
to  maintain  the  doctrine,  discipline,  worshiji,  and  govern- 
ment of  this  church;  and  therefore  I  do  not  enter  upon  it 
now. 

4.  God  has  endowed  men  whom  he  calls  to  build  his  house, 
with  dillerciit  talents  and  al)ilities,  according  to  the  diirerent 
services  they  are  to  be  emj)loyed  about  in  tiie  work.     There 

VOL.  I.  51 


602  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS,  [sER. 

are  a  great  variety  of  gifts  bestowed  by  Christ  upon  his  mi- 
nisters, all  calculated  for  the  good  of  the  church  of  God  in 
general :  the  apostle  illustrates  this  argument  at  great  length, 
1  Cor.  xii.  through  the  whole  of  the  chapter.  If  this  were 
but  duly  considered,  it  would  cure  all  manner  of  strife  and 
emulation  among  the  builders,  that  they  should  not  grudge 
one  against  another. 

5.  The  gifts  of  men,  however  edifying  or  well  adapted  for 
carrying  on  the  work,  will  never  do  service  without  the  bless- 
ing and  countenance  of  the  great  Master-builder.  "  Paul  may 
plant,  and  Apollos  water;  but  God  giveth  the  increase  :"  and 
it  is  well  that  it  is  so  ordered  of  Infinite  Wisdom,  that  men 
may  not  give  greater  glory  to  instruments  than  is  due,  and 
that  the  whole  glory  may  redound  to  the  Lord  ;  for  this  end, 
he  puts  the  "  treasure  in  earthen  vessels,  that  the  excellency 
of  the  power  may  be  of  him." 

6.  The  work  of  God  is  many  times  exceedingly  marred, 
through  the  weakness  or  wickedness  of  pretended  builders. 
But  this  leads  me  to, 

IV.  The  fourth  thing  proposed,  which  was,  to  speak  of  the 
fatal  error  of  these  hiiilders  spoken  of  i?i  my  text :  they  reject  the 
stone,  without  which  their  whole  building  was  nothing  but  a 
medley  of  confusion,  however  glorious  it  might  appear  in  their 
own  eyes :    The  stone  is  rejected  by  the  builders. 

They  seemed  to  have  a  great  zeal  for  the  Messiah  and  his 
kingdom ;  yet  when  he  comes,  they  do  not  allow  him  a  room 
in  his  own  house :  "  He  came  unto  his  own,  and  his  own  re- 
ceived him  not ;"  and  so  they  fulfilled  Isaiah's  prediction  of 
him.  Is.  liii.  2:  "He  hath  no  form  nor  comeliness;  and  when 
we  shall  see  him,  there  is  no  beauty  that  we  should  desire 
him.  He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men."  And  because 
they  rejected  him,  he  hath  rejected  them  as  a  church  and  na- 
tion ;  and,  O  how  happy  had  it  been,  if  their  error,  and  con- 
sequent ruin  had  served  as  a  beacon  to  other  churches,  since 
their  day,  not  to  dash  upon  the  same  rock  !  But  here  a  ques- 
tion naturally  arises. 

How  did  the  Jewish  builders  reject  the  stone  which  God 
had  ordained  to  be  the  chief  stone  of  the  corner  ?  Anszc. 
This  came  about  through  a  great  many  corruptions  which 
they  introduced,  both  in  principle  and  practice.  I  shall  only 
name  a  few  of  them,  and  leave  it  to  every  one  to  judge 
how  far  such  evils  or  corruptions  are  to  be  found  in  our  own 
day. 

1.  Though  they  pretended  a  great  regard  to  the  holy  law 
of  God,  and  cried  out  upon  Christ  and  his  apostles  as  enemies 
to  it ;  yet  they  narrowed  and  contracted  the  sense  and  mean- 
ing of  it,  confining  it  merely  to  the  letter,  without  search- 


XVlll.]       EXALTED  AS  THE  HEAD-STON'E  OF  THE  CORNER.  G03 

ing  into  its  extent  and  spirituality,  which  gave  occasion  to 
Christ's  sermon  en  the  mount.  By  these  means,  though  their 
iiearers  might  have  some  notions  of  moral  honesty,  yet  could 
they  have  no  notion  of  the  depravation  of  nature,  and  of  the 
deceit  and  desperate  wickedness  of  their  hearts,  without 
which  no  man  can  ever  know  the  need  he  has  of  the  work 
of  regeneration,  or  of  a  Saviour  from  sin. 

2.  Having  pared  oft'  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  law,  they 
sought  justilication  by  the  works  thereof,  and  thought  a  man's 
own  personal  ohcdience  enough  to  recommend  him  to  God; 
as  is  clear  from  Rom.  ix.  31,. 'J2:  "  Israel,  which  followed  af- 
ter the  law  of  righteousness,  hath  not  attained  to  the  law  of 
righteousness.  Wherefore  t  Because  they  sought  it,  not  by 
faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law^ ;  for  they  stum- 
bled at  that  stumbling-stone."  And,  Rom.  x.  3;  "  For  they, 
being  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,  and  going  about  to 
establish  their  own  righteousness,  have  not  submitted  them- 
selves unto  the  righteousness  of  God."  They  could  frame  no 
notion  to  themselves  of  justification  by  the  imputed  righteous- 
ness of  the  Messiah,  though  God  had  told  them  that  their 
righteousness  and  their  works  could  not  profit  them,  that  it 
was  a  bed  too  short,  and  a  covering  too  narrow  for  them. 

3.  These  builders,  through  the  legality  of  their  doctrine, 
shut  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against  men  ;  they  would  nei- 
ther enter  themselves,  nor  suflcr  others  that  were  entering  to 
enter.  God  had  told  them  that  the  blessings  of  his  covenant 
must  he  had  without  money,  or  price  ;  but  they  would  needs 
pawn  their  legal  qualifications  upon  God,  and  barter  the  mat- 
ter with  him  ;  and  thus,  instead  of  casting  out  the  stones,  or 
pre))aring  the  way  of  the  people,  (Is.  Ixi.  10,)  they  threw 
stones  and  stumbling-blocks  in  the  way  of  the  salvation  of 
sinners  by  the  Messiah. 

4.  These  builders  deadened  the  ordinances  of  God  by  their 
for)uality.  Though  they  retained  the  shell  of  ordinances, 
they  never  regarded  the  end,  either  with  respect  to  their  own 
souls,  or  the  souls  of  their  people,  which  was  fellowship  and 
communion  with  God  therein  ;  for  which  reason  Ciod  declares 
his  abhorrence  of  his  own  institutions,  Is.  i.  11,  12,  (tc.  "To 
what  purpose  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacrifices  unto  me'? 
saith  the  Lord:  I  am  full  of  the  hurnt-oUerings  of  rams,  and 
the  fat  of  fed  beasts,  and  I  delight  not  in  the  blood  of  bul- 
locks, or  of  lambs,  or  of  he-goats,"  &.c.  One  of  the  great 
sources  of  this  evil  was,  that  if  a  man  had  been  trained  up  at 
the  feiit  of  (iamaliel  for  a  lew  years,  and  got  a  smack  of  the 
learning  then  in  vogue,  it  was  enough  in  their  opinion  to  qua- 
lify him  for  being  a  builder  in  the  house  of  (iod,  though  in  the 
mean  time  he  was  an  utter  stranc;er  to  the  work  of  God  on 


604  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS,  [SER. 

his  soul ;  as  is  evident  fi"om  the  instance  of  Nicoclemus,  who, 
when  Christ  tries  him  upon  the  head  of  regeneration,  he  bab- 
bles and  speaks  nonsense  :  John  iii.  4  :  "  How  can  a  man  be 
born  when  he  is  old?  can  he  enter  the  second  time  into  his 
mother's  womb,  and  be  born  ?"  Hence  is  that  sharp  challenge, 
ver.  10:  "Art  thoua-niaster  of  Israel,  and  knowest  not  these 
things  ?"  There  Christ  speaks  of  it  as  a  thing  criminal,  that 
men  should  be  made  teachers  of  the  church,  who  were  stran- 
gers to  a  work  of  grace  ;  for  what  but  dead  formal  wor- 
ship could  be  performed  by  men  "  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins  1" 

5.  They  were  continually  dabbling  in  politics,  and  gave 
themselves  up  to  the  conduct  of  carnal  wisdom  and  policy  in 
the  matters  of  God  and  his  church ;  and  through  this  car- 
nal wisdom,  they  were  led  on  to  crucify  the  Lord  of  glory: 
"  It  is  expedient  that  one  man  die  for  the  people :  and  if  he 
be  not  taken  out  of  the  way,  the  world  will  go  after  him  ; 
and  so  the  Romans  shall  come  and  take  away  our  kingdom." 
When  once  a  church  comes  to  stand  upon  the  rotten  prop  of 
carnal  wisdom  and  policy,  she  is  near  to  ruin.  It  is  true, 
ministers  are  to  be  "  wise  as  serpents  ;"  but  the  wisdom  of 
the  serpent  will  soon  lead  us  of!"  our  feet  to  pernicious  courses, 
if  not  attended  with  the  simplicity  of  the  dove ;  and  therefore 
we  need,  "that  in  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  not  with 
fleshly  wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  should  have  our 
conversation  in  this  world." 

G.  The  Jewish  builders  valued  themselves  exceedingly  upon 
their  connexion  with  the  rulers  and  great  folk  in  that  day  ; 
and  having  joined  interests  with  them,  treated  the  common 
people,  especially  those  who  owned  Christ,  and  attended  his 
ministry  and  that  of  his  apostles,  as  an  unhallowed  mob ;  as 
is  clear  from  John  vii.  from  ver.  45,  and  downward;  where 
they,  having  sent  some  of  their  officers  to  apprehend  Christ, 
the  officers  return,  declaring  that  "  never  man  spake  like  this 
man ;"  to  which  the  Pharisees  reply,  "  Are  ye  also  deceived  ? 
Have  any  of  the  rulers,  or  of  the  Pharisees  believed  on  him  ? 
But  this  people  who  knoweth  not  the  law  are  cursed."  As  if 
the  common  people  had  been  obliged  to  follow  them,  and  the 
rulers  with  whom  they  connect  themselves,  by  an  implicit 
faith  and  obedience,  without  ever  bringing  their  doctrine 
and  actions  to  the  bar  of  the  law  and  testimony,  to  be  tried 
there. 

7.  They  and  the  rulers  having  got  the  ascendant  in  the 
sanhedrim,  and  other  courts,  they  took  care  to  keep  the 
powder  upon  their  side,  by  bringing  in  none  but  men  of  their 
own  stamp  and  spirit:  and  if  any  man  adventure  to  open  his 
mouth,  or  testify  against  their  corruptions  in  principle  or  praC'* 


XVIII.]       EXALTED  AS  THE  HEAD-STONE  OF  THE  CORNER.  005 

ticc,  presently  (iombinations  arc  formed,  plots  are  laid,  and 
the  edge  of  the  cluirch's  discipline,  which  they  had  grasped, 
is  turned  against  him  as  a  turbulent  j)erson,  an  enemy  to  the 
law  and  temple  ;  as  is  clear  from  their  management  with 
Christ,  his  apostles,  and  the  protomartyr  Stephen.  But  yet, 
notwithstanding  of  their  pretended  regard  to  the  temple,  they 
admitted  the  buyers  and  sellers  to  enter  into  it,  by  which 
they  turned  that  holy  place  into  a  den  of  thieves,  as  Christ 
tells  them  to  their  face,  John  ii.  IG,  and  Matth.  xxi.  13. 
And  whatever  regard  they  pretended  to  the  law,  by  a  show 
of  sanctity  before  the  w'orld,  yet  they  abando)ied  themselves 
to  all  manner  of  secret  and  heart  wickedness  :  licnce  our 
Lord  compares  them  to  paitiled  sepulchres;  glorious  without, 
but  within  full  of  dead  men's  bones  and  rottenness,  Matth. 
xxiii.  27. 

Again  ;  however  careful  they  were  to  cloak  and  palliate 
their  secret  wickedness,  yet  now  and  then  it  was  breaking 
out,  to  the  great  scandal  and  ollence  of  the  poor  people  of 
God ;  by  which  means  they  made  themselves  contemptible, 
and  caused  many  to  stumble  at  the  law,  and  abhor  the  sa- 
criiices  of  tlie  Lord,  as  administered  by  them  ;  as  is  plain 
from  Mai.  ii.  8,  9 :  "  Ye  are  departed  out  of  the  way :  ye 
have  caused  many  to  stumble  at  the  law :  ye  have  corrupted 
the  covenant  of  Levi,  saitli  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Theretbre 
have  I  also  made  you  contemptible  and  base  before  all  the 
people,  according  as  ye  have  not  kept  my  ways,  but  have 
been  partial  in  the  law." 

Having  lost  the  hearts  of  the  people  by  these  means,  they 
gave  themselves  up  to  all  manner  of  sloth  and  indolence, 
taking  care  to  feed  their  own  bellies,  and  enrich  themselves 
WMth  the  good  of  this  world,  while  in  the  mean  time  they 
entirely  neglected  the  flock  and  heritage  of  God.  Hence  is 
that  charge  against  them,  by  the  prophet.  Is.  Ivi.  10 — 12: 
"  His  watchmen  are  blind:  they  are  all  ignorant,  they  are  all 
dumb  dogs,  they  cannot  bark  ;  slco])ing,  lying  down,  loving 
to  slumber.  Yea,  they  are  greeily  dogs  which  can  never 
have  enough,  and  they  are  shepherds  that  cannot  imder- 
stand  :  they  all  look  to  their  own  way,  every  one  for  his  gain, 
from  his  f(uarter.  Come  ye,  say  they,  I  will  fetch  wine,  and 
we  will  fdl  ourselves  with  strong  drink,  and  to-morrow  shall 
be  as  this  day,  and  much  more  abundant." 

Those  Jewish  rulers  ruled  the  liOrd's  people  with  rigour, 
invaded  their  freedoms  and  liberties,  bound  heavy  burdens  on 
them,  which  they  themselves  would  not  touch  with  one  of 
their  lingers;  by  this  means  the  Lord's  people  were  scat- 
tered from  the  worship  of  (iod  in  their  synagogues,  as  sheep 
having  no  shepherd.     Hence  is  that  plain  dealing  by  the  pro- 

51* 


606  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY   THE  BUILDERS,  [sER. 

phet, Ezek.  xxxiv.  2 — 6:  "Thus  saith  tlie  Lord  God  unto  the 
shepherds,  Wo  be  to  the  shepherds  of  Israel,  that  do  feed 
themselves ;  should  not  the  shepherds  feed  the  flocks?  Ye 
eat  the  fat,  and  ye  clothe  you  with  the  wool,  ye  kill  them 
that  are  fed  ;  but  ye  feed  not  tlie  flock.  The  diseased  have 
ye  not  strengthened,  neither  have  ye  healed  that  which  was 
sick,  neither  have  ye  bound  up  that  which  was  broken,  nei- 
ther have  ye  brought  again  that  which  was  driven  away» 
neither  have  ye  sought  that  which  was  lost ;  but  with  force 
and  with  cruelty  have  ye  ruled  them.  And  they  were  scat- 
tered, because  there  was  no  shepherd :  and  they  became 
meat  to  all  the  beasts  of  the  field,  when  they  were  scattered. 
My  sheep  wandered  through  all  the  mountains,  and  upon 
every  high  hill ;  yea,  my  flock  was  scattered  upon  all  the 
face  of  the  earth,  and  none  did  search  or  seek  after  them." 

In  short,  to  such  a  degree  of  corruption  were  they  arrived, 
that  the  holy  and  profane,  the  clean  and  unclean,  were  alike 
to  them,  provided  they  were  of  their  way  and  party  :  Ezek. 
xxii.  25,  26 :  "  There  is  a  conspiracy  of  her  prophets  in  the 
midst  thereof,  like  a  roaring  lion  ravening  the  prey  :  they  liave 
devoured  souls  :  they  have  taken  the  treasure  and  precious 
things ;  they  have  made  her  many  widows  in  the  midst 
thereof.  Her  priests  have  violated  {as  iti  tjie  original,)  oflered 
violence  to  my  law,  and  have  profaned  my  holy  things  ;  they 
have  put  no  difiference  between  the  holy  and  profane,  neither 
hav^e  they  showed  difference  between  the  unclean  and  the 
clean." 

Thus,  the  Jewish  church,  and  particularly  her  pretended 
builders,  we  see  were  sunk  into  the  vcrv  dregs  of  corruption. 
And  hence  it  came,  that  when  the  glorious  and  long  lookcd- 
for  Messiah  actually  appeared  among  tliem,  upon  the  stage  of 
this  world,  instead  of  giving  him  a  reception-  suitable  to  his  ^ 
excellency,  as  Immanuel,  God-man,  they  treated  him  with  the 
utmost  contempt.  Tliough  he  opened  his  commission,  and 
made  it  evident  to  the  world,  by  his  doctrine,  miracles,  and 
the  whole  of  his  conversation,  that  he  was  none  other  thari 
the  brightness  of  his  Father's  glory  ;  yet  they  disparaged  his 
person,  denied  his  supreme  Deity,  esteeming  him  only  as  the 
son  of  the  carpenter,  contradicted  his  doctrine,  and  studied 
to  obscure  his  miracles,  by  ascribing  them  to  the  power  of 
Beelzebub  the  prince  of  devils;  they  blackened  his  character 
with  reproaches,  as  though  he  had  'been  a  glutton,  a  wine- 
bibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners;  and  at  length  cru- 
cified him  ignominiouslv,  as  though  he  had  been  a  notorious 
impostor,  betwixt  two  thieves ;  and  when,  after  his  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead,  he  came  to  them  in  the  ministry  of  his 
apostles,  bringing  his  righteousness  and  salvation  near  to 


{ 


XVIIl.]       EXALTED  AS  THE  HEAD-STONE  OF  THE  CORNER.  G07 

Ihem,  they  finally  rejected  him,  and  all  the  oflers  of  his  grace  ; 
for  which  reason,  God  was  provoked,  by  a  heavy  sentence  of 
exconmiunication,  to  cut  them  oil"  irom  being  a  church  or 
nation,  under  w  hich  thoy  are  lying  to  this  day,  his  blood  be- 
ing upon  them  and  upon  their  cl)ildren,  according  to  their 
wish  at  his  crucifixion.  And  thus  we  sec  how  the  stone  of 
God's  choosing  was  rejected  by  the  builders.  Let  their  ex- 
amjde  and  ruin  serve  as  so  many  beacons,  that  we  of  the 
Gentile  churches  may  not  dash  ourselves  upon  the  same  church- 
ruining  and  soul-destroying  rocks  ;  which  is  the  very  use  the 
apostle  Paul  makes  of  this  subject,  when  writing  to  the  Ro- 
mans, chap.  xi.  20 — 23:  "Well';  because  of  unbelief  they 
were  broken  o{\]  and  thou  standest  by  faith.  l?e  not  high- 
minded,  but  fear.  For  if  God  spared  not  the  natural  branches, 
take  heed  lest  he  also  spare  not  thee.  Behold,  tiierefore,  the 
goodness,  and  severity  of  God:  on  them  which  fell,  severity; 
but  towards  thee,  goodness,  if  thou  continue  in  his  goodness: 
otherwise  thou  also  shalt  be  cut  oil"."  Which  melancholy 
event  actually  hajipened  to  the  church  of  Christ  at  liome,  as 
we  see  at  this  very  day  ;  it  being  now  the  seat  of  Antichrist, 
and  a  synagogue  of  Satan. 

The  only  thing  that  remains  upon  this  head  is,  to  answer 
the  following  question  : — 

Whence  was  it  that  the  Jewish  builders  rejected  Christ, 
the  stone  of  God's  choosing,  trying,  and  laying  ? 

Anszc.  1.  This  fatal  error  of  theirs  ytroceeded  from  their  ig- 
norance of  Christ,  in  the  excellency  of  his  person,  and  of  the 
glorious  mystery  of  redemption  and  salvation  through  him  : 
Acts  iii.  17:  "I  wot  that  through  ignorance  ye  did  it,  as  did 
also  your  rulers."  1  Cor.  ii.  7,8:  "  We  speak  the  wisdom  of 
God  in  a  mystery; — which  none  of  the  princes  of  this  world 
knew:  for  had  they  known  if,  they  would  not  have  crucified 
the  Lord  of  glory."  They  were  men  of  no  despicable  piirts, 
capable  enough  to  toss  an  argument;  they  thouglit  thi-mselves 
the  only  seers  in  Israel  in  their  day:  "Aie  we  blind  also?" 
Yet  Christ  declares  them  blind  like  moles,  in  things  relating  to 
his  kingdom.  The  least  of  Christ's  babes,  whom  they  reck- 
oned among  the  acciu'sed  mob,  had  more  of  the  saving  know- 
ledge of  (iod,  and  of  the  things  of  God,  than  they;  and  the 
blind  leading  the  blind,  both  stumbled  on  the  stumbling-stone, 
and  fell  into  the  ditch  together. 

2.  Mistaken  notions  of  the  nature  of  the  Messiaii's  kingdom 
was  another  cause  of  their  rejecting  this  precious  stone.  They 
had  formed  a  notion  to  themselves,  without  any  real  ground 
from  scriptiire-j)roj)he(y,  that  the  Messiah  was  to  appear  in 
the  form  of  an  earthly  monarch,  and  that  he  was  to  lift  up 
the  head  of  the  Jewish  nation,  and  make  the  Romans,  and  all 


608  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS,  [SER. 

the  nations  of  the  wor]d,t  heir  vassals  and  tributaries;  but, 
finding  themselves  mistaken,  they  disown  and  crucify  him  as 
an  impostor.  Which  by  the  by,  serves  to  discover  what  a 
dangerous  thing  it  is,  not  to  have  right  conceptions  of  the 
spiritual  nature  of  Christ's  kingdom.  I  am  persuaded,  that 
carnal  notions  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  which  is  not  of  this 
world,  lie  at  the  bottom  of  many  of  the  evils  and  corruptions 
in  the  day  in  which  we  live. 

V.  Thejifth  thing  in  the  method  was,  to  inquire  what  may 
he  implied  in  Christ^s  being  made  the  head-stone  of  the  coriier, 
nolivithstanding  of  the  attempts  of  the  builders  to  juslle  him  out 
of  his  place. 

1.  Then,  It  implies  Christ's  exaltation  and  victory  over  all 
his  enemies  and  opposers .-  he  will  have  the  better  of  them, 
let  them  do  their  worst :  however  Christ  and  his  cause,  in- 
terest, and  people,  may  be  borne  down  for  awhile,  yet  the 
scales  will  turn,  and,  like  the  house  of  David,  they  shall  pre- 
vail. Christ  was  personally  oppressed  and  afflicted,  "  he  drank 
of  the  brook  in  the  way:"  yet  at  length  "  he  lifted  up  the 
head,  and  God  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a 
name  above  every  name."  And  as  it  was  with  Christ  per- 
sonally, so  it  will  be  with  his  injured  members.  However 
they  be  "  afflicted,  tost  with  tempests,  and  not  comforted,  yet 
God  will  lay  their  stones  with  fair  colours,  and  their  founda- 
tions with  sapphires."  Though  Sion  may  be  laid  in  ashes,  yet 
she  shall  be  built  up  again  by  the  almighty  God;  and  when 
the  Lord  brings  her  forth  to  the  light,  then  "  shame  shall  co- 
ver her  who  said,  Where  is  the  Lord  thy  God  ?" 

2.  It  implies  that  God  has  a  great  regard  for  the  glory  of 
his  Son,  as  the  head  and  king  of  his  church  ;  and  that  it  is 
his  will,  "  that  all  men  should  honour  him,  even  as  they  hon- 
our the  Father."  This  was  intimated  by  a  royal  mandate,  is- 
sued forth  from  the  excellent  glory,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son, 
in  whom  I  am  well  pleased;  hear  ye  him."  God  does  not 
reckon  it  any  injury  done  to  him  as  God  Creator,  that  we 
worship  and  serve  him  in  the  person  of  the  Redeemer,  for 
"his  name  is  in  him  ;"  his  glory,  his  majesty,  and  other  excel- 
lent perfections,  are  in  him  as  they  are  in  the  Father;  and 
therefore  it  is  his  will,  "  That  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every 
knee  should  bow,  and  every  tongue  confess,  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father." 

3.  It  implies,  that  the  whole  spiritual  fabric  or  building  of 
the  church  hangs  upon  him,  as  the  superstructure  leans  upon 
the  foundation  and  chief  corner-stone.  "He  shall  build  the 
temple,  and  bear  the  glory,"  says  the  prophet  Zechariah ; 
and  Is.  xxii.  24 :  "  They  shall  hang  upon  him  all  the  glory  of 


XVIII.]       EXALTED  AS  THE  HEAD-STO\E  OF  THE  CORNER.  GO'J 

Jiis  Father's  house."  All  the  doctrines  of  the  church,  and 
truths  of  the  everlasting  gospel,  lean  upt>n  him ;  he  is  their 
Alpha  and  Omcea ;  hence  we  read  of  "  the  truth  as  it  in  Je- 
sus;" they  meet  in  him  as  (he  si)olvCs  of  a  wheel  in  the  nave. 
All  the  promises  meet  in  him  ;  "  they  are  in  him  yea,  and 
amen."  All  the  precepts  lean  u|)on  his  authority;  for  the 
law  is  "the  law  of  Christ,"  it  is  his  "yoke  and  burden."  The 
whole  discipline  of  the  church  hangs  upon  him ;  the  keys  of 
doctrine  and  discipline  hang  at  his  girdle.  The  government 
of  the  church  pertains  to  him  ;  for  it  is  laid  upon  his  shoul- 
ders. The  ordinances  and  worship  of  the  church  hang  on 
him  ;  no  sort  of  worship,  or  a  part  of  wor^hip,  can  be  ad- 
mitted, but  what  bears  the  impression  of  his  institution.  The 
oflicers  of  the  church  hang  upon  him  for  their  commission, 
and  success  in  their  work.  In  a  word,  all  the  members  of 
the  church  hang  upon  him:  "The  whole  ofl^pring  and  issue, 
the  vessels  of  small  quantity,  from  vessels  of  cups  to  vessels  of 
flagons,  hang  on  him,  as  upon  a  nail  fastened  in  a  sure  place." 

4.  His  being  made  the  head-stone  of  the  corner  implies, 
that  he  is  the  alone  centre  of  unity  in  the  church;  for  the 
head-stone  of  the  corner  knits  the  whole  building  together, 
and  if  that  be  removed,  the  walls  of  the  house  fall  asunder, 
and  so  the  whole  fabric  is  ruined.  If  we  do  uoi  hold  the 
head-stone  of  the  corner,  by  which  the  whole  building  issup- 
j)lied  and  knit  together,  the  fabiic  of  a  church,  however  po- 
litically framed,  can  never  stand  long.  And  the  reason  why 
the  house  is  tottering  at  this  day,  is  because  there  is  too  much 
of  receding  from  the  corner-stone.  Usually,  indeed,  in  a  time 
of  defection,  the  pulpits  of  those  builders  whose  hands  are 
deepest  in  it,  ring  with  the  doctrine  of  peace  ;  and  if  a  tongue 
be  moved  against  the  corrupt  measures  they  are  going  into, 
the  cry  is  raised,  "  These  that  turn  the  world  upside  down, 
are  come  hither  also;"  while  in  the  mean  time  it  is  such  as 
depart  from  the  corner-stone  that  ruin  and  tear  the  building, 
and  not  they  who  give  warning  to  the  house  or  family  of  its 
being  in  danger  of  falling.  They  who  do  give  warning  may 
lay  their  account  to  be  beaten  by  their  fellow  builders,  that 
are  losing  the  corner-stone.  But  this  needs  be  no  surprise, 
for  in  all  a";es  Christ's  witnesses  have  tormented  them  that 
dwell  uj)on  the  earth  ;  and  it  needs  be  no  discouragement,  for 
though  tiiey  may  be  killed  and  buried,  yet  there  will  be  a  re- 
surrection both  of  names  and  persons. 

5.  Ilis  being  the  head-stone  of  the  corner  implies,  that  Christ 
is  the  beauty  and  ornament  of  his  church  ;  for  much  of  the 
beauty  and  ornament  of  the  building  lies  in  the  corner-stone. 
^Vc  are  told,  the  daughters  of  Zion  were  "  like  a  corner- 
stone, polished  after  the  similitude  of  a  palace."     Christ  is 


610  THE  STONE  REJECTED  By  THE  BUILDERS,  [SER. 

the  glory  of  his  people  Israel :"  and  no  wonder,  for  he  is  "  the 
brightness  of  his  Father's  glory."  When  he  is  in  the  midst 
of  his  church,  countenancing  his  ordinances,  and  judicatories, 
then  it  is  "she  looks  forth  as  the  morning,  fair  as  the  moon,, 
clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners :"  but 
when  he  departs,  all  the  glory  departs,  and  a  dismal  Ichabod 
succeeds :"  "  Yea,  wo  also  unto  them  when  I  depart  from 
them  ;"  as  may  be  seen  at  this  day  in  the  once  famous  church- 
es of  Lesser  Asia,  and  other  places  where  Christ  had  once 
flourishing  churches.  They  departed  from  the  cliief  corner- 
stone, in  doctrine,  discipline,  worship,  and  government,  and 
this  provoked  him  to  depart ;  and  upon  his  departure,  the 
songs  of  their  temples  were  turned  into  bowlings. 

6.  It  implies,  that  they  who  would  build  the  church  of 
Christ  must  still  have  him  in  their  eye,  and  that  the  whole  of 
their  conduct  and  administration  in  the  house  of  God  must  be 
regulated  vv'ith  a  view  to  his  glory  and  lionour.  If  in  build- 
ing a  house  the  chief  corner-stone  be  not  kept  in  view,  irre- 
gular work  cannot  miss  to  ensue  :  just  so  is  it  in  the  case  in 
hand;  if  we  shall  pretend  to  build  the  house  of  God;  and  do 
not  keep  our  eyes  on  Christ,  and  his  honour  and  interest, 
whether  in  matters  of  discipline  or  doctrine,  instead  of  build- 
ing the  ch«rch,  we  only  disorder  and  disturb  it,  and  throw  all 
into  confusion.  When  we  begin  to  work  by  carnal  policy,  or 
to  have  a  sinister  eye  upon  serving  the  lusts  and  humours  of 
men,  great  or  small,  or  our  own  worldly  interests,  and  not 
the  glory  of  our  great  Redeemer,  we  but  ruin  and  pull  down 
the  church  of  Christ,  instead  of  building  it ;  and  are  fair  to 
bury  our  name,  our  ministry,  and  our  own  souls,  and  the 
souls  of  multitudes,  in  the  rubbish  of  it.  Therefore  there  is 
much  need  of  disinterested  views  in  the  management  of  the 
affiiirs  of  Christ.  We  that  are  ministers,  as  well  as  others, 
had  much  need  to  learn  the  lesson  of  self-denial ;  to  deny  our 
own  wisdom,  and  our  worldly  interest,  as  a  trifle  in  respect 
of  his  glory,  and  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom. 

7.  The  text  implies,  that  God  and  corrupt  builders  are 
driving  quite  different  measures  and  designs.  The  builders 
reject  the  stone,  but  God  will  have  it  to  be  the  head-stone  of 
the  corner ;  and  which  of  the  parties  shall  prevail,  it  is  easy 
to  judge.  Christ  shall  sit  at  his  Father's  right  hand,  till  all  his 
enemies  be  made  his  footstool.  He  will  break  them  that  rise 
up  against  him  as  a  potter's  vessel.  "  I  have  set  my  King, 
(says  the  Lord,)  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion ;"  and  who  is  he 
that  will  dethrone  him? 

VI.  What  was  last  proposed  in  the  method,  was  the  Appli- 
cation of  the  whole.  All  the  use  I  shall  make  of  what  has 
been  said,  shall  be  wrapt  up  in  the  following  inferences: — 


XVIII.]       EXALTED  AS  THE  HEAD-STON'E  OF  THE  CORNER.  Gil 

Inf,  1.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  see  the  excel- 
lency of  the  church  of  Christ ;  why,  she  is  a  building,  a  house 
for  God  to  dwell  in  among  the  ciiildren  of  men.  So  valuable 
is  this  building,  that  this  whole  visible  creation  is  only  a  thea- 
tre or  scaflbld  for  rearing  the  house ;  and  whenever  the  build- 
ing is  completed,  the  scallbid  will  be  taken  down,  and  com- 
mitted to  the  flames.  To  discover  the  high  estimate  God 
puts  upon  his  cluirch,  he  calls  her  by  the  most  endearing 
names  and  epithets.  He  designates  her  his  spouse,  his  luxe,  his 
dove,  his  vndijiled,  iiis  treasure,  his  portioti,  his  Hcphzibah  and 
Beulah,  his  bed,  his  resting-j)lacc,  his  walking-place,  and  his 
dwelling-place.  A  whole  Trinity,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  lay  themselves  out  in  their  particular  economy  for  the 
upbuilding  of  this  house  :  the  grace  of  the  Father,  the  love 
and  blood  of  the  Son,  and  all  the  gracious  influences  and  ope- 
rations of  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  laid  out  for  carrying  on  the 
work.  The  whole  administrations  of  providence  in  the  go- 
vernment of  the  world  are  adjusted  for  the  benefit  of  the 
church,  and  the  faithful  members  thereof.  For  this  end  the 
reins  of  administration,  the  keys  of  hell  and  death,  were  com- 
mitted into  the  hands  of  Christ;  for  "  God  hath  given  him  to 
be  the  head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  which  is  his  body. 
The  Father  hath  put  all  things  into  the  hand  of  the  Son,  that 
so  all  the  wheels  of  providence  might  be  rolled  and  turned 
about  "  for  the  good  of  them  that  love  him,  and  who  are  tlie 
called  according  to  his  purpose."  The  whole  institution  and 
administration  of  go>pel  ordinances,  and  all  the  oflicers  of  his 
ordination,  whether  ordinary  or  extraordinary,  are  designed 
for  her  edilication,  as  we  see  in  that  forcritcd  l']j)h.  iv.  11  — 
13,  &-C.  This  may  let  us  see  what  a  valuable  trust  we  have 
among  our  hands>  to  whom  God  has  committed  the  adiiirs  of 
the  church,  and  how  tenderly  it  concerns  us  to  manage  them, 
even  like  those  who  are  to  make  an  account  to  the  great  Lord 
of  the  house. 

Inf.  2.  Is  Christ //jc  slave  in  a  way  of  eminence?  Then 
we  niay  see  how  neccssury  and  useful  it  is  to  preach  Christ; 
why,  he  is  Oic  stone  by  way  of  eminence,  the  stone  of  God's 
laying,  of  his  choosing,  and  the  stone  which  God  will  have 
for  hrad-stone  of  the  corner.  Paul,  as  a  wise  master-buiKicr, 
laid  this  foundation  among  his  hearers,  and  declares  that  "an- 
other foundation  can  no  man  lay."  It  is  "  Christ  whom  we 
preach."  "  1  desire,"  says  he,  "  to  know  nothing  among  you 
save  Christ,  and  him  crucified."  The  whole  of  the  scripture 
revelation  meets  in  him  as  its  centre:  all  the  histories,  ])ro- 
phecies,  promises,  types,  precepts,  doctrines,  and  ordinan«■,c^•, 
of  the  word,  arc  just  fidl  of  Christ.  The  whole  l?ible.  what 
is  it  but  the  testament  of  Christ,  and  the  testimonial  that  Christ 


612  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS,  [sER. 

brought  from  heaven?  "  These  are  they  which  testify  of 
me."  "  These  things  are  written,  that  ye  may  beheve  in 
the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  and  that  beheving 
ye  may  have  Ufe  in  him.''  And  to  be  sure  what  is  the  scope 
of  the'  whole  revelation  of  the  mind  of  God  in  the  word, 
ought  to  be  the  scope  and  design  of  all  our  sermons.  What- 
ever particular  doctrines  we  insist  upon,  ought  still  to  be  in- 
grafted upon  the  blessed  Branch  that  springs  out  of  the  root 
of  Jesse  ;  for  the  truth  is  only  rightly  dispensed,  and  rightly 
known  "  as  it  is  in  Jesus."  Hence  the  great  Mr.  Durham 
tells  us,  in  his  first  sermon  on  Is.  liii.  that  "  Christ  stands  un- 
der a  fourfold  relation  to  preaching:  1.  He  is  the  text  of  it. 
All  preaching  is  to  explain  him  ;  and  that  preaching  which 
does  not  stand  in  relation  to  him,  is  a  preaching  besides  the 
text.  2.  He  is  the  ground-work  and  foundation  of  preaching. 
So  that  preaching  without  him  wants  a  foundation,  and  is  but 
building  castles  in  the  air.  3.  He  is  the  great  end  of  preach- 
ing, namely,  to  set  him  on  high  in  the  hearts  and  affections 
of  our  hearers.  The  design  of  preaching  is  not  to  make  our- 
selves, but  our  Master,  great,  to  cause  his  name  to  be  remem- 
bered. 4.  He  is  the  very  power  and  life  of  preaching;  for  he 
is  "  the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God  ;"  and  the  gos- 
pel is  called  "  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  because  there- 
in is  revealed  the  righteousness  of  God  from  faith  to  faith." — 
Thus  far  that  great  man. 

Inf.  3.  If  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  be  builders  of  the 
house,  then  see  hence  the  need  of  trying  a  man's  acquaint- 
ance with  Christ  and  the  power  of  religion,  before  he  is  ad- 
mitted to  ministerial  communion,  as  a  fellow-builder  in  the 
house  of  God.  Why,  that  man  who  is  not  really  acquainted 
with  Christ  in  an  expcritinced  way,  may  be  fair  to  reject  the 
stone  of  God's  choosing,  and  so  ruin  the  building,  and  bury 
himself  and  many  souls  in  the  ruins  of  it.  Masons  know  one 
another,  they  have  certain  signs  and  words  by  which  they  are 
capable  to  distinguish  men  of  their  own  art  and  business  from 
otliers;  so,  skilful  builders  in  the  house  of  God  are  capable, 
by  a  spiritual  discerning,  to  know  who  are  fit  for  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  who  not.  If  such  a  dis- 
cerning be  given,  even  to  church-members,  as  to  "  try  the 
spirits,  whether  they  are  of  God,  because  many  false  pro- 
phets are  gone  out  into  the  world,"  1  John  iv.  1 ;  much  more 
may  be  supposed  that  this  discerning  faculty  is  to  be  found 
among  faithful  ministers  of  the  gospel.  Hence  is  that  of  the 
apostle  to  Timothy,  2  Epist.  ii.  2 :  "The  things  that  thou 
hast  heard  of  me  among  many  witnesses,  the  same  commit 
thou  to  faithful  men,  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others  also." 

Inf.  4.  Is  it  so  that  the  stone  is  rejected  by  the  builders? 


XVIII.]         EXALTED  AS  HEAD-STONE  OF  THE  CORNER.  G13 

Then  see  hence  what  a  fatal  and  pernicious  thing  a  corrupt, 
erroneous,  and  ignorant  ministry  is  to  the  church  of  Christ: 
why,  they  spoil,  mar,  and  destroy  the  whole  building ;  they 
run  counter  to  the  great  plot  of  Heaven,  by  casting  away  the 
stone,  which  God  has  ordained  to  be  the  chief  stone  of  the 
corner.  The  new  mode  of  preaching  some  men  have  fallen 
into  with  their  harangues  and  llourishes  of  morality,  while 
Christ  is  scarcely  named,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of 
their  discourse,  I  look  on  as  a  plot  of  hell  to  throw  out  the  cor- 
ner-stone, in  order  to  bring  us  back  to  Heathenism  or  Anti- 
christian  darkness.  Christ  is  "  the  light  of  the  world  ;"  and  if 
he  be  removed,  or  shuffled  out,  where  are  we,  but  just  among 
the  "dark  places  of  the  earth,  which  are  full  of  the  habita- 
tions of  horrid  cruelty  I"  So  that,  I  say,  a  corrupt  ministry, 
whatever  be  their  fine  parts,  are  the  very  bane  of  the  church 
of  Christ. 

Inf.  5.  If  it  be  God's  great  design,  that  Christ  should  be 
the  chief  stone  of  the  corner;  if  this,  I  say,  be  the  resolution 
of  Heaven ;  then  see  hence,  that  all  the  attempts  of  hell  for 
the  depression  of  Christ  and  the  ruin  of  his  cause,  whether 
by  open  enemies,  or  pretended  builders,  shall  be  abortive  in 
the  issue;  for  "  the  counsel  of  the  Lord  shall  stand,  and  he 
will  do  all  his  pleasure,"  in  spite  of  hell  and  earth.  And  what 
is  his  pleasure  and  counsel  \  VV^hy,  here  it  is,  The  sto?ie  uhick 
ihe  builders  rejected,  the  same  shall  become  the  head-stone  of  the 
corner.  The  gates  of  hell  have  made  many  an  attempt  to 
get  the  stone  of  God's  choosing  rejected,  in  order  to  the  ruin 
of  the  church  ;  but  they  have  never  yet  prevailed,  and  never 
shall:  Infinite  Wisdom  has  always  "  taken  the  wise  in  their 
own  craftiness,  and  turned  the  counsel  of  the  froward  head- 
long," and  made  these  very  devices  of  hell  and  its  instruments 
subservient  to  lift  the  corner-stone  higher  in  the  building,  to 
the  shame  and  ruin  of  those  who  attempted  to  rcijcct  it.  This 
*'  little  stone  cut  out  of  the  mountain,"  has  always  proved  too 
hard  for  all  the  metals  that  clashed  with  it,  and  it  will  be  so 
to  the  end  of  time. 

Inf.  G.  See  from  what  is  said,  what  it  is  makes  a  flourishr 
ing  church.  It  is  not  her  external  peace,  plenty,  or  prospe- 
rity;  not  her  connexion  in  politics  with  kings  or  parliaments, 
patrons,  heritors,  or  any  other  sort  of  men  ;  but  her  connex- 
ion with  the  chief  corner-stone.  This,  and  this  only,  is  what 
beautifies  the  whole  building,  and  makes  her  "increase  with 
the  increase  of  (Jod." 

Inf.  7.  See  hence  great  ground  of  lamentation  and  humi- 
liation at  this  day.  The  stone  is  rejected,  which  God  would 
have  to  be  the  chief  stone  of  the  corner.  Is  he  not  rejected 
in  his  prophetical  ollice,  through  the  prevailing  ignorance  Und 

VOL.  I.  52 


614  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS,  [sEft* 

unbelief  that  is  to  be  found  among  the  hearers  of  the  gospel  ? 
The  old  complaint  may  be  still  renewed  in  our  day,  "  Who 
hath  believed  our  report?"  Is  he  not  rejected  in  his  priestly 
office,  while  the  generality,  with  the  Jews,  "  go  about  to  es- 
tablish their  own  righteousness,  and  refuse  the  righteousness 
of  God  ?"  And  is  he  not  rejected  in  his  kingly  office  and  head- 
ship in  his  church,  by  the  abounding  profanity,  atheism  and 
immorality  of  our  day  ;  by  the  generality  of  professed  Chris- 
tians breaking  his  bands,  and  casting  his  cords  from  them  ?  I 
cannot  now  stand  to  give  a  full  narrative  of  the  injuries  that 
have  been  done  to  the  royal  prerogative  of  this  King  of  kings, 
and  Lord  of  lords. 

The  Roman  Antichrist  has  for  a  long  time  invaded  the  pre- 
rogative of  the  Son  of  God,  by  usurping  a  headship  over  the 
church :  "  He  sits  in  the  temple  of  God,  exalting  himself  above 
all  that  is  called  God."  At  the  imperfect  reformation  of  Eng- 
land, when  they  threw  off  the  Pope  as  the  head  of  the  church, 
they  lodged  the  same  in  the  King,  declaring  him  to  be  supreme 
head  in  all  cases  civil  or  ecclesiastic.  In  the  late  days  of 
Scotland's  apostacy  from  God,  the  crown  was  sacrilegiously 
taken  from  Christ's  head  among  us  also,  and  set  upon  the 
head  of  a  persecuting  apostate.  Dreadful  were  the  invasions 
and  encroachments  that  were  made  upon  the  crown-royal  of 
the  King  of  Zion,  by  king,  parliaments,  and  persons  of  all 
ranks;  particularly  by  the  act  recissory,  by  which  axes  and 
hammers  were  lifted  up  upon  the  carved  work  of  the  temple, 
hewing  down  the  glorious  work  of  reformation,  restoring  ab- 
jured Prelacy,  rescinding  the  obligations  of  our  solemn  co- 
venants, yea,  ordering  them  to  be  burnt  at  the  cross  of  Edin- 
burgh, by  the  hand  of  the  common  hangman,  prosecuting  to 
the  very  death  all  that  owned  a  work  of  reformation. 

In  those  bloody  days,  the  headi^hip  and  sovereignty  of  Christ 
was  contended  for  by  many  of  the  Lord's  worthies  even  unto 
death;  and  it  has  been  the  peculiar  honour  of  the  church  of 
Scotland,  particularly  in  those  days  of  persecution,  to  b^ar 
testimony  to  Christ,  as  the  alone  head  and  king  of  his  church, 
in  opposition  to  those  dangerous  and  heaven-daring  encroach- 
ments that  were  made  upon  it.  And  it  is  much  to  be  regret- 
ted and  lamented,  that  since  the  Lord  turned  back  our  capti- 
vity, in  any  measure,  at  the  late  wonderful  revolution,  by 
which  we  were  freed  from  the  yoke  of  lordly  Prelacy,  we 
have  not  been  so  zealous  for  our  great  King,  and  his  preroga- 
tives, which  were  so  much  invaded,  as  might  have  been  ex- 
pected, upon  our  deliverance  from  that  Egyptian  thraldom.  I 
do  not  remember  of  any  particular  act  of  assembly,  since  the 
revolution,  by  which  the  rights  of  the  crown  of  Christ  are  as- 
serted, in  opposition  to  the  encroachments  that  were  made 


\ 


XVm.]  EXALTED  AS  HEAD-STONE  OF  THE  CORNER.  615 

upon  them  in  those  days  of  public  apostacy  and  persecution. 
Yea,  instead  of  that,  are  there  not  invasions  and  encroach- 
ments made  upon  the  authority  of  Christ,  and  the  immunities 
of  his  kingdom,  even  since  that  period,  particularly  in  the 
end  of  Queen  Anne's  reign,  when  designs  were  formed  for 
the  overthrow  of  a  Protestant  succession  ?  His  headship  and 
authority  was  invaded  by  an  almost  boundless  toleration  of 
all  errors  in  doctrine,  and  corruptions  in  worship,  except- 
ing Popery,  and  blasphemy  ngainst  the  Holy  Trinity;  two 
evils  that  never  prevailed  moi-e  in  the  memory  of  man  in 
these  lands,  than  since  the  toleration  act  was  passed.  His 
authority  was  at  the  same  time  invaded  by  the  act  restoring 
patronages,  by  which  power  is  given  to  a  malignant  lord  or 
laird,  to  present  a  man  to  take  the  charge  of  precious  souls, 
who  has  perhaps  no  more  concern  about  their  salvation  than 
the  Great  Turk.  And  is  it  not  matter  of  lamentation,  to 
see  some  of  the  judicatories  of  this  church,  whose  province  { 
it  is  to  contend  for  the  sovereignly  of  Christ,  and  the  rights  ; 
of  his  subjects,  falling  in  with  patrons  and  heritors  of  the  \ 
nation,  in  opposition  to  the  known  rights  of  the  Christian  J 
people  to  elect  and  choose  their  own  pastors'?  How  are 
the  rights  of  the  Lord's  people  invaded  and  trodden  upon  by 
violent  settlements  up  and  down  the  land?  A  cry  is  gone  up 
to  heaven  against  the  builders,  by  the  spouse  of  Christ,  like 
that,  Cant.  v.  7:  "The  watchmen  that  went  about  the  city, 
found  me,  they  smote  me,  they  wounded  me ;  the  keepers  of 
the  walls  took  away  my  veil  fiom  me."  A  cry  and  complaint 
came  in  before  the  bar  of  the  last  assembly,  for  relief  and  re- 
dress of  these,  and  many  other  grievances  both  from  ministers 
and  people;  but  instccd  of  a  due  regard  had  to  it,  an  act  is 
passed  confining  the  power  of  election  to  heritors  and  elders, 
by  which  a  new  wound  is  given  to  the  prerogative  of  Christ, 
^and  the  privilege  of  his  subjects.  I  shall  say  the  less  of  this 
act  now,  that  I  had  opportunity  to  exonerate  myself,  with 
relation  to  it,  before  the  national  assembly,  where  it  was  . 
passed.  Only  allow^  me  to  say,  that  whatever  church  au-  / 
thority  may  be  in  that  act,  yet  it  wants  the  authority  of  the  / 
Son  of  God.  All  ecclesiastical  authority  under  heaven  is  de- 
rived from  him;  and  therefore  any  act  that  wants  his  autho- 
rity, has  no  authority  at  all.  And  seeing  the  reverend  synod 
has  put  me  in  this  place,  where  I  am  in  Christ's  stead,  I  must 
be  allowed  to  say  of  this  act,  what  I  apprehend  Christ  himself 
would  say  of  it,  were  he  personally  present  where  I  am,  and 
that  is,  that  by  this  act  the  corner-stone  is  receded  from,  he  is 
rejected  with  his  poor  members,  and  the  rich  of  this  world  put 
in  their  room ;  I  say,  were  Christ  here  present,  1  think  lie 
would  say  in  relation  to  that  act,  "  In  as  much  as  ye  did  it 


616  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS.  [SER. 

unto  one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye  did  it  unto  me."  By  this 
act  Christ  is  rejected  in  his  authority,  because  I  can  find  no 
warrant  from  the  word  of  God,  to  confer  the  spiritual  privi- 
leges of  his  house  upon  the  rich  beyond  the  poor:  whereas 
by  this  act,  the  man  with  the  gold  ring  and  gay  clothing,  is 
preferred  to  the  man  with  the  vile  raiment  and  poor  attire.  I 
add,  farther,  that  this  act,  I  judge  to  be  inconsistent  with  the 
principles  and  the  practices  of  the  best  reformed  churches, 
asserted  in  their  public  confessions  of  faith,  and  particularly 
with  the  known  principles  of  this  church,  since  the  reforma- 
tion, asserted  in  our  books  of  discipline,  which  we  are  bound 
by  solemn  covenant  to  maintain.  I  am  firmly  persuaded, 
that  if  a  timely  remedy  be  not  provided,  this  act  will  very 
soon  terminate  in  the  overthrow  of  the  church  of  Scotland, 
and  of  a  faithful  ministry  therein,  in  regard  that  the  power  of 
electing  ministers  is  thereby  principally  lodged  in  the  hands 
of  a  set  of  men  who  are  generally  disaffected  to  the  power  of 
godliness,  to  the  doctrine,  discipline,  worship,  and  govern- 
ment of  this  church,  as  well  as  to  the  government  of  our  gra- 
cious sovereign  King  George,  and  the  Protestant  succession 
in  his  family. 

All  sound  Presbyterians,  who  read  the  history  of  our  fore- 
fathers, generally  approve  of  the  practice  of  Mr.  Samuel 
Rutherford,  Mr.  James  Guthrie,  and  other  ministers  of  this 
church,  who  protested  against  the  resolutions,  as  a  thing  in- 
consistent with  our  covenants,  and  prejudicial  to  the  work  of 
reformation,  although  thereby  the  door  was  only  opened  to 
malignants  to  come  into  places  of  civil  or  military  trust ;  and 
we  who  live  at  this  time  of  day,  may  see  the  pernicious  effects 
these  resolutions  had  in  the  church  of  Scotland.  But  what 
would  our  forefathers  have  thought,  or  what  will  succeeding 
generations  think  of  this  act  of  assembly  ;  by  which  malig- 
nants are  vested,  not  with  a  civil  or  military,  but  with  an 
ecclesiastical  power,  in  the  settlement  of  the  generality  of 
ministers  through  the  church  of  Scotland  ?  By  which  means 
the  church  of  Scotland,  and  her  sacred  privileges,  are  renr 
dered  exceedingly  cheap,  even  in  the  eyes  of  her  avowed 
enemies ;  this  being  a  compliment  they  neither  expected  nor 
desired  at  our  hands.  But,  after  all,  I  have  good  reason  to 
believe,  that  this  act  is  far  from  being  the  mind  of  the  gene- 
rality of  presbyteries  throughout  this  national  church ;  and 
therefore  would  gladly  hope  a  seasonable  stand  shall  yet  be 
made  against  it,  in  order  to  prevent  its  pernicious  conse-" 
quences. 

My  last  inference  shall  be  in  a  word  of  Exhortation.  Are 
ministers  of  the  gospel  builders  of  the  church,  and  is  it  the 
great  plot  of  Heaven  to  have  Christ  exalted  as  the  head-stone 


XVIII.]       EXALTED  AS  THE  HEAD-STONE  OF  THE  CORNER.  617 

of  the  corner  ?  Then  let  me  call  and  exhort  my  reverend 
brethren  and  fathers  (and  I  desire  to  apply  the  exhortation  to 
myself,)  to  concur  with  heart  and  hand,  in  lifting  up  the  chief 
corner-stone,  and  making  his  name  to  be  remembered  to 
all  generations,  that  the  people  may  praise  him  for  ever  and 
ever.  However  he  has  been,  or  still  is  rejected  by  other 
builders:  yet  let  us  study  to  exalt  him,  saying  one  to  another, 
"  O  magnify  the  Lord  with  me,  and  let  us  exalt  his  name  to- 
gether." 

1  shall  not  stay,  after  what  has  been  said,  to  use  many  mo- 
tives :  only,  in  so  many  words,  let  us  consider  the  excellency 
of  his  person,  and  the  relation  he  bears  to  us  and  others  of 
our  tribe  or  family,  both  by  nature  and  office  ;  he  being  "Im- 
manuel,  God  with  us,"  ordained  the  great  Prophet,  Priest,  and 
King  of  the  church,  to  answer  the  maladies  and  miseries  of 
ignorance,  guilt,  and  bondage,  we  are  brought  under  by  the 
sin  of  the  first  Adam.  Let  us  consider,  that  it  is  his  Father's 
will,  "  that  all  men  should  honour  him,  even  as  they  honour 
the  Father"  himself;  yea,  his  Father  has  "highly  exalted 
him,  and  given,  him  a  name  above  every  name,"  and  hath 
ordered  that  "  every  tongue  shall  confess,  that  Jesus  is  the 
Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father."  Let  us  consider,  that 
this  is  the  work  of  the  Hol}^  Ghost,  the  great  scope  of  all  his 
dictates  in  the  word,  and  of  all  his  graces,  influences,  and 
operations,  in  the  heart,  being  to  lift  up  this  corner-stone: 
John  xvi.  14:  "  He  shall  glorify  me  ;  for  he  shall  receive  of 
mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you."  This  is  the  work  in  which 
angels  delight  to  be  employed :  with  what  alacrity  do  they 
celebrate  his  nativity,  and  tell  the  tidings  of  it  to  the  shep- 
herds! Luke  ii._10,  11:  "  Behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of 
great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  people.  For  unto  you  is  born 
this  day,  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the 
Lord."  And  thereupon,  ver.  13,  14:  "a  multitude  of  the 
heavenly  host  praise  God,  saying,  Glory  to  God  in  the  high- 
est, and  on  earth  peace,  good-will  towards  men."  This  was 
the  work  of  all  the  prophets  under  the  Old  Testament ;  they 
all  prophesied  of  him,  "  tcstilicd  of  his  suflcrings,  and  of  the 
glory  that  should  follow."  They  were  as  so  many  harbin- 
gers, sent  to  prepare  the  world  for  the  reception  of  this  glo- 
rious person.  All  the  apostles,  prophets,  evangelists,  pastors, 
and  teachers,  given  by  him  to  the  New  Testament  church, 
have  had  this  as  the  great  scope  of  their  ministry,  to  edify 
the  body  of  Christ,  by  lifting  up  the  glory  of  this  head-stone 
of  the  corner,  llcv.  iv.  10.  In  short,  this  is  and  has  been  the 
business  of  the  church  militant  here  upon  earth,  and  will  be 
the  work  of  the  church  triumphant  through  eternity.  They 
all  with  one  voice  cry,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain, 


61S  THE  STONE  REJECTED  BY  THE  BUILDERS,  [sER. 

to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and 
honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing,"  Rev.  v.  12.  And  is  it  not 
glorious  encouragement  to  us,  to  lift  up  the  honour  of  our  Re- 
deemer, when  we  have  such  company  to  join  us  in  our  world 

Again,  let  us  consider  that  Christ  is  the  stone,  without  which 
there  can  be  no  building,  for  he  is  the  Church's  all ;  "  Christ 
is  all,  and  in  all."  He  is  her  light,  her  life,  her  righteousness, 
^her  strength,  her  peace,  her  food,  her  clothing,  her  wisdom, 
her  holiness.  So  that  if  he  be  wanting,  all  is  wanting,  and 
the  church  is  ruined.  We  cannot  answer  the  commission  we 
bear  from  our  great  Master,  if  we  do  not  exalt  the  chief 
corner-stone.  It  is  "  Christ  whom  we  preach,"  Col.  i.  28. 
We  are  to  be  of  Paul's  spirit,  "  to  know  nothing"  among  our 
hearers,  "  but  Christ,  and  him  crucified;"  we  are  "always  to 
triumph  in  the  revelation  of  Christ,  so  as  the  savour  of  his 
knowledge  maybe  made  manifest  by  us  in  every  place."  To 
conclude,  we  can  never  finish  our  course  with  joy,  and  the 
ministry  we  have  received  of  the  Lord,  except  this  be  the 
great  scope  of  our  work  whether  in  doctrijie,  discipline, 
worship,  or  government. 

I  shall  shut  up  this  discourse  with  a  few  advices  in  order 
to  our  being  successful  builders  of  this  glorious  fabric,  of 
which  Christ  is  the  head-stone  of  the  corner. 

1.  Then,  Let  us  beware  of  the  fatal  errors  before  men- 
tioned by  which  the  Jewish  builders  ruined  their  once  glo- 
rious fabric,  and  buried  themselves  in  the  ruins  of  it.  Let 
us  beware  of  those  doctrines,  vented  in  our  day,  which  dis- 
parage the  person  of  our  glorious  Redeemer,  and  derogate 
from  his  supreme  and  independent  Deity,  or  his  headship  and 
sovereignty  in  his  church.  Let  us  beware  of  nauseating  the  spi- 
rituality of  his  doctrine,  and  the  sublime  mysteries  of  our  holy 
religion,  preferring  to  it  the  harangues  of  moralists.  When 
we  preach  the  law,  let  us  open  it  in  its  extent  and  spirituality, 
so  as  to  turn  its  edge  upon  the  heart  and  conscience,  that  it 
may  be  "  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart." 
Let  us  preach  up  the  everlasting  righteousness  of  the  Son,  as 
the  only  ground  of  a  sinner's  justification,  and  beware  of 
every  thing  that  has  the  least  tendency  to  foster  a  sinner  in 
his  hope  of  salvation  by  the  works  of  the  law.  Let  us  be- 
ware of  blocking  up  the  door  of  access  to  Christ,  by  legal 
qualifications,  which  are  no  where  to  be  had  but  in  Christ 
himself.  Let  us  beware  of  formality  either  in  preaching  or 
praying,  by  which  we  may  deaden  the  ordinances  of  God,  to 
our  own  souls,  or  the  souls  of  our  hearei's ;  and,  in  order 
thereto,  let  us  take  care  to  license  or  lay  hands  upon  none,  but 
such  as,  in  the  judgment  of  charity,  we  have  reason  to  think 
are  acquainted  with  the  power  of  godliness,  even  though 


XVIII.]       EXALTED  AS  THE  HEAD-STONE  OF  THE  CORNER.  G19 

they  have  been  trained  np  in  literature  at  the  foot  of  a  pro- 
fessor of  divinity.  Let  us  beware  of  carnal  policy  in  the 
matters  of  Christ's  kingdom  and  glory.  Let  us  beware  of 
valuing  ourselves  upon  the  favour  of  men,  great  or  small. 
Especially  let  us  take  care,  that  we  be  not  swayed  in  the 
matters  of  Christ  with  the  favour  of  great  men ;  for  this 
has  been  "a  snare  on  Mizpeh,  and  a  net  spread  upon  Tabor." 
Let  us  study  impartially  the  exercise  of  discipline,  and  be- 
ware of  turning  the  edge  of  it  against  them  that  deserve  it 

o  o  o 

least.  And  let  us  set  ourselves  to  stop  these  passages  into 
the  house  of  God,  by  which  thieves  and  robbers  most  or- 
dinarily enter,  that  the  house  of  God  be  not  turned  into  a  den 
of  thieves. 

2.  In  order  to  our  being  successful  builders,  let  us  seek  the 
builders'  word  from  the  great  Master  builder;  for  there  is  a 
word  which  Christ  gives  to  his  faithful  ministers,  by  which 
the  art  of  building  is  much  conveyed,  John  xvii.  14 :  "I  have 
given  them  thy  word."  Without  this  word  from  the  mouth 
of  Christ,  we  will  never  know  the  true  art  of  building  the 
church :  by  this  word  the  man  of  God  is  made  a  perfect 
builder,  thoroughly  furnished  to  every  good  work.  And  if 
you  ask  me,  wliat  is  that  word  ?  I  answer,  It  is  an  expe- 
rimental acquaintance  with  the  power  of  the  word  upon  the 
soul,  particularly  the  knowledge  of  that  leading  mysteiy, 
"  God  manifested  in  the  flesh." 

3.  Let  us  take  care  that  every  stone  of  the  building  cor- 
respond with  the  foundation  and  corner-stone ;  whatever  doc- 
trines or  practices  do  not  hang  right  with  this  regulating 
stone ;  let  that  be  cast.  In  order  to  which,  let  us  examine 
our  own  and  others'  doctrines  and  conversation  by  the  plumb 
line  and  infallible  rule  of  the  word:  "To  the  law  and  to  the 
testimony  :  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  be- 
cause there  is  no  light  in  them,"  Isa.  viii.  20. 

4.  Let  us  observe  the  signs  of  the  times;  and  whenever 
we  discern  the  danger  coming,  cither  from  open  enemies,  or 
pretended  friends,  let  us  give  the  cry,  like  faithful  watchmen; 
and,  though  fellow-builders  be  odcnded,  there  is  no  help  for 
that.  It  is  a  heavy  charge  that  is  laid  by  God  against  some, 
as  above,  that  they  were  "  dumb  dogs,  that  could  not  bark," 
but  preferred  their  own  carnal  ease  to  the  safety  of  the 
church,  Isa.  Ivi.  10—12. 

5.  Lastlv,  Let  us  wrestle  much  at  a  throne  of  grace  for 
the  countenance  of  the  great  Master,  and  assistance  of  his 
Spirit ;  for  "  except  the  Lord  build  the  house,  the  builders 
build  in  vain.  Paul  may  plant,  and  Apollos  water  ;  but  it  is 
God  that  giveth  the  increase."  * 

END  OF  vor.  I. 


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